Linear

Programming
Irene Lara M. Abad

WHAT IS LINEAR PROGRAMMING (LP)?

A mathematical modelling technique designed to

optimize the usage of limited resources.

Formulation of LP
Model

WHAT ARE THE BASIC ELEMENTS OF THE LP

MODEL?

1) Decision variables
2) Objective
3) Constraints

SAMPLE PROBLEM
Reddy Mikks produces both interior and exterior paints from two raw materials, M1 and
M2. The following table provides the basic data of the problem:

Tons of Raw Material per ton of

Exterior Paint

Interior Paint

Maximum Daily
Availability (tons)

Raw Material, M2

24

Raw Material, M1

Profit per ton (1000

dollars)

A market survey restricts the maximum daily demand of interior paint to 2 tons. Additionally, the daily
demand for interior paint cannot exceed that of exterior paint by more than 1 ton. Reddy Mikks wants to
determine the optimum (best) product mix of interior and exterior paints that maximizes the total daily
profit.

FORMULATION OF LP MODEL
1) Decision Variables
Tons of Raw Material per ton of
Exterior Paint

Interior Paint

Maximum Daily
Availability (tons)

Raw Material, M2

24

Raw Material, M1

Profit per ton (1000

dollars)

FORMULATION OF LP MODEL
2) Objective
Tons of Raw Material per ton of
Exterior Paint

Interior Paint

Maximum Daily
Availability (tons)

Raw Material, M2

24

Raw Material, M1

Profit per ton (1000

dollars)

FORMULATION OF LP MODEL
3) Constraints (on raw materials usage)
Tons of Raw Material per ton of
Exterior Paint

Interior Paint

Maximum Daily
Availability (tons)

Raw Material, M2

24

Raw Material, M1

Profit per ton (1000

dollars)

FORMULATION OF LP MODEL
3) Constraints (on raw materials demand)
A market survey restricts the maximum daily demand of interior paint to 2 tons. Additionally, the daily
demand for interior paint cannot exceed that of exterior paint by more than 1 ton. Reddy Mikks wants to
determine the optimum (best) product mix of interior and exterior paints that maximizes the total daily
profit.

FORMULATION OF LP MODEL
SAMPLE PROBLEM
A manufacturing film produces two products X 1 and X2 which undergo three production operations as
presented in the ff. table. X 1 is sold at a price of P140 per unit while X 2 is sold at P80. while market demand
for X1 is limited to 75 units per day, X 2 should not exceed by 50 units per day operation. Machine hours
required per unit are

Operation

X1

X2

Cutting

0.50

0.30

Machining

1.50

1.00

Finishing

0.50

0.30

The available time in hours per day is 45 for cutting, 150 for machining and
75 for finishing. Production cost per hour is P30. Formulate the LP Model.

FORMULATION OF LP MODEL
SAMPLE PROBLEM
A poultry consumes not less than 50 lbs. of special feed daily. The feed is
prepared as a mixture of corn and soybean meal with the following
compositions:

Pounds per pound of feedstuff

Feedstuff

Calcium

Protein

Fiber

Cost(dollar/lb)

Corn

0.001

0.09

0.02

0.20

Soybean

0.002

0.60

0.06

0.60

The dietary requirements are

1) At most 1.5% of calcium
2) At least 20% but no more than 40% of protein
3) At most 4.5% fiber
Formulate the LP Model

FORMULATION OF LP MODEL

SAMPLE PROBLEM

A company supplies nozzles to a corporation which assembles spray guns. The company producing the
nozzles has 3 plants located in the localities. A, B, and C while the corporation that needs it for its spray
guns has plants located in areas X, Y, and Z. Per contact entered into by both establishments, yearly
requirement for nozzles in plants assembling the spray guns are as follows:

X
Y
Z

50000
70000
60000

The companys production capacities for nozzles are:

A
80000
B
50000
C
75000

Cost of transporting nozzles in boxes, 1000 units per box, are as presented below
Source

11

20

17

12

18

13

Formulate the LP model to optimize

transport of nozzles

SPECIAL VARIABLES
Slack Variable

SPECIAL VARIABLES
Surplus Variable

SPECIAL VARIABLES

Unrestricted Variable
-

A variable which assumes a nonnegative value

McBurger fastfood restaurant sells quarter-pounder and cheeseburger. A quarter-pounder uses a quarter pound of meat, and a
cheeseburger uses only 0.2 lb. the restaurant starts the day with 200 lb of meat but may order more at an additional cost of 25 cents
per pound to cover the delivery cost. Any surplus meat at the end of the day is donated to HotSoup Charity. McBurgers profits are 20
cents from a quarter-pounder and 15 cents for a cheeseburger. All in all, McBurger does not expect to sell more than 900
sandwiches in any one day. How many of each sandwich should the McBurger make?

Objective Function: McBurger seeks to maximize the total profit, less any
additional cost that may be incurred a result of ordering special delivery of additional
pounds of meat

Solution of LP
Model

3 WAYS IN SOLVING THE LP MODEL

1) Graphical Method
2) The Simplex Method
3) The M-Method