LINEAR PROGRAMMING PROBLEM (LPP)

Progamming techniques are widely used for decision making.

Programming techniques can be
Linear Programming and
Non linear programming
A model, which is used for optimum allocation of scare or limited resource to competing products or
activities under such assumptions as certainty, linearity, fixed technology and constant profit per unit, is
linear programming.
LPP is one of the most versatile, powerful and useful technique for making managerial decision
making. It can be used for solving broad range of problems arising in industries, business, government,
hospitals etc.
For solving the problem it is necessary to
Formulate the problem (Problem formulation) and
Solving the formulated by using suitable method such as graphical method, Simplex method

Properties of LPP Model/Problem

Any LPP model or problem must have the following properties
i. The relationship between variables and constraints must be linear.
ii. The model must have an objective function.
iii. The model must have structural constraints.
iv. The model must have non-negativity constraints.

While formulating the problem as LPP

i. LPP will be will be essentially having an objective function and set of constraints
ii. Set of constraints will be of two types-linear structural constraints and non-negativity
constraints
iii. Define the decision variables x1, x2, x3… which are contributing to the decision or objective
function such as number of products of each type A and B or X and Y to manufacture so as to
maximize the profit.
iv. Objective function may be of either minimization or maximization type. It will be of
minimization type when the decision is concerned with time and cost, where as it will be of
maximization when the decision is concerned with profit, efficiency and effectiveness.
 v. Express the given information/content in the problem in the tabular form.
vi. State the objective function using the defined variables such as Minimum z = 3x1 + 4x2 or
Maximum z = 2x1 + 3x2.
vii. The constraints can be of three types less than equal to (≤), greater than equal to (≥) or equal
to (=). Constraints describe the availability of resources or requirement of decision variables.
 When the resources are limited or restricted for example available resources are
limited to 200 units, the capacity is limited to 50 hours etc; then the relationship
among the decision variables will be in the form of less than equal to (≤).
 When there is minimum requirement or demand for the particular decision variable;
then the relationship among the decision variables will be in the form of greater than
equal to (≥).
 If conditions such as minimum requirement or capacities are not described in the
problem then the constraint may be equal to (=) type.
viii. Finally, end up the formulation by introducing non-negativity constraints for the decision
variables defined for example- x1, x2 ≥ 0, it means that it is not possible to have negative
values of decision variables defined.

Let us consider the following problem

PROBLEM 1
A company manufactures two products X and Y, which require the following resources. The resources
are the capacities of machines M1, M2 and M3. The available capacities are 50, 25 and 15 hours
respectively. Product X requires 1 hour of machine M2 and 1 hour of machine M3. Product Y requires 2
hours of machine M1and 1 hour of machine M3. The profit contribution of products X and Y are Rs 5 and
Rs 4 respectively. Find out the number of products of X and Y to be manufactured so as to maximize the
total profit. Formulate the problem as LPP.

Solution
Here the decision is concerned with maximization of profit; hence the objective function will be of
maximization type.
Let x1 and x2 be the number of units of product X and Y respectively. (Defining the decision variables)
The total profit is calculated by the number of products of X and Y and their contribution (profit/unit). As
profit contribution of products X and Y are Rs 5 and Rs 4 respectively. Therefore, the objective function
will be
Maximum z = 5x1 + 4x2
The content in the problem can be expressed in the tabular form as below

As information is concerned with availability of the resources (hours of each machine), all the structural
constraints will be of less than equal to type (≤) and can be written as below.
0x1 + 2x2 ≤ 50
x1 + 2x2 ≤ 25
x1 + x2 ≤ 15
The non-negativity constraint can be written as
x 1 , x2 ≥ 0
Hence the problem formulation can be
Maximum z = 5x1 + 4x2
Subjected to the constraints
0x1 + 2x2 ≤ 50
x1 + 2x2 ≤ 25
x1 + x2 ≤ 15
x 1 , x2 ≥ 0

PROBLEM 2
A retail store stocks two types of shirts A and B. These are packed in attractive cardboard boxes. During
a week the store can sell a maximum of 400 shirts of type A and a maximum of 300 shirts of type B. The
storage capacity however is limited to a maximum of 600 of both types combined. Type A shirt fetches a
profit of Rs 2 per unit and type B a profit of Rs 5 per unit. How many of each type the store should stock
per week to maximize the total profit? Formulate the problem as LPP.
Solution
Let x1 and x2 be the number of units of type A and B shirts respectively.
As type A shirt fetches a profit of Rs 2 per unit and type B a profit of Rs 5 per unit, the objective function
will be
Maximum z = 2x1 + 5x2
Subjected to constraints
x1 ≤ 400 Sales constraint
x2 ≤ 300 Sales constraint
x1 + x2 ≤ 600 Storage capacity constraint
x 1 , x2 ≥ 0 Non negativity constraints

PROBLEM 3
A patient consulted a doctor to check up his ill health. Doctor examines him and advises him that he is
having deficiency of two vitamins, vitamin A and vitamin D. Doctor advises him to consume vitamin A
and D regularly for a period of time so that he can regain his health. Doctor prescribes tonic X and Y,
which are having vitamin A and D in certain proportion. Also advises the patient to consume at least 40
units of vitamin A and 50 units of vitamin daily. The cost of tonics X and Y and proportion of vitamin A
and D that present in X and Y are given in the table below.
Vitamins Tonics Daily requirement
X Y In units
A 2 4 40
D 3 2 50
Cost (Rs/unit) 5 3

Formulate LPP to minimize the cost of tonics.

Solution
Let x1 and x2 be the number of units of tonic X and tonic Y respectively patient purchases
Minimize z = 5x1 + 3x2
Subjected to constraints
x1 + x2 ≥ 40
x1 + x2 ≥ 50
x1 , x2 ≥ 0
PROBLEM 4
A company owns two flour mills viz. A and B which have different production capacities for high,
medium and low quality flour. The company has entered a contract to supply flour to a firm every
month with at least 8, 12 and 24 quintals of high, medium and low quality respectively. It costs the
company Rs 2000 and Rs 1500 per day to run mill A and B respectively. On a day, mill A produces 6, 2
and 4 quintals of high, medium and low quality flour, mill B produces 2, 4 and 12 quintals of high,
medium and low flour respectively. How many days per month should each mill be operated in order to
meet the contract order most economically.
Solution
Mill Requirement
Mill A Mill B
High 6 2 8
Medium 2 4 12
Low 4 12 24
Operating cost/day 2000 1500

Let x1, and x2 be the number of days per month mill A and Mill B is operated Y respectively
Minimize z = 2000x1 + 1500x2
Subjected to constraints
6x1 + 2x2 ≥ 8
2x1 + 4x2 ≥ 12
4x1 + 12x2 ≥ 24
x 1 , x2 ≥ 0
PROBLEM 5
A farmer has Rs 80 and space for 20 hens. The cost of feeding per hen is Re 1 per week. The purchasing
of young hen is Rs 5 and it lays 5 eggs per week, whereas the old hen can be bought for Rs 2 and it lays 3
eggs per week. If an egg is worth for 30 paise, how many hens of each type a farmer should purchase to
maximize his profit?
Solution
Let x1, and x2 be the number of hens of young and old type respectively a farmer purchases
Profit= (0.30 X number of eggs –cost of feeding) X No. of hens
Maximize z = (0.3 X 5 – 1) x1 + (0.3 X 3 – 1) x2
Maximize z = 0.5 x1 – 0.1x2
Subjected to constraints
x1 + x2 ≤ 20
5x1 + 2x2 ≤ 80
x1 , x2 ≥ 0
PROBLEM 6
A company produces two types of belts- Belt A and Belt B. Belt A is superior to belt B and requires twice
time as much belt B. If all the belts of type B are produced then a company can produce 1500 belts. The
leather supply is limited to produce 1000 belts and each type of belt requires same amount of leather.
Belt A requires a fancy buckle for which supply is limited to 400 buckles per day. The profit per unit for
belt A and belt B is Rs 5 and Rs 4 respectively. How many belts of each type a company can manufacture
so as to maximize the total profit. Formulate the problem as LPP.
Solution
Let x1 and x2 be the number of belts of type A and type B manufactured respectively
Maximize z = 5x1 + 4x2
Subjected to constraints
2x1 + x2 ≤ 1500
x1 + x2 ≤ 1000
x1 ≤ 400
x1 , x2 ≥ 0
PROBLEM 7
A ship has three cargo holds, forward, aft and centre. The capacity limits are
Forward- 2000 tons, 1,00,000 cubic meters
Centre - 3000 tons, 1,35,000 cubic meters
Aft - 1500 tons, 30,000 cubic meters
The following cargoes are offered, the ship owners may accept all or any part of each commodity:

Commodity Amount Volume/ton Profit/ton

(tons) (cubic meters) (Rs)
A 6000 60 60
B 4000 50 80
C 2000 25 50

In order to preserve the trim of the ship the weight in each hold must be proportional to the capacity in
tons. How should the cargo be distributed so as to maximize profit? Formulate the problem as LPP.
Let x1, x2 and x3 be the tons of commodities of type A, B and C respectively.
 Maximum z = 60x1 + 80x2 + 50 x3
The weight constraint is
6000x1 + 4000x2 + 2000x3 ≤ 6500
The tonnage of commodity A is 6000 and each tone occupies of 60 cubic meters, hence there are 100
cubic meters capacity is available. Similarly cubic capacity for commodity B and C will be 80 cubic
meters.
Hence capacity constraint will be
100x1 + 80x2 + 80x3 ≤ 6500
Hence the formulation will be
Maximum z = 60x1 + 80x2 + 50 x3
Subjected to constraints
6000x1 + 4000x2 + 2000x3 ≤ 6500
100x1 + 80x2 + 80x3 ≤ 6500
x1 , x2 ,x3 ≥ 0
General form of LPP

Standard form of LPP

In the standard form of LPP
I. The objective function is of maximization or minimization type
II. All the constraints are expressed in the form of equations using slack or surplus variables
III. The right hand side of each constraint is non-negative.
Assumptions in Linear programming model
I. Proportionality- The rate of change (slope) fo the objective function and constraints equations
is constant.
II. Additivity- Terms in the objective function and constraint equations must be additive.
III. Divisibility- Decision variables can take on any fractional value and are therefore continuous as
opposed to integer in nature.
IV. Certainty- Values of all the model parameters are assumed to be known with certainty (non-
probabilistic)

Limitations of Linear Programming model

I. Linear programming is applicable only to problems where the constraints and objective function
are linear i. e. where they can be expressed as equations which represent straight lines. In real
life situations, when constraints or objective functions are not linear, this technique cannot be
used.
II. Factors such as uncertainty and time are not taken into consideration.
III. Parameters in the model are assumed to be constant but in real life situations they are not
constants.
IV. Linear programming deals with only single objective, whereas in real life situation may have
multiple and conflicting objectives.
V. In solving a LPP there is no guarantee that we get an integer value. In some cases of no of
men/machine a non integer value is meaningless.
Theory questions
1. State the general form of LPP.
2. State the standard form of LPP.
3. State assumptions in LPP model.
4. State limitations of LPP model.