Scribd
Upload
48 views22 pages

A Method For Determining Maximums and Minimums by Patricia Crocker Mathematics and Science Center

This document discusses linear programming and its history. It provides examples of how linear programming has been used to solve optimization problems involving scheduling production at biscuit factories, planning crop allocation for farms, and determining the optimal product packaging configuration for various product locations. Linear programming involves defining decision variables, an objective function, and constraints to find the optimal solution within the feasible region.

Uploaded by

Fawad Shahzad
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
48 views22 pages

A Method For Determining Maximums and Minimums by Patricia Crocker Mathematics and Science Center

This document discusses linear programming and its history. It provides examples of how linear programming has been used to solve optimization problems involving scheduling production at biscuit factories, planning crop allocation for farms, and determining the optimal product packaging configuration for various product locations. Linear programming involves defining decision variables, an objective function, and constraints to find the optimal solution within the feasible region.

Uploaded by

Fawad Shahzad
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 22

A Method for Determining Maximums and Minimums By Patricia Crocker Mathematics and Science Center

History
George Dantzig developed its foundational concepts between 1947-1949. During WWII he worked on proposed schedules of training, logistics supply, and deployment.
See Chelst, Kenneth and Edwards, Tom in bibliography

First to express the criterion for selecting a good or best plan as an explicit mathematical function, now called an objective function.
Developed the simplex algorithm that finds the optimal solution for a set of linear inequalities.

First Problem Dantzig Solved


A minimum cost diet problem that involved nine equations (nutrition requirements) with seventy-seven decision variables.
It took 120 man days using handoperated desk calculators.
Now a personal computer could solve it in less than one second.

http://www.bizrate.com/buy/products__cat_id--16030900,keyword--Nabisco,start--12.html

Key Operations for Biscuit Division


Baking
Raw materials are fed into an oven

Secondary operations
Sorting, packaging, and labeling

Scheduling and Operation Difficult


Ovens cant produce all products

Efficiency of ovens varies


Production must be planned to keep the manufacturing and transportation costs as low as possible.

Questions Answered With Mathematical Model


Where should each product be produced? How much of each product should be assigned to each oven? As new products are developed where should new plants be developed?

Problem

Study of the differences between dump pack vs. slug pack.


Dump cookies are loose Slug Crackers are stacked in columns and wrapped separately.

Model was used to plan the equipment changeover for different locations to convert to slug packaging.

Realistic Problems Solved at Nabisco in 1983


Could involve:
150 products 218 facilities 10 plants 127 customer zones

A problem this size would use:


Over 44,000 decision variables Almost 20,000 constraints

These problems routinely solved in 1983 on an IBM computer in under 60 seconds.

County officials used linear programming to aid farmers in their choices of crops. They wished to increase profit while protecting the environment Problem had over 3000 variables and 100 constraints

Wheat

Rice

Nongmuyu ye bu waishi si and Zhongguo nongxue hui, ed., Zhongguo nongye, (Beijing: Nongye chuban she, 1983), p.100.

Courtesyof: :http://www.chamberlain.net.au/~ken/china/pict ures/photo11.html

Using the model led to 12% increase in crop profits and a 54% increase in animal husbandry profits. It improved the regions ecology and diversified the economy.

Decision Variables
Represent the quantities that a manager can change

Objective Function
The equation that represents the goal of either maximizing profit or minimizing cost

Constraints
Limitations created by scarce resources (time, equipment, etc.) Expressed algebraically by inequalities

Feasible Region
Area containing all the points that satisfy the constraints All possible solutions to the problem lie in the feasible region or on the boundary.

Corner Principle
The optimal solution will always lie on a corner of the feasible region.

You might also like