LINEAR

PROGRAMMING:
Graphical Method

ENGR. YOSHIKI B. KURATA, CIE, AAE, MSc.IE

Course Instructor

Reference:

Introduction to Operations Research (7th Edition)

By F. Hillier & H. Lieberman
McGraw Hill Higher Education
Review:
Formulate a linear programming model.

A company manufactures two products X and Y by using three

machines A, B and C. Machine A has 4 hours of capacity available
during the coming week. Similarly, the available capacity of machines
B and C during the coming week is 24 hours and 35 hours,
respectively. One unit of product requires one hour of machine A, 3
hours of machine B and 10 hours of machine C. Similarly, one unit of
product Y requires 1 hour, 8 hours and 7 hours of machines A, B and
C. When one unit of X is sold in the market, it yields a profit of $5 per
product and that of Y is $7 per unit.
Answer:
Products Available
Machines
(Time required in hours) Capacity in Hours

X Y
A 1 7 4
B 3 8 24
C 10 7 35
Profit ($) 5 7

Let: X1 - the number of units of X

X2 - the number of units of Y

Maximize Z = $5X1 + $7X2

subject to: X1 + X2 ≤ 4
3X1 + 8X2 ≤ 24
10X1 + 7X2 ≤ 35
X1 , X2 ≥ 0
Introduction
◼ A solution approach that can be used to solve LP models is the
graphical method.

◼ The graphical method includes two steps:

1. Determination of the feasible region.
2. Determination of the optimum solution from among all feasible points in
the feasible region.

◼ The graphical method is probably the easiest to use. It, however,

can only be used to solve linear programming problems with a
maximum of two decision variables.

Optimum solution – feasible solution with the largest objective function value (for a
maximization problem) and the smallest objective function value (for a minimization problem).
Feasible Solutions
A feasible solution does not violate any of the constraints:

Example: x1 = 5 bowls
x2 = 10 mugs
Z = $40x1 + $50x2 = $700

Labor constraint check: 1(5) + 2(10) = 25 < 40 hours

Clay constraint check: 4(5) + 3(10) = 70 < 120 pounds
Infeasible Solutions
An infeasible solution violates at least one of the constraints:

Example: x1 = 10 bowls
x2 = 20 mugs
Z = $40x1 + $50x2 = $1400

Labor constraint check: 1(10) + 2(20) = 50 > 40 hours

Example (Maximization)
Beaver Creek Pottery Company employs skilled artisans to produce
clay bowls and mugs. The two resources used by the company are
special pottery clay and skilled labor. Given these limited resources,
the company desires to know how many bowls and mugs to produce
each day in order to maximize profit.

Resource Requirements

Labor Clay Profit

Product
(Hr./Unit) (Lb./Unit) ($/Unit)

Bowl 1 4 40
Mug 2 3 50
Example (Maximization)
Beaver Creek Pottery Company employs skilled artisans to produce
clay bowls and mugs. The two resources used by the company are
special pottery clay and skilled labor. Given these limited resources,
the company desires to know how many bowls and mugs to produce
each day in order to maximize profit.
Example (Maximization)
Resource 40 hours of labor per day
Availability: 120 lbs. of clay
Decision x1 = number of bowls to produce per day
Variables: x2 = number of mugs to produce per day
Objective Maximize Z = $40x1 + $50x2
Function: Where Z = profit per day
Resource 1x1 + 2x2  40 hours of labor
Constraints: 4x1 + 3x2  120 pounds of clay
Non-Negativity x1  0; x2  0
Constraints:
Example (Maximization)
Complete Linear Programming Model:

Maximize Z = $40x1 + $50x2

subject to: 1x1 + 2x2  40

4x1 + 3x2  120
x1, x2  0
Graphical Solution

X2 is mugs

Maximize Z = $40x1 + $50x2

subject to: 1x1 + 2x2  40
4x1 + 3x2  120
x1, x2  0

X1 is bowls
Coordinates for Graphical Analysis
Graphical Solution

Maximize Z = $40x1 + $50x2

subject to: 1x1 + 2x2  40
4x1 + 3x2  120
x1, x2  0

Graph of Labor Constraint

Graphical Solution

Maximize Z = $40x1 + $50x2

subject to: 1x1 + 2x2  40
4x1 + 3x2  120
x1, x2  0

Labor Constraint Area

Graphical Solution

Maximize Z = $40x1 + $50x2

subject to: 1x1 + 2x2  40
4x1 + 3x2  120
x1, x2  0

Clay Constraint Area

Graphical Solution

Maximize Z = $40x1 + $50x2

subject to: 1x1 + 2x2  40
4x1 + 3x2  120
x1, x2  0

Graph for Both Model Constraints

Graphical Solution

Maximize Z = $40x1 + $50x2

subject to: 1x1 + 2x2  40
4x1 + 3x2  120
x1, x2  0

Feasible Solution Area

Graphical Solution

Maximize Z = $40x1 + $50x2

subject to: 1x1 + 2x2  40
4x1 + 3x2  120
x1, x2  0

Alternative Objective Function Lines

Graphical Solution

Maximize Z = $40x1 + $50x2

subject to: 1x1 + 2x2  40
4x1 + 3x2  120
x1, x2  0

Optimal Solution Point

Graphical Solution

Maximize Z = $40x1 + $50x2

subject to: 1x1 + 2x2  40
4x1 + 3x2  120
x1, x2  0

Optimal Solution Coordinates

Graphical Solution

Maximize Z = $40x1 + $50x2

subject to: 1x1 + 2x2  40
4x1 + 3x2  120
x1, x2  0

Solutions at all Corner Points

Optimal Solution
Maximize Z = $40x1 + $50x2

subject to: 1x1 + 2x2  40

4x1 + 3x2  120
x1, x2  0

X1 = 24 bowls
X2 = 8 mugs

Z = $40 (24) + $50 (8)

$960 + $400
Z = $1,360
Example (Minimization)
A farmer is preparing to plant a crop in the spring and needs to
fertilize a field. There are two brands of fertilizer to choose from,
Super-gro and Crop-quick. Each brand yields a specific amount of
nitrogen and phosphate per bag, as follows :
Chemical Contribution

Nitrogen Phosphate
Brand
(lb/bag) (lb/bag)
Super-gro 2 4
Crop-quick 4 3

The farmer's field requires at least 16 pounds of nitrogen and 24

pounds of phosphate. Super-gro costs $6 per bag, and Crop-quick
costs $3. The farmer wants to know how many bags of each brand to
purchase in order to minimize the total cost of fertilizing.
Example (Minimization)
Example (Minimization)
◼ Two brands of fertilizer
available - Super-gro, Crop-
quick.
◼ Field requires at least 16
pounds of nitrogen and 24
pounds of phosphate.
◼ Super-gro costs $6 per bag,
Crop-quick $3 per bag.
◼ Problem: How much of each Chemical Contribution
brand to purchase to minimize Nitrogen Phosphate
total cost of fertilizer given Brand
(lb/bag) (lb/bag)
following data ? Super-gro 2 4
Crop-quick 4 3
Example (Minimization)
Decision Variables:
x1 = bags of Super-gro
x2 = bags of Crop-quick

The Objective Function:

Minimize Z = $6x1 + 3x2
Where: $6x1 = cost of bags of Super-Gro
$3x2 = cost of bags of Crop-Quick

Model Constraints:
2x1 + 4x2  16 lb (nitrogen constraint)
4x1 + 3x2  24 lb (phosphate constraint)
x1, x2  0 (non-negativity constraint)
Minimize Z = $6x1 + $3x2
subject to: 2x1 + 4x2  16
4x1 + 3x2  24
x1, x2  0

Graph for Both Model Constraints

Minimize Z = $6x1 + $3x2
subject to: 2x1 + 4x2  16
4x1 + 3x2  24
x1, x2  0

Feasible Solution Area

Minimize Z = $6x1 + $3x2
subject to: 2x1 + 4x2  16
4x1 + 3x2  24
x1, x2  0

Optimum Solution Point

Exercise 1
Dimensions Ltd., makes two products, tables and chairs, which must
be processed through assembly and finishing departments. Assembly
has 60 hours available per week; finishing can handle up to 48 hours
of work a week. Manufacturing one table requires 4 hours in
assembly and 2 hours in finishing. Each chair requires 2 hours in
assembly and 4 hours in finishing.

If profit is $8 per table and $6 per chair, the problem is to determine

the best possible combination of tables and chairs to produce and sell
in order to realize the maximum profit.

Solve the linear programming problem using graphical method.

Exercise 2
Geena is the Production Manager of Clear Shampoo and she wants to
determine the production mix that will result to maximum profit. She is able
to determine the data necessary for her to make a decision. It will take 5
minutes to mix 1 case of men’s shampoo and 10 minutes to mix 1 case of
women’s shampoo and she has a total of 100 minutes available for the
mixing process per day. It will take 7 minutes to bottle one case of men’s
shampoo and 7 minutes to bottle one case of women’s shampoo and she
has a total of 84 minutes available for the bottling process per day. It will take
9 minutes to pack one case of men’s shampoo and 5 minutes to pack one
case of women’s shampoo and she has a total of 90 minutes available for
the packing process. She will earn $6 for every case of men’s shampoo
produced and $8 for every case of women’s shampoo produced.

How many cases of men’s and women’s shampoo should be produced in

one day to maximize profits? How much is the total profit?
Exercise 3
Jacob is the purchasing manager of Kraft Foods and he wants to
determine the supply mix that will result to a minimum cost. He is able
to determine the data necessary for him to make a decision. A gallon
of Alaska milk can produce 5 cases of cheese, 7 cases of butter and
9 cases of cream while Nestle milk can produce 11 cases of cheese,
8 cases of butter and 4 cases of cream . He must produce at least
110 cases of cheese, 112 cases of butter, and 72 cases of cream per
day. Alaska milk costs $50 per gallon while Nestle milk costs $55 per
gallon.

How many gallons of Alaska milk and Nestle milk should he purchase
per day to minimize costs? How much is the total cost?
Exercise 4
◼ Use graphical method to identify the optimal solution(s) to the
following LP:

Minimize Z = 2X1 + 5X2

subject to:
3X1 + 2X2 ≥ 10
-X1 + 2X2 ≥ 3
X1 ≤ 4
X1, X2 ≥ 0

What if the objective function is to be maximized instead?

Exercise 5
◼ Use graphical method to identify the optimal solution(s) to the
following LP:

Minimize Z = -X1 + 2X2

subject to:
3X1 + 2X2 ≥ 10
-X1 + 2X2 ≥ 3
X1 ≤ 4
X1, X2 ≥ 0
Irregular Types of Linear
Programming Problems
For some linear programming models, the general rules do
not apply.

◼ Special types of problems include those with:

▪ Multiple optimal solutions
▪ Infeasible solutions
▪ Unbounded solutions
Multiple Optimal Solutions
The objective function is
parallel to a constraint line.
Maximize Z= $40x1 + 30x2
subject to: 1x1 + 2x2  40
4x1 + 3x2  120
x1, x2  0
Where:
x1 = number of bowls
x2 = number of mugs
An Infeasible Problem
Every possible solution
violates at least one constraint:
Maximize Z = 5x1 + 3x2
subject to: 4x1 + 2x2  8
x1  4
x2  6
x1, x2  0
An Unbounded Problem
Value of the objective
function increases indefinitely:
Maximize Z = 4x1 + 2x2
subject to: x1  4
x2  2
x1, x2  0