Systems of Equations

and Inequalities
C-4
Linear Programming
 ACT WARM-UP
 If x + 3y = 1 and 3x + y = 11, then 3x + 3y = ?
 A) 3 B) 6 C) 9 D) 18 E) 36

 Using elimination, multiply the first equation

by −3 to get −3x −9y = −3. Add to 3x + y = 11
to get −8y = 8, so y = −1. Substitute to get x =
4.
 3(4) + 3(−1) = 12 − 3 = 9. The answer is C) 9.
 Objectives
 Find the maximum and minimum values of a
function over a region
 Solve real-world problems using linear
programming
 Essential Question
What are the Linear Programming
Procedures?
A system of linear inequalities has many
solutions.
Linear programming is a method of finding the
best solutions by determining a maximum or
minimum value of a function that satisfies a
given set of conditions called constraints. A
constraint is one of the inequalities in a linear
programming problem. The solution to the set of
constraints can be graphed as a feasible region.
This is located where the graphs intersect. The
maximum or minimum value of a related
function always occurs at one of the vertices of
the feasible region.
When the graph of a system of constraints is a
closed polygonal region we say that the region
is bounded.
Sometimes a system of inequalities forms a
region that is open on one end. In this case, the
region is said to be unbounded. Always test a
point contained in the feasible region when the
graph is unbounded. Do not assume that there
is no minimum value if the feasible region is
unbounded below the line, or that there is no
maximum value if the feasible region is
unbounded above the line.
 Optimization -
• Finding the minimum or maximum value of
some quantity.

• Linear programming is a form of

optimization where you optimize an
objective function with a system of linear
inequalities called constraints.
• The overlapped shaded region is called
the feasible region.
Solving a linear programming problem
1. Graph the constraints.
2. Locate the ordered pairs of the vertices of
the feasible region.
3. If the feasible region is bounded (or
closed), it will have a minimum & a
maximum.
If the region is unbounded (or open), it will
have only one (a minimum OR a
maximum).
4. Plug the vertices into the linear equation
(C=) to find the min. and/or max.
A note about: Unbounded Feasible
Regions
• If the region is unbounded, but has a top
on it, there
bottom, there
willwill
be be
a maximum
a minimum
only.
only.
Find the min. & max. values of C=-x+3y
subject to the following constraints.
• Vertices of feasible
x2
region:
x5
(2,8)
y0
C= -2+3(8)= 22 Max. of 22
y  -2x+12 at (2,8)
(2,0)
C= -2+3(0)= -2
(5,0)
Min. of -5
C= -5+3(0)= -5
at (5,0)
(5,2)
Graph the following system of inequalities. Name the
coordinates of the vertices of the feasible region.
Find the maximum and minimum values of the
function for this region.

Step 1 Find the vertices of the

region. Graph the
inequalities.
The polygon formed is a
triangle with vertices at
(–2, 4), (5, –3), and (5,4).
Step 2 Use a table to find the maximum and minimum
values of f(x, y). Substitute the coordinates of the
vertices into the function.

(x, y) 3x – 2y f(x, y)
(–2, 4) 3(– 2) – 2(4) – 14
(5, –3) 3(5) – 2(–3) 21
(5, 4) 3(5) – 2(4) 7
Answer: The vertices of the feasible region are (–2, 4),
(5, –3), and (5, 4). The maximum value is 21 at
(5, –3). The minimum value is –14 at (–2, 4).
Graph the following system of inequalities. Name the
coordinates of the vertices of the feasible region.
Find the maximum and minimum values of the
function for this region.

Answer: vertices: (1, 5), (4, 5) (4, 2);

maximum: f(4, 2) = 10,
minimum: f(1, 5) = –11
Graph the following system of inequalities. Name the
coordinates of the vertices of the feasible region.
Find the maximum and minimum values of the
function for this region.

Graph the system of

inequalities. There are
only two points of
intersection, (–2, 0)
and (0, –2).
 (x, y) 2x + 3y f(x, y)
(–2, 0) 2(–2) + 3(0) –4
(0, –2) 2(0) + 3(–2) –6

The minimum value is –6 at (0, –2). Although f(–2, 0) is

–4, it is not the maximum value since there are other
points that produce greater values. For example, f(2,1) is
7 and f(3, 1) is 10. It appears that because the region is
unbounded, f(x, y) has no maximum value.

Answer: The vertices are at (–2, 0) and (0, –2).

There is no maximum value.
The minimum value is –6 at (0, –2).
Graph the following system of inequalities. Name the
coordinates of the vertices of the feasible region.
Find the maximum and minimum values of the
function for this region.

Answer: vertices: (0, –3), (6, 0); maximum: f(6, 0) = 6;

no minimum
 Real World Problems
 The process of finding maximum or minimum
values of a function for a region defined by
inequalities is called linear programming. The
steps used to solve a problem using linear
programming are listed on the next slide.
Linear Programming Procedures
 Define the variables
 Write a system of inequalities
 Graph the system of inequalities
 Find the coordinates of the vertices of the feasible
region
 Write a function to be maximized or minimized
 Substitute the coordinates of the vertices into the
function
 Select the greatest or least result. Answer the
problem.
Landscaping A landscaping company has crews who
mow lawns and prune shrubbery. The company
schedules 1 hour for mowing jobs and 3 hours for
pruning jobs. Each crew is scheduled for no more
than 2 pruning jobs per day. Each crew’s schedule is
set up for a maximum of 9 hours per day. On the
average, the charge for mowing a lawn is $40 and the
charge for pruning shrubbery is $120. Find a
combination of mowing lawns and pruning shrubs
that will maximize the income the company receives
per day from one of its crews.
Step 1 Define the variables.
m = the number of mowing jobs
p = the number of pruning jobs
Step 2 Write a system of inequalities.
Since the number of jobs cannot be negative,
m and p must be nonnegative numbers.
m  0, p  0
Mowing jobs take 1 hour. Pruning jobs take 3
hours. There are 9 hours to do the jobs.

There are no more than 2 pruning jobs a day.

p2
Step 3 Graph the system of inequalities.
Step 4 Find the coordinates of the vertices of the
feasible region.
From the graph, the vertices are at (0, 2),
(3, 2), (9, 0), and (0, 0).

Step 5 Write the function to be maximized.

The function that describes the income is

We want to find
the maximum value for this function.
Step 6 Substitute the coordinates of the vertices into
the function.
(m, p) 40m + 120p f(m, p)
(0, 2) 40(0) + 120(2) 240
(3, 2) 40(3) + 120(2) 360
(9, 0) 40(9) + 120(0) 360
(0, 0) 40(0) + 120(0) 0

Step 7 Select the greatest amount.

Answer: The maximum values are 360 at (3, 2) and 360
at (9, 0). This means that the company
receives the most money with 3 mows and 2
prunings or 9 mows and 0 prunings.
Landscaping A landscaping
company has crews who rake
leaves and mulch. The company
schedules 2 hours for mulching jobs
and 4 hours for raking jobs. Each
crew is scheduled for no more than
2 raking jobs per day. Each crew’s
schedule is set up for a maximum
of 8 hours per day. On the average, the charge for
raking a lawn is $50 and the charge for mulching is
$30. Find a combination of raking leaves and
mulching that will maximize the income the
company receives per day from one of its crews.
Answer:

0 raking jobs and 4 mulching jobs

 Essential Question
What are the Linear Programming
Procedures?
1) Define the variables
2) Write a system of inequalities
3) Graph the system of inequalities
4) Find the coordinates of the vertices of the feasible region
5) Write a function to be maximized or minimized
6) Substitute the coordinates of the vertices into the
function
7) Select the greatest or least result. Answer the problem.
What do you get when
you cross a linebacker
with a computer geek?
A linear programmer.