LINEAR PROGRAMMING
- Linear Programming involves minimizing and maximizing quantities using Linear Equations and/or
Inequations (also called Inequalities)
- We can use Linear Programming in daily life e.g in business we always want to maximize profit and
minimize labour.
- A Linear equation is a statement of equality between two quantities e.g x = 9, means the value of x is 9
i.e the statement is only true by substituting 9 where there’s x
- A Linear Inequation (or Inequality) is a statement of inequality between two quantities e.g x ˃ −3
means x represents any integer greater than −3
i.e x can be −2 or −1 or 0 or 1 or 2 e.t.c
- The set of values representing x is called the Solution Set because x can be any of the numbers
−2 or −1 or 0 or 1 or 2 (forming a set of numbers) e.t.c to make the statement x ˃ −3 true.
PART 1: SOLVING LINEAR EQUATIONS AND INEQUATIONS IN ONE VARIABLE
a) Solve the following equations
i) 𝟕(𝟏 − 𝒙) − (𝒙 + 𝟑) = −𝟏𝟒
𝒙+𝟐 𝟏
ii) −𝒙= 𝟐
𝟑
𝒚+𝟏 𝟐 𝟏
iii) − =
𝟐
𝒚 𝟑
iv) 𝟕 − 𝟐(𝒚 − 𝟑) = 𝟐 − 𝟓(𝒚 − 𝟏)
b) Solve the following inequalities and illustrate the solution set on the number line and
Cartesian plane (on graph paper):
i) 𝒙 − 𝟓 < −𝟏𝟎
ii) 𝟒𝒚 − 𝟔 ≤ 𝟑𝒚 − 𝟓
iii) 𝟐𝒙 − 𝟕 ≤ 𝟒𝒙 − 𝟏 < 𝒙 + 𝟐𝟔
𝒙−𝟒
iv) < 𝟐(𝒙 + 𝟏) ≤ 𝟏 + 𝟑𝒙
𝟑
𝟕𝒚 − 𝟏
v) ≥ 2
𝟑
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vi) −𝟏 ≤ 𝟐 − 𝒙 < 𝟕
v) −𝟏𝟔 − 𝟓𝒙 < −𝟐𝒙 + 𝟐 ≤ −𝟑𝒙 + 𝟕
PART 2: SOLVING EQUATIONS AND INEQUATIONS IN TWO VARIABLES
- A Linear Equation in two variables (otherwise called Simultaneous Equation) comes in the form of the
function
𝒚 = 𝒂𝒙 + 𝒃, where 𝒂 (the gradient) and 𝒃 (the y-intercept) are constants or integers.
- Two Linear Equations are needed to solve for the two variables 𝑥 and 𝑦 above using Elimination,
Substitution, Matrix, and Graphical methods but here we focus on the Graphical Method.
- The solution is the point where two lines intersect
e.g Given 𝒚 = −𝒙 + 𝟑 and 𝟐 𝒚 − 𝒙 = −𝟐,
plot the two lines on the Cartesian Plane and determine the solution of the two lines above.
Exercise: Illustrate the solution set of the following inequalities on the Cartesian Plane
a) 𝒚 = 𝒙 + 𝟒 and 𝒙 + 𝒚 = 𝟒
b) 𝟐𝒙 + 𝒚 = −𝟐 and 𝒙 + 𝟒𝒚 = 𝟖
c) 𝒙 + 𝒚 = 𝟓 and 𝟑𝒙 + 𝟐𝒚 = 𝟔
Solution Set of Inequalities in Two Variables
- Given 𝑦 > 𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏, replace the inequality sign with the equal sign and it becomes 𝑦 = 𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏.
- Plot the line 𝑦 = 𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏 on the Cartesian Plane and shade the unwanted side or region of this line
Example: Illustrate the solution set of the following inequalities on the Cartesian Plane
𝒚 ≤ 𝒙 + 𝟒, 𝒚 > 𝟒 − 𝒙, 𝟑𝒙 + 𝒚 ≥ 𝟔 and 𝟑𝒚 − 𝟏𝟎𝒙 < −𝟑𝟎.
- Plot all the inequalities on the Cartesian plane and shade the unwanted region.
- The clear region is called Feasible Region, denoted R, and the inequalities are called Constraints.
- The feasible region is used to find the maximum or minimum points/values (avoid decimals).
Exercise: illustrate the solution set of the inequalities below and clearly label the feasible region;
𝒙 + 𝟓𝒚 ≤ 𝟐𝟎, 𝒙 ≥ 𝟎, 𝟐𝒙 − 𝟑𝒚 ≤ 𝟏𝟐
and find the minimum and maximum points/values.
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