8.3-4.

The coach of an age group swim team needs to assign swimmers to a 200-yard medley relay
team to send to the Junior Olympics. Since most of his best swimmers are very fast in more than one
stroke, it is not clear which swimmer should be assigned to each of the four strokes. The five fastest
swimmers and the best times (in seconds) they have achieved in each of the strokes (for 50 yards)
are

Stroke Carl Chris David Tony Ken

Backstroke 37.7 32.9 33.8 37.0 35.4
Breaststroke 43.4 33.1 42.2 34.7 41.8
Butterfly 33.3 28.5 38.9 30.4 33.6
Freestyle 29.2 26.4 29.6 28.5 31.1

The coach wishes to determine how to assign four swimmers to the four different strokes to minimize
the sum of the corresponding best times.

(a) Formulate this problem as an assignment problem.

(b) Obtain an optimal solution.

Solution:

(a) Formulate this problem as an assignment problem

Task
Backstrok
Breastroke Butterfly Freestyle Dummy
e
Carl 37.7 43.4 33.3 29.2 0
Assignee
Chris 32.9 33.1 28.5 26.4 0
David 33.8 42.2 38.9 29.6 0
Tony 37.0 34.7 30.4 28.5 0
Ken 35.4 41.8 33.6 31.1 0

b) Obtain an optimal solution.

Subtract
smallest
Task number from
each
column/row
Assignee Backstroke Breastroke Butterfly Freestyle Dummy
Carl 37.7 43.4 33.3 29.2 0
Chris 32.9 33.1 28.5 26.4 0
David 33.8 42.2 38.9 29.6 0
Tony 37.0 34.7 30.4 28.5 0
Ken 35.4 41.8 33.6 31.1 0

Task Column
Reduction
Check for
optimality
cover all zero
# of lines < 5
Assignee Backstroke Breastroke Butterfly Freestyle Dummy
Carl 4.8 10.3 4.8 2.8 0
Chris 0 0 0 0 0
David 0.9 9.1 10.4 3.2 0
Tony 4.1 1.6 1.9 2.1 0
Ken 2.5 8.7 5.1 4.7 0

1 of 4
 Subtract
smallest entry
Task from each
uncovered row
(0.90)
Assignee Backstroke Breastroke Butterfly Freestyle Dummy
Carl 3.9 9.4 3.9 1.9 -0.9
Chris 0 0 0 0 0
David 0 8.2 9.5 2.3 -0.9
Tony 3.2 0.7 1.0 1.2 -0.9
Ken 1.6 7.8 4.2 3.8 -0.9
Add smallest
Task entry 0.90 to
covered column
Backstroke Breastroke Butterfly Freestyle Dummy
Assignee Carl 3.9 9.4 3.9 1.9 0
Chris 0 0 0 0 0.9
David 0 8.2 9.5 2.3 0
Tony 3.2 0.7 1.0 1.2 0
Ken 1.6 7.8 4.2 3.8 0

Check for
optimality
Task cover all zeros
# of lines < 5
Backstroke Breastroke Butterfly Freestyle Dummy
Assignee Carl 3.9 9.4 3.9 1.9 0
Chris 0 0 0 0 0.9
David 0 8.2 9.5 2.3 0
Tony 3.2 0.7 1.0 1.2 0
Ken 1.6 7.8 4.2 3.8 0

Subtract
smallest entry
Task from each
uncovered row
(0.70)
Assignee Backstroke Breastroke Butterfly Freestyle Dummy
Carl 3.2 8.7 3.2 1.2 -0.7
Chris 0 0 0 0 0.9
David -0.7 7.5 8.8 1.6 -0.7
Tony 2.5 0 0.3 0.5 -0.7
Ken 0.9 7.1 3.5 3.1 -0.7

Add smallest
Task entry 0.70 to
covered column
Backstroke Breastroke Butterfly Freestyle Dummy
Assignee Carl 3.9 8.7 3.2 1.2 0
Chris 0.7 0 0 0 1.6
David 0 7.5 8.8 1.6 0
Tony 3.2 0 0.3 0.5 0
Ken 1.6 7.1 3.5 3.1 0

Assignee Check for

optimality
Task cover all zeros
# of lines < 5
Backstroke Breastroke Butterfly Freestyle Dummy
Carl 3.9 8.7 3.2 1.2 0
Chris 0.7 0 0 0 1.6

2 of 4
 David 0 7.5 8.8 1.6 0
Tony 3.2 0 0.3 0.5 0
Ken 1.6 7.1 3.5 3.1 0

Subtract
smallest entry
Task from each
uncovered row
(0.30)
Assignee Backstroke Breastroke Butterfly Freestyle Dummy
Carl 3.6 8.4 2.9 0.9 -0.3
Chris 0.7 0 0 0 1.6
David 0 7.5 8.8 1.6 0
Tony 2.9 -0.3 0 0.2 -0.3
Ken 1.3 6.8 3.2 2.8 -0.3

Add smallest
Task entry 0.30 to
covered column
Backstroke Breastroke Butterfly Freestyle Dummy
Assignee Carl 3.6 8.7 2.9 0.9 0
Chris 0.7 0.3 0 0 1.9
David 0 7.8 8.8 1.6 0.3
Tony 2.9 0 0 0.2 0
Ken 1.3 7.1 3.2 2.8 0

Check for
optimality
Task cover all zeros
# of lines < 5
Backstroke Breastroke Butterfly Freestyle Dummy
Assignee Carl 3.6 8.7 2.9 0.9 0
Chris 0.7 0.3 0 0 1.9
David 0 7.8 8.8 1.6 0.3
Tony 2.9 0 0 0.2 0
Ken 1.3 7.1 3.2 2.8 0

Subtract
smallest entry
Task from each
uncovered row
(0.90)
Assignee Backstroke Breastroke Butterfly Freestyle Dummy
Carl 2.7 7.8 2.0 0 -0.9
Chris 0.7 0.3 0 0 1.9
David 0 7.8 8.8 1.6 0.3
Tony 2.9 0 0 0.2 0
Ken 0.4 6.2 2.3 1.9 -0.9

Add smallest
Task entry 0.90 to
covered column
Backstroke Breastroke Butterfly Freestyle Dummy
Assignee Carl 2.7 7.8 2.0 0 0
Chris 0.7 0.3 0 0 2.8
David 0 7.8 8.8 1.6 1.2
Tony 2.9 0 0 0.2 0.9
Ken 0.4 6.2 2.3 1.9 0

3 of 4
 Check for
optimality
Task cover all zeros
# of lines = 5
Backstroke Breastroke Butterfly Freestyle Dummy
Assignee Carl 2.7 7.8 2.0 0 0
Chris 0.7 0.3 0 0 2.8
David 0 7.8 8.8 1.6 1.2
Tony 2.9 0 0 0.2 0.9
Ken 0.4 6.2 2.3 1.9 0

Since number of covered lines is 5, we can get optimal solution

Assignment:

Carl Freestyle
Chris Butterfly
David Backstroke
Tony Breastroke
Ken Dummy

Zmin = 29.2 + 28.5 + 33.80 + 34.7

= 126.20 seconds

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