Optim tzrrrg an Advertising Campaign

Math 1010 Intermediate Algebra Project

Background [nformation:
Linear Programming is a technique used for optimization of a real-world situation. Examples of
optimization include maximizing the number of items that can be manufactured or minimizing
the cost of production. The equation that represents the quantlty to be optimized is called the
obiective fuqction, since the objective of the process is to optimize the value. In this project the
objective is to maximize the number of people who will be reached by an advertising campaign.

The objective is subject to timitations or constraints that are represented by inequalities.

Limitations on the number of items that can be produced, the number of hours that workers are
available, and the amount of land a farmer has for crops are exampies of constraints that can be
represented using inequalities. Broadcasting an infinite number of advertisements is not a
realistic goal. In this project one of the constraints will be based on an advertising budget.

Graphing the system of inequalities based on the constraints provides a visual representation of
the possible solutions to the problem. If the graph is a closed region, it can be shown that the
values that optimizethe objective function will occur at one of the "corners" of the region.

The Problem:

In this project you will solve the following situation:

A local business plans on advertising their new product by purchasing advertisements on the
radio and on TV. The business plans to purchase at least 60 total ads and they want to have at
least twice as many TV ads as radio ads. Radio ads cost $50 each and TV ads cost $200 each.
The advertising budget is $10,800. It is estimated that each radio ad will be heard by 2000
listeners and each TV ad will be seen by 1500 people. How many of each type of ad should be
purchased to maximize the number of people who will be reached by the advertisements?

Modeling the Problem:

Let X be the rurmber of radio ads that are purchased and Y be the.number of TV ads.

1. Write down a linear inequality for the total numbef bf desired ads.

xJ-y> an
2. Write down a linear inequality for the cost of the ads.

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Optim tzurrg an Advertising Campaign
Math I 01 0 Intermediate Algebra Project

Background Information:
Linear Programming is a technique used for optimization of a real-world situation. Examples of
optimization include maximizing the number of items that can be manufactured or minimizing
the cost of production. The equation that represents the quantrty to be optimized is called the
objective function, since the objective of the process is to optimizethe value. In this project the
objective is to maximizethe number of people who will be reached by an advertising campaign.

The objective is subject to limitations or constraints that are represented by inequalities.

Limitations on the number of items that can be produced, the number of hours that workers are
available, and the amount of land afarmer has for crops are examples of constraints that can be
represented using inequalities. Broadcasting an infinite number of advertisements is not a
realistic goal. In this project one of the constraints will be based on an advertising budget.

Graphing the system of inequalities based on the constraints provides a visual representation of
the possible solutions to the problem. If the graph is a closed region, it can be shown that the
values that optimizethe objective function will occur at one of the "coffiers" of the region.

The Problem:

In this project you will solve the following situation:

A local business plans on advertising their new product by purchasing advertisements on the
radio and on TV. The business plans to purchase at least 60 total ads and they want to have at
least twice as many TV ads as radio ads. Radio ads cost $50 each and TV ads cost $200 each.
The advertising budget is $10,800. It is estimated that each radio ad will be heard by 2000
listeners and each TV ad will be seen by 1500 people. How many of each type of ad should be
purchased to maximize the number of people who will be reached by the advertisements?

Modeling the Problem:

Let X be the number of radio ads that are purchased and Y be the. number of TV ads.

1. Write down a linear inequality for the total numberbf desired ads.

xf y> uo
2. Write down a linear inequality for the cost of the ads'
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 3. Recall that the business wants at least twice as many TV ads (Y) as radio ads (X). So, the
number of TV ads should be at least (or more) than2 times the number of radio ads.
Write down a linear inequality that expresses this fact. Be carefuMt is easy to write this
one backwards. (Hint: TV >Z(radio) )

/: ztx\
4. There are two more constraints that must be met. These relate to the fact that there
cannot be s negative numbers of advertisements. Write the two inequalities that model
these constraints:

Xlc
5. Next, write down the function for the number of people that will be exposed to the
advertisements. This is the Objective Function for the problem.

P= IOCCx + l5"h# y
You now have five linear inequalities and an objective function. These together describe the
situation. This combined set of inequalities and objective function make up what is known
mathematically as a linear programming problem. Write all of the inequalities and the
objective function together below. This is typically written as a list of constraints, with the
objective function last.

X*y ) to
Sortloof q" tn$r*
y) 2 (x)
x)o
y >D
f,= }ncp >( + \S o# Y
 7. The shaded region in the above graph is called the feasible region. Any (x, y) point in
the
region corresponds to a possible number of radio and TV ads that will meet all the
requirements of the problem. However, the values that will maximize the number
of
people exposed to the ads will occur at one of the vertices or comers of the region. your
region should have three comers. Find the coordinates of these corners by solving
the
appropriate system of linear equations. Be sure to show your work and labelthe (x, y)
coordinates of the corners in your graph.

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) Yi*.l* 4km
3 y)fx +o
t /sr !li*4?
I,J

( t, el (x,fA)
(t -{1
-l
f?
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Y: qfi
u,3) -+- +{rus?*=},:?;Y (so,4a\
*1
/= P

8. To find r'vhich number of radio and TV ads will maximize the number of people
who are
exposed to the business advertisements, evaluate the objective function p for
each of the
vertices you found. Show your work.

(!1\'l = ;cCIb(B )+
t8,f:)
5-c:, (g-X )2 f* 14 , ur:s

ft , 1\=p rrun (*r *{ } + q #'il {-f ,F : :- P; 1 2npm*

{ruf urTl} =-)
I

L* ')'*

(2, ?).
- t=
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6. To solve this problem, you will need to graph the intersection of all five inequalities
on one common XY plane. Do this on the grid below (or for extra credit use
www.desmos.com. Make sure you scale your graph appropriately. You'lIwant to export
your graph as an o'image".). Have the bottom left be the origin, with the horizontal axis
representing X and the vertical axis representing Y. Label the axes with what they
represent and label your lines as you graph them.
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Optimizing an Advertising Campaign

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 9. Write a sentence describing how many of each type of advertisement should be
purchased and what is the maximum number of people who will be exposed to the ad.

After putting the figures together it seems that there should be24 Radio ads and 48 TV
ads to get the maximum amount of people to be exposed to. Th

10. Reflective Writing. This needs to be a separate page that is typed, proof-read for
typos, spelling, and grammar. Use l2-point font and double space. Add a title (e.g.
Reflective Writing for Optimizationlab). Provide a brief introduction explaining the
lab in your own words. Also in the introduction, tell the audience which mathematical
techniques you used in the lab (e.g. plotting graphs). Then, please respond to each of
the questions below. Your writing should be in an essay form (written in paragraphr.

Do you think this project shows how math can be applied to the reai world? If 'oyes",
please elaborate-why are the results important or beneficial? If "no", how could the lab
change to make it more applicable to the'oreal world"? Cafi you give an example of
somone other than a business owner/manager that might be interested in this type of
analysis? Can you think of or find an example of in your text (Hint: see the exercise set
for section 4.5 in your text.) another application where linear programming could be used
to optimize a situation? Be specific. If you were the business owner in this lab and the
manager brought you the results of the lab, why would it be important for the manager to
be clear about the process and be able justify her conclusion? Did this assignment
change your opinion of the usefulness of math? Write one paragraph stating what ideas
changed and why. If this project did not change the way you think, write how this project
gave further evidence to support your existing opinion about applying math. Be specific.

1 V/riting, to your ePortfolio (if you

1. ePortfolio. Post a copy of this lab, including the Reflective
need to, scan a copy in the Copy Center). For more information about ePortfolios, please see the
syllabus.
 Reflective Writing for Optimization Lab

While doing this project I learned a lot, at first I became a liule frustrated but found that
as long as I stuck to the work and studied up on concepts I was not too sure about I could
get it done and understand what I was doing throughout the project. I was able to get a
better grip on story problems, by using mathematical methods such as finding linear
inequality's and separating them from the text, graphing and finding the feasible region
on said graph.

I do find that this project helped me show real world applications, though I'm sure there
are plenty more this projectdefinitely gives a better perspective on how often you will be
able to apply the math leamed in these classes. There are plenty of careers that would
need to use these mathematical concepts, such as a book keeper at a convenience store, I
read about transportation companies that use linear programming to maximize their travel
time by finding the fastest routes.

If a manager of a company were to bring these kind of problems without being able to be
clear and justiS her conclusion then the business may mn into a lot of issues with
over/underpayments to other companies. If they aren't positive of their findings it could
be set for chaos.

Though this assignment gave me a better outlook I have always assumed that math would
ooreal
be more applicable than what is normally seen by the naked eye in the world". I
don't think this assignment changed my outlook more than it broadened and helped me
conclude that math will be useful in every aspect of my life.