Jhun Dhon Mari G.

Abihay

December 12, 2013

Quantitative Methods in Management

Linear Programming

The Whole Feed Nutrition Center uses three bulk grains to blend a natural cereal that it
sells by the pound. The store advertises that each 2-ounce serving of the cereal when taken with
0.5 cup of whole milk, meets an average adults minimum daily requirement for protein,
riboflavin and phosphorus.
The minimum adult daily requirement for protein is 3 units; for riboflavin, 2 units; and
for phosphorus, 1 unit. Whole Food wants to select the blend of grains that will meet the adult
daily requirement at a minimum cost.
GRAIN

A
B
C

Whole Foods Natural Cereal Requirements

COST PER
PROTEIN
RIBOFLAVIN
POUND
(UNITS/LB)
(UNITS/LB)
(CENTS)
33
22
16
47
28
14
38
21
25

Let:
X A = pounds of grain A one 2ounce serving of cereal
X B= pounds of grain Bone 2ounce serving of cereal
X C =pounds of grainC one 2ounce serving of cereal
C=total cost of mixing a 2ounce serving of cereal
Objective function:
C=0.33 X A + 0.47 X B + 0.38 X C
Constraints:
22 X A +28 X B +21 X C 3
16 X A +14 X B + 25 X C 2

PHOSPHORUS
(UNITS/LB)
8
7
9

8 X A+ 7 XB+ 9 XC 1
X A , X B , XC 0

Matrix Form:

22 28 21
D= 16 14 25
8 7 9

Solving for D, making sure that Cramers Rule is applicable:

| |

| |

D=22 14 25 28 16 25 +21 16 14
7 9
8 9
8 7

D=22 [ ( 14 ) ( 9 ) ( 25 )( 7 ) ] 28 [ ( 16 ) ( 9 )( 25 )( 8 ) ]+21 [ ( 16 ) ( 7 ) (14 ) ( 8 ) ]

D=490

Since,
D 0
Then, Cramers Rule will be used which is:
X A=

DX
D

DX

Solving for

X B=

DX

DX
,
D

and

XC=

DX

DX
D

3 28 21
D X = 2 14 25
1 7 9
A

| | | | |

D X =3 14 25 28 2 25 +21 2 14
7 9
1 9
1 7
A

D X =3 [ ( 14 ) ( 9 ) ( 25 ) (7 ) ] 28 [ ( 2 )( 9 )( 25 ) ( 1 ) ] +21 [ ( 2 ) ( 7 ) (14 ) ( 1 ) ]
A

D X =49
A

22 3 21
D X = 16 2 25
8 1 9
B

| | |

| | |

D X =22 2 25 3 16 25 +21 16 2
1 9
8 9
8 1
B

D X =22 [ ( 2 ) ( 9 ) (25 )( 1 ) ] 3 [ ( 16 )( 9 )( 25 ) ( 8 ) ] +21 [( 16 )( 1 ) ( 2 )( 8 ) ]

B

D X =14
B

22 28 3
D X = 16 14 2
8 7 1
C

| | | | |

D X =22 14 2 28 16 2 +3 16 14
7 1
8 1
8 7
C

D X =22 [ ( 14 ) (1 )( 2 )( 7 ) ]28 [ ( 16 ) ( 1 )( 2 ) ( 8 ) ] + 3 [ (16 )( 7 )( 14 )( 8 ) ]

C

D X =0
C

Solving for XA, XB and XC:

X A=

DX
D

X A=

49
490

X A =0.1 pounds of grain A

X B=

DX
D

X B=

14
490

X B=0.0286 pounds of grain B

XC=

DX
D

XC=

0
490

X C =0 pounds of grainC
Proving that the solved amounts satisfies the given constraints:
22 X A +28 X B +21 X C 3
22 ( 0.1 )+ 28 ( 0.0286 )+ 21 ( 0 ) 3
3 3 (satisfied !)
16 X A +14 X B + 25 X C 2
16 ( 0.1 ) +14 ( 0.0286 ) +25 ( 0 ) 2
2 2( satisfied ! )

8 X A+ 7 XB+ 9 XC 1
8(0.1)+7(0.0286)+ 9(0) 1

1 1(satisfied !)
X A , X B , XC 0
0.1, 0.0286,0 0( satisfied ! )

Proving that the solved values can give the minimum cost required by comparing to other values.
For

X A =0.1 ; X B=0.0286 ; X C =0 :

C=0.33XA+0.47XB+0.38XC
C=0.33 ( 0.1 ) +0.47 ( 0.0286 ) +0.38 ( 0 )
C=$ 0.04644
For

X A =0.04287 ; X B=0.04287 ; X C =0.04287 :

C=0.33XA+0.47XB+0.38XC
C=0.33 ( 0.04287 ) +0.47 ( 0.04287 )+ 0.38 ( 0.04287 )
C=$ 0.05059
For

X A =0.05 ; X B=0.0286 ; X C =0.05 :

C=0.33XA+0.47XB+0.38XC
C=0.33 ( 0.05 ) +0.47 ( 0.0286 ) +0.38 ( 0.05 )
C=$ 0.048942
Therefore, the solved values of XA, XB and XC are the most economical in terms of cost and
nutrition.
Reference:
Render, B., and R. M. Stair Jr. Linear Programming Applications, Quantitative Analysis
for Management, 1997.