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Corner Point Solution Method and Slack and Surplus

The Corner Point Solution Method is a technique for solving linear programming (LP) problems by evaluating profits at the corner points of the feasible region, where optimal solutions are guaranteed to lie. In the Flair Furniture example, the corner points were identified, and the maximum profit of $4,100 was achieved by producing 30 tables and 40 chairs. Additionally, the concepts of slack and surplus are introduced to assess resource utilization and constraint adherence in the optimal solution.

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8 views4 pages

Corner Point Solution Method and Slack and Surplus

The Corner Point Solution Method is a technique for solving linear programming (LP) problems by evaluating profits at the corner points of the feasible region, where optimal solutions are guaranteed to lie. In the Flair Furniture example, the corner points were identified, and the maximum profit of $4,100 was achieved by producing 30 tables and 40 chairs. Additionally, the concepts of slack and surplus are introduced to assess resource utilization and constraint adherence in the optimal solution.

Uploaded by

Leen Alhabahbeh
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Corner Point Solution Method

A second approach to solving LP problems employs the corner point method. This technique
Looks at the profit at every corner point of the feasible region.

The mathematical theory behind LP states that an optimal solution to any problem (that is,
the values of T, C that yield the maximum profit) will lie at a corner point, or extreme point, of
the feasible region. Hence, it is only necessary to find the values of the variables at each corner;
an optimal solution will lie at one (or more) of them.

For the Flair Furniture example, the coordinates of three of the corner points are obvious from
observing the graph. These are (0, 0), (50, 0), and (0, 80). The fourth corner point is where the two
constraint lines intersect, and the coordinates must be found algebraically by solving the two
equations simultaneously for two variables.

The question mark point (?) is the intersection point between the two equations and to find their
values you should equalize the two equations ( −2(2T +1C =100)=−4T −2C =−200 )

There are a number of ways to solve equations simultaneously, and any of these may be
used. We will illustrate the elimination method here. To begin the elimination method, select a
variable to be eliminated. We will select T in this example. Then multiply or divide one equation

by a number so that the coefficient of that variable (T) in one equation will be the negative of the
coefficient of that variable in the other equation. The two constraint equations are

4T + 3C = 240 (carpentry)

2T + 1C = 100 (painting)

To eliminate T, we multiply the second equation by −2:

−2(2T +1C =100)=−4T −2C =−200

and then add it to the first equation:

4T + 3C = 240 (carpentry)
– 4T – 2C = –200 (painting)

C= 40

Doing this has enabled us to eliminate one variable, T, and to solve for C. We can now substitute
40 for C in either of the original equations and solve for T. Let’s use the first equation. When
C = 40, then

4T +(3)(40)= 240

4T +120 = 240

T= 30

Thus, the last corner point is (30, 40).


The next step is to calculate the value of the objective function at each of the corner points.
The final step is to select the corner with the best value, which would be the highest profit in this
example. The table below lists these corners points with their profits. The highest profit is found to be
$4,100, which is obtained when 30 tables and 40 chairs are produced. This is exactly what was
obtained using the isoprofit method.

The corner points are : (0, 0), (50, 0), (0, 80) and (30,40).

We substitute the points in the objective function equation to find the profit for each point and the
highest value will be the optimal solution for the maximization equation

Maximize profit = $70T + $50C

For point (0,0) : 70*(0) + 50*(0) = $0

For point (50,0) : 70*(50) + 50*(0) = $3500

For point (0,80) : 70*(0) + 50*(80) = $4000

For point (0,0) : 70*(30) + 50*(40) = $4100


Slack and Surplus
In addition to knowing the optimal solution to a linear program, it is helpful to know
whether all
of the available resources are being used. The term slack is used for the amount of a
resource
that is not used. For a less-than-or-equal to constraint,

Slack =(Amount of resource available)−(Amount of resource used)

In the Flair Furniture example, there were 240 hours of carpentry time available. If the
company
decided to produce 20 tables and 25 chairs instead of the optimal solution, the amount of
carpentry time used (4T + 3C) would be 4(20) + 3(25) = 155. So,

Slack time in carpentry = 240−155=85

For the optimal solution (30,40) to the Flair Furniture problem, the slack is 0 since all
240 hours are used.

4T + 3C = 240 then 4(30) + 3(40) = 240

240 – 240 = 0

The term surplus is used with greater-than-or-equal-to constraints to indicate the


amount by
which the right-hand side of a constraint is exceeded. For a greater-than-or-equal-to
constraint,

Surplus=(Actual amount)−(Minimum amount)

Suppose there had been a constraint in the example that required the total number of
tables
and chairs combined to be at least 42 units (i.e., T + C ≥ 42), and the company decided
to
produce 20 tables and 25 chairs. The total amount produced would be 20 + 25 = 45, so
the
surplus would be

Surplus= 45−42 =3

meaning that 3 units more than the minimum were produced. For the optimal solution
(30, 40)
in the Flair Furniture problem (30+40=70), if this constraint had been in the problem, the
surplus would be

70 − 42 = 28

So the slack and surplus represent the difference between the left-hand side (LHS) and
the right-hand side (RHS) of a constraint. The term slack is used when referring to less-
thanor-
equal-to constraints, and the term surplus is used when referring to greater-than-or-
equal-to
constraints. Most computer software for linear programming will provide the amount of
slack
and surplus that exist for each constraint in the optimal solution.
A constraint that has zero slack or surplus for the optimal solution is called a binding
constraint. A constraint with positive slack or surplus for the optimal solution is called a
nonbinding constraint. Some computer outputs will specify whether a constraint is
binding or
nonbinding.

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