Assignment Problems

1. A computer centre has got four expert programmers. The centre needs four application
programmes to be developed. The head of the computer centre, after studying carefully the
programmes to be developed, estimates the computer time in minutes by the respective
experts to develop the application programmes as follows :

Programmes
Programmers A B C D
1 120 100 80 90
2 80 90 110 70
3 110 140 120 100
4 90 90 80 90

Explain how to assign the programmes to different programmers.

2. A departmental head has four sub-ordinates and four tasks to be performed. The sub-
ordinates differ in efficiency and the tasks differ in their intrinsic difficulty. His estimates of
the times each man would take to perform each task is given below in the matrix.
Task
Sub-ordinates I II III IV
A 8 26 17 11
B 13 28 4 26
C 38 19 18 15
D 19 26 24 10

How should the tasks be allocated to sub-ordinates so as to minimize the total man-hours.

3. A certain equipment needs five repair jobs which have to be assigned to five machines.
The estimated time (in hours) that each mechanic requires to complete the repair job is
given in the following table.
Jobs
Machines J1 J2 J3 J4 J5
M1 7 5 9 8 11
M2 9 12 7 11 10
M3 8 5 4 6 9
M4 7 3 6 9 5
M5 4 6 7 5 11

Assuming that each mechanic can be assigned to only one job, determine the minimum
time assignment.
 -2-

4. Five men are available to do five different jobs. From past records, the time (in hours) that
each man takes to do each job is known and given in the following table.
Jobs
Man I II III IV V
A 2 9 2 7 1
B 6 8 7 6 1
C 4 6 5 3 1
D 4 2 7 3 1
E 5 3 9 5 1

Find the assignment of men to jobs that will minimize the total time taken.

5. In a textile sales emporium, four salesmen A, B, C and D are available to four customers W,
X, Y and Z. Each salesmen can handle any counter. The service (in hours) of each
counter when manned by each salesmen is given below :
Salesman
Counter A B C D
W 41 72 39 52
X 22 29 49 65
Y 27 39 60 51
Z 45 50 48 52

How should the salesman be allocated to appropriate counters so as to minimize the

6. Suggest optimum assignment of 4 workers A, B, C and D to 4 jobs I, II, III and IV. The
time taken by different workers in completing the different jobs is given below :
Jobs
Workers I II III IV
A 8 10 12 16
B 11 11 15 8
C 9 6 5 14
D 15 14 9 7

Also indicate the total time taken in completing the job.

7. Five different machines can do any of the five required jobs, with five different profits
resulting from each assignment as shown below :
Machines
Jobs A B C D E
1 30 37 40 28 40
2 40 24 27 21 36
3 40 32 33 30 35
4 25 38 40 36 36
5 29 62 41 34 39
Find out maximum profit possible through optimum assignment.
 -3-

8. A Methods Engineer wants to assign four new methods to three centres. The assignment
of the new methods will increase production and they are given below. If only one method
can be assigned to a work centre, determine the optimum assignment.
Increase in production (units)
Work Centres
Methods A B C
1 10 7 8
2 8 9 7
3 7 12 6
4 10 10 8

9. Consider a problem of assigning four clerks to four tasks. The time (in hours) required to
complete the tasks is given below.
Task
Clerk A B C D
1 4 7 5 6
2 -- 8 7 4
3 3 -- 5 3
4 6 6 4 2

Clerk 2 cannot be assigned to task A and clerk 3 cannot be assigned to task B. Find all the
optimum assignment schedules.

10. A department head has four tasks to be performed and three sub-ordinates. The sub-
ordinates differ in efficiency. The estimate of the time, each sub-ordinate would take to
perform is given below in matrix. How should he allocate the tasks, one to each man so as
to minimize the total man-hours.
Man
Tasks A B C
I 9 26 15
II 13 27 6
III 35 20 15
IV 18 30 20