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Combinatorial Optimization Optimization Operations Research Mathematics Matching Weighted Bipartite Graph

The assignment problem is a combinatorial optimization problem that involves finding a maximum weight matching in a weighted bipartite graph. Specifically, it aims to assign agents to tasks or vice versa to minimize total cost, ensuring each agent is assigned one task and each task is assigned one agent. When the number of agents and tasks are equal and total cost equals the sum of individual costs, it is referred to as the linear assignment problem, which is commonly what is meant when referring to the assignment problem alone.

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Gopalakrishnan Kuppuswamy
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12 views

Combinatorial Optimization Optimization Operations Research Mathematics Matching Weighted Bipartite Graph

The assignment problem is a combinatorial optimization problem that involves finding a maximum weight matching in a weighted bipartite graph. Specifically, it aims to assign agents to tasks or vice versa to minimize total cost, ensuring each agent is assigned one task and each task is assigned one agent. When the number of agents and tasks are equal and total cost equals the sum of individual costs, it is referred to as the linear assignment problem, which is commonly what is meant when referring to the assignment problem alone.

Uploaded by

Gopalakrishnan Kuppuswamy
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The assignment problem is one of the fundamental combinatorial optimization problems in the branch of optimization or operations research in mathematics.

It consists of finding a maximum weight matching in a weighted bipartite graph. In its most general form, the problem is as follows: There are a number of agents and a number of tasks. Any agent can be assigned to perform any task, incurring some cost that may vary depending on the agent-task assignment. It is required to perform all tasks by assigning exactly one agent to each task and exactly one task to each agent in such a way that the total cost of the assignment is minimized. If the numbers of agents and tasks are equal and the total cost of the assignment for all tasks is equal to the sum of the costs for each agent (or the sum of the costs for each task, which is the same thing in this case), then the problem is called the linear assignment problem. Commonly, when speaking of the assignment problem without any additional qualification, then the linear assignment problem is meant.

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