Linear Programming Problems

Monday, June 29

In many application problems, we need to optimize, either maximize or minimize, a function, called the
objective function. This function is usually restricted by a system of inequalities, called constraints,
such as we found in the previous section. Profit and cost functions are common examples of objective
functions. These types of problems are called mathematical programming problems. In particular,
we are looking at linear programming problems, where the objective function and constraints are
linear equations and linear inequalities.
Think of the objective function as a dart board. Different locations on the board have different values,
and we are trying to find the optimal point to throw the dart so that we have either the largest score or
the smallest score, depending on the problem. The constraints limit what parts of the dart board we can
throw at. So one constraint might only let us throw at the left half of the dart board, for example.
Example 1: Ace Novelty wishes to produce two types of souvenirs: Type A and Type B. Each Type
A souvenir will result in a profit of $1, and each Type B souvenir will result in a profit of $1.20. To
manufacture a Type A souvenir requires 2 minutes on Machine I and 1 minutes on Machine II. A Type
B souvenir requires 1 minutes on Machine I and 3 minutes on Machine II. There are 3 hours available on
Machine I and 5 hours available on Machine II. How many souvenirs of each type should Ace make to
maximize its profit?
Solution: First, we tabulate the information from the problem to make it easier to interpret:

Type A Type B Time Available

Let x be the number of Type A souvenirs, and let y be the number of Type B souvenirs to be made. Then
the profit in dollars will be P = x + 1.2y, which is the objective function to be maximized.
Next, we need to set up the constraints. On Machine I, there are at most 180 minutes available, and each
Type A souvenir uses 2 minutes and each Type B souvenir uses 1 minutes. So the total amount of time on
Machine I is given by 2x+y and cannot be greater than 180 minutes, so 2x+y ≤ 180 is our first constraint.
Similarly for Machine II, the amount of time is x + 3y and cannot exceed 300 minutes, so x + 3y ≤ 300 is
our second constraint. Lastly, we cannot make negative numbers of souvenirs, so x ≥ 0 and y ≥ 0 are also
constraints.
In total, we need to maximize P = x + 1.2y subject to the constraints

2x + y ≤ 180

x + 3y ≤ 300
x ≥ 0, y ≥ 0
We will finish this problem in Section 3.3.

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Exercise 1: Set up the problem, but do not solve it. Kane Manufacturing has a division that produce
two models of fireplace grates, model A and model B. To produce each model A grade require 3 lb of cast
iron and 6 minutes of labor. To produce each model B grate requires 4 lb of cast iron and 3 minutes of
labor. The profit for each model A grate is $2.00 and the profit for each model B grate is $1.50. If 1000
lb of cast iron and 20 hours of labor are available for the production of grates per day, how many grates
of each model should the division produce per day to maximize Kane’s profits?

Example 2: A nutritionist advises an individual who is suffering from iron and vitamin B deficiency to
take at least 2400 milligrams (mg) of iron, 2100 mg of vitamin B1 , and 1500 mg of vitamin B2 over a
period of time. Two vitamin pills are suitable, Brand A and Brand B. Each Brand A pill costs 6 cents
and contains 30 mg of iron, 10 mg of vitamin B1 , and 5 mg of vitamin B2 . Each Bran B pill costs 8 cents
and contains 10 mg of iron and 15 mg each of vitamins B1 and B2 . What combination of pills should the
individual purchase the meet the minimum iron and vitamin requirements at the lowest cost?
Brand A Brand B Minimum Requirement
Iron 40 mg 10 mg 2400 mg
Vitamin B1 10 mg 15 mg 2100 mg
Vitamin B2 5 mg 15 mg 1500 mg
Cost/Pill $.06 $.08

Solution: Let x be the number of Brand A pills, and y the number of Brand B pills. Then the cost C in
cents is
C = 6x + 8y
and is the objective function to be minimized.
The amount of iron contain in x Brand A pills and y Brand B pills is given by 40x + 10y mg, and this
must be at least 2400 mg. So this is the inequality

40x + 10y ≥ 2400.

Similarly, we have the following inequalities for the other two vitamins:

10x + 15y ≥ 2100

5x + 15y ≥ 1500
Lastly, we cannot have negative pills, so x ≥ 0 and y ≥ 0. We will finish solving this problem in Section
3.3.

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Exercise 2: Curtis-Roe Aviation Industries has two plants, I and II, that produce the Zephyr jet engines
used in their light commercial airplanes. There are 100 units of the engines in Plant I and 110 units in
Plant II. The engines are shipped to two of Curtis-Roe’s main assembly plants, A and B. The shipping
costs (in dollars) per engine from Plants I and II to the Main Assembly Plants A and B are as follows.

Plant A Plant B
Plant I 100 60
Plant II 120 70

In a certain month, Assembly Plant A needs 80 engines, and Assembly Plant B needs 70 engines. Set
up the linear programming problem to find how many engines should be shipped from each plant to each
main assembly plant if shipping costs are to be kept minimum. We will be able to solve this problem in
the next section.
Hint: There only need to be 2 variables, but it may be easier to set this problem up with 4 variables.

Exercise 3: Acrosonic manufactures its Brentwood loudspeaker systems in two separate locations, Plant
I and Plant II. The output at Plant I is at most 400 per month, whereas the output at Plant II is at most
600 per month. These loudspeaker systems are shipped to three warehouses that serve as distribution
centers for the company. For the warehouses to meet their orders, the minimum monthly requirements
of Warehouses A, B, and C are 200, 300, and 400 systems, respectively. Shipping costs from Plant I
to Warehouses A, B, and C are $12, $22, and $18, respectively. What should the shipping schedule be
if Acrosonic wishes to meet the requirements of the distribution centers and at the same time keep its
shipping costs to a minimum? (Only set up the linear programming problem. We will be able to solve this
in Section 4.2.)
Hint: There will be 6 variables in this problem, not just 2.