• A calculator company produces a scientific calculator and a graphing

calculator. Long-term projections indicate an expected demand of at

least 100 scientific and 80 graphing calculators each day. Because of
limitations on production capacity, no more than 200 scientific
and 170graphing calculators can be made daily. To satisfy a shipping contract,
a total of at least 200 calculators much be shipped each day.

If each scientific calculator sold results in a $2 loss, but each graphing

calculator produces a $5 profit, how many of each type should be made daily to
maximize net profits?

The question asks for the optimal number of calculators, so my variables will stand for
that:

x: number of scientific calculators produced

y: number of graphing calculators produced

Since they can't produce negative numbers of calculators, I have the two
constraints, x > 0 and y > 0. But in this case, I can ignore these constraints, because
I already have that x > 100 andy > 80. The exercise also gives
maximums: x < 200 and y < 170. The minimum shipping requirement gives
mex + y > 200; in other words, y > –x + 200. The profit relation will be my
optimization equation: P = –2x + 5y. So the entire system is:

P = –2x + 5y, subject to:

100 < x < 200
80 < y < 170
y > –x + 200

The feasibility region graphs as: Copyright © Elizabeth Stapel 2006-2011 All Rights Reserved
When you test the corner points at (100, 170), (200, 170), (200, 80), (120, 80), and (100,
100), you should obtain the maximum value of P = 650 at (x, y) = (100, 170). That is, the
solution is "100scientific calculators and 170 graphing calculators".

• You need to buy some filing cabinets. You know that Cabinet X costs $10 per
unit, requires six square feet of floor space, and holds eight cubic feet of files.
Cabinet Y costs $20 per unit, requires eight square feet of floor space, and
holds twelve cubic feet of files. You have been given $140 for this purchase,
though you don't have to spend that much. The office has room for no more
than 72 square feet of cabinets. How many of which model should you buy, in
order to maximize storage volume?

The question ask for the number of cabinets I need to buy, so my variables will stand
for that:

x: number of model X cabinets purchased

y: number of model Y cabinets purchased

Naturally, x > 0 and y > 0. I have to consider costs and floor space (the "footprint" of
each unit), while maximizing the storage volume, so costs and floor space will be my
constraints, while volume will be my optimization equation.

cost: 10x + 20y < 140, or y < –( 1/2 )x + 7

space: 6x + 8y < 72, or y < –( 3/4 )x + 9
volume: V = 8x + 12y

This system (along with the first two constraints) graphs as:

When you test the corner points at (8, 3), (0, 7), and (12, 0), you should obtain a maximal
volume of100 cubic feet by buying eight of model X and three of model Y.
• At a certain refinery, the refining process requires the production of at least
two gallons of gasoline for each gallon of fuel oil. To meet the anticipated
demands of winter, at least three million gallons of fuel oil a day will need to be
produced. The demand for gasoline, on the other hand, is not more
than 6.4 million gallons a day.

If gasoline is selling for $1.90 per gallon and fuel oil sells for $1.50/gal, how
much of each should be produced in order to maximize revenue?

The question asks for the number of gallons which should be produced, so I should
let my variables stand for "gallons produced".

x: gallons of gasoline produced

y: gallons of fuel oil produced

Since this is a "real world" problem, I know that I can't have negative production
levels, so the variables can't be negative. This gives me my first two constraints:
namely, x > 0 and y > 0.

Since I have to have at least two gallons of gas for every gallon of oil, then
x > 2y.

For graphing, of course, I'll use the more manageable form " y < ( 1/2 )x".

The winter demand says that y >3,000,000; note that this constraint eliminates the
need for the "y > 0" constraint. The gas demand says that x < 6,400,000.

I need to maximize revenue R, so the optimization equation is R = 1.9x + 1.5y. Then

the model for this word problem is as follows:

R = 1.9x + 1.5y, subject to:

x>0
x < 6,400,000 Copyright © Elizabeth Stapel 2006-2011 All Rights Reserved

y > 3,000,000
y < ( 1/2 )x

Using a scale that counts by millions (so "y = 3" on the graph means "y is three
million"), the above system graphs as follows:
 Taking a closer look, I can see the feasibility region a little better:

When you test the corner points at (6.4m, 3.2m), (6.4m, 3m), and (6m, 3m), you should get
a maximal solution of R = $16.96m at (x, y) = (6.4m, 3.2m).

• In order to ensure optimal health (and thus accurate test results), a lab
technician needs to feed the rabbits a daily diet containing a minimum of 24
grams (g) of fat, 36 g of carbohydrates, and 4 g of protien. But the rabbits
should be fed no more than five ounces of food a day.

Rather than order rabbit food that is custom-blended, it is cheaper to order

Food X and Food Y, and blend them for an optimal mix. Food X contains 8 g of
fat, 12 g of carbohydrates, and 2 g of protein per ounce, and costs $0.20 per
ounce. Food Y contains 12 g of fat, 12 g of carbohydrates, and 1 g of protein
per ounce, at a cost of $0.30 per ounce.

What is the optimal blend?

Since the exercise is asking for the number of ounces of each food required for the
optimal daily blend, my variables will stand for the number of ounces of each:
 x: number of ounces of Food X
y: number of ounces of Food Y

Since I can't use negative amounts of either food, the first two constrains are the
usual ones: x > 0 and y > 0. The other constraints come from the grams of fat,
carbohydrates, and protein per ounce:

fat: 8x + 12y > 24

carbs: 12x + 12y > 36
protein: 2x + 1y > 4

Also, the maximum weight of the food is five ounces, so:

x+y<5

The optimization equation will be the cost relation C = 0.2x + 0.3y, but this time I'll
be finding the minimum value, not the maximum.

After rearranging the inequalities, the system graphs as:

(Note: One of the lines above is irrelevant to the system. Can you tell which one?)

When you test the corners at (0, 4), (0, 5), (3, 0), (5, 0), and (1, 2), you should get a
minimum cost of sixty cents per daily serving, using three ounces of Food X only.

• You have $12,000 to invest, and three different funds from which to choose.
The municipal bond fund has a 7% return, the local bank's CDs have an 8%
return, and the high-risk account has an expected (hoped-for) 12% return. To
minimize risk, you decide not to invest any more than $2,000 in the high-risk
account. For tax reasons, you need to invest at least three times as much in the
municipal bonds as in the bank CDs. Assuming the year-end yields are as
expected, what are the optimal investment amounts?
Since the question is asking me to find the amount of money for each account, my
variables will need to stand for those amounts. Since I'd like to deal with smaller
numbers, I'll count by thousands, so:

x: amount (in thousands) invested in bonds

y: amount (in thousands) invested in CDs

Um... now what? I only have two variables, but I have three accounts. To handle this,
I need the "how much is left" construction:

12 – x – y: amount (in thousands) invested in the high-risk account

I can't invest negative amounts of money, so the first two constraints are the usual
ones: x > 0and y > 0. The amount in the high-risk account can't be negative either,
so 12 – x – y > 0, which simplifies as:

y < –x + 12

Also, the upper limit on the high-risk account gives me the inequality (12 – x –
y) < 2. This simplifies as: Copyright © Elizabeth Stapel 2006-2011 All Rights Reserved

y > –x + 10

And the tax requirements give me y < ( 1/3 )x. The optimization equation will be the
total investment yield, Y = 0.07x + 0.08y + 0.12(12 – x – y) = 1.44 – 0.05x –
0.04y. The entire system is then as follows:

Maximize Y = 1.44 – 0.05x – 0.04y, subject to:

x>0
y>0
y > –x + 10
y < –x + 12
y < ( 1/3 )x

The feasibility region graphs as:

When you test the corner points at (9,3), (12, 0), (10, 0), and (7.5, 2.5), you should get
an optimal return of $965 when you invest $7,500 in municipal bonds, $2,500 in CDs, and
the remaining $2,000in the high-risk account.