Assignment Problems (AP)

 Introduction:
Suppose that there are n persons and n jobs. All the jobs are to be completed, and exactly one
person is to be assigned to a job. Also, assume that the persons vary in their capability for and
suitability to a particular job.

Let the ith person charges cij to complete the jth job. Then the problem of determining the
assignment of persons to jobs that minimizes the total costs of completing all the jobs is
known as the assignment problem.
 Assignment Problem (AP):
The assignment problem can be stated in the form of an n × n matrix [cij], called cost matrix
or effectiveness matrix, where cij is the cost of assigning ith person to jth job.
Cost Matrix
Jobs
Persons 1 2 … j … n
1 c11 c12 … c1j … c1n
2 c21 c22 … c2j … c2n
: : : : :
i ci1 ci2 … cij … cin
: : : : :
n cn1 cn2 … cnj … cnn
 Hungarian Method for Solving Assignment Problems:
Q 1. Solve the following minimal assignment problem:

Man 1 2 3 4
Job
I 12 30 21 15
II 18 33 9 31
III 44 25 24 21
IV 23 30 28 14
Solution: Step 1.
• Subtracting the smallest element of each row from all the elements given in that row, we
obtain the reduced matrix (a) given below.

• Further, subtracting the smallest element of each column from all the elements of that
column, we get the reduced matrix (b) given below.

1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
I 0 18 9 3 I 0 14 9 3
II 9 24 0 22 II 9 20 0 22
III 23 4 3 0 III 23 0 3 0
IV 9 16 14 0 IV 9 12 14 0

Matrix (a) Matrix (b)

Step 2.
• Now we search an optimal assignment in the reduced matrix (b) as follows:
• Starting with the first row, we examine the rows successively until a row with exactly one
zero is found. Row 1 has exactly one zero, we enclose it in a box. Row 2 also has exactly
one zero, we enclose it in a box. Then row 4 has exactly one zero, we enclose it in a box
and cross the other zero in its column. Thus we get matrix (c) given below.
• Further, column 2 of matrix (c) has exactly one unmarked zero, we enclose this zero in a
box. Thus we obtain matrix (d) given below.
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
I 0 14 9 3 I 0 14 9 3
II 9 20 0 22 II 9 20 0 22
III 23 0 3 ×0 III 23 0 3 ×0
IV 9 12 14 0 IV 9 12 14 0
Matrix (c) Matrix (d)
Step 3.
• Since each row and each column in matrix (d) has exactly one enclosed zero, we have
attained the optimal assignment schedule.

• The optimal assignment schedule is:

I  1, II  3, III  2, IV  4.

• The minimum total cost for this assignment schedule is:

z = 12 + 9 + 25 + 14 = 60
Q 2. A car hire company has one car at each of five depots a, b, c, d and e. A customer
requires a car in each town, namely A, B, C, D and E. Distances (in kms) between depots
(origins) and towns (destinations) are given in the following distance matrix:

a b c d e
A 160 130 175 190 200
B 135 120 130 160 175
C 140 110 155 170 185
D 50 50 80 80 110
E 55 35 70 80 105

How should cars be assigned to customers so as to minimize the distance travelled?

Solution: Step 1.
• Subtracting the smallest element of each row from all the elements of that row, we obtain
the reduced matrix (a) given below.

• Further, subtracting the smallest element of each column in matrix (a) from all the
elements of that column, we obtain the reduced matrix (b) given below.

a b c d e a b c d e
A 30 0 45 60 70 A 30 0 35 30 15
B 15 0 10 40 55 B 15 0 0 10 0
C 30 0 45 60 75 C 30 0 35 30 20
D 0 0 30 30 60 D 0 0 20 0 5
E 20 0 35 45 70 E 20 0 25 15 15

Matrix (a) Matrix (b)

Step 2.
• Row 1 has exactly one zero in column 2. We enclose this zero in a box and cross all the
other zeros in column 2. No other row has exactly one unmarked zero.

• Now column 1 has exactly one zero in row 4. We enclose this zero in a box and cross the
other zero in row 4. Column 3 has a single zero in row 2. We enclose this zero in a box and
cross the other zero in row 2. Thus we obtain matrix (c) given below:

a b c d e
A 30 0 35 30 15
B 15 ×0 0 10 ×0
C 30 ×0 35 30 20
D 0 ×0 20 ×0 5
E 20 ×0 25 15 15

Matrix (c)
Step 3.
• Matrix (c) does not provide an optimal solution, since rows 3 and 5 as-well-as column 4
and 5 do not have an enclosed zero.

Step 4.
• We draw the minimum number of horizontal and/or vertical lines to cover all the zeros of
the reduced matrix (c) as follows:
(i) Since the rows 3 and 5 do not have an enclosed zero, we tick (√) these rows.
(ii) Since the ticked rows 3 and 5 have a zero in column 2, we tick this column.
(iii) Since row 1 of ticked column has an enclosed zero, we tick this row.

• Now the chain of ticking has been completed, so we draw lines through all unticked rows
and ticked column as shown in matrix (d).
 a b c d e
A 30 0 35 30 15 √ (4)
B 15 ×0 0 10 ×0
C 30 ×0 35 30 20 √ (1)

D 0 ×0 20 ×0 5
E 20 ×0 25 15 15 √ (2)

√ Matrix (d)
(3)

• The smallest element in matrix (d) not covered by any of the lines above is 15. Subtracting
this element from all the uncovered elements and adding the same to the elements lying at
the intersection of these lines, we obtain matrix (e) given on the next page.
 a b c d e
A 15 0 20 15 0
B 15 15 0 10 0
C 15 0 20 15 5
D 0 15 20 0 5
E 5 0 10 0 0
Matrix (e)
Step 5. Following the procedure of enclosing and crossing the zeros (as in Step 2) in matrix
(e), we obtain matrix (f) given below:
a b c d e
A 15 ×0 20 15 0
B 15 15 0 10 ×0
C 15 0 20 15 5
D 0 15 20 ×0 5
E 5 ×0 10 0 ×0
Matrix (f)
Step 6.
• Since each row and each column in matrix (f) has exactly one enclosed zero, we have
attained the optimal assignment schedule.
• Hence from the original matrix the minimum distance assignment schedule is given by:

Route Distance (in kms)

Ae 200
Bc 130
Cb 110
Da 50
Ed 80
Total distance travelled = 570 kms.
 Unbalanced Assignment Problem:
 An assignment problem is said to be unbalanced if the number of persons is not equal to
the number of jobs. Thus the cost matrix of an unbalanced assignment problem is not a
square matrix. For solving such a problem, first we convert the cost matrix into a square
matrix. For this, we introduce a sufficient number of dummy rows or dummy columns
according as the number of persons is less than or greater than the number of jobs so as the
cost matrix becomes a square matrix. The costs in dummy rows or columns are taken to be
zero. Having converted the given problem into a balanced problem, we can solve it by
using the assignment algorithm.
 The Assignment Model (Computer Solution of an Assignment Problem):
 The assignment model is a special form of a linear programming model that is similar to
the transportation model. There are differences, however. In the assignment model, the
supply at each source and the demand at each destination are each limited to one unit.

Q 1. The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Problem (See Excel File Tab Assignment Problem
).
Game Sites
Officials Raleigh Atlanta Durham Clemson
A 210 90 180 160
B 100 70 130 200
C 175 105 140 170
D 80 65 105 120
Assignment Network Solution for ACC
Officials Example

A 1 Raleigh

B Atlanta

1
C Durham

1
D Clemson