UNIVERSITY OF DAR-ES-SALAAM

DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS

MT 278: LINEAR PROGRAMMING – Tutorial 1

1. (a) State how Linear Programming (LP) is related to Operation Research (OR).

(b) Why do we need to study LP problems? Give some application areas.

(c) The GP company produces its product in two plants P1 & P2 and distributes this
product from two warehouses W1 & W2. Each plant can produce a maximum of 80
units. Warehouse W1 can sell 100 units while W2 can sell only 60 units. Following table
shows the cost in TZS of shipping one unit from plants to the warehouses:

To Warehouse W1 Warehouse W2

From
Plant P1 40,000 60,000

Plant P2 70,000 75,000

By graphical method, determine the total number of units to be shipped for each plant to
each warehouse, such that the capacity of plants is not exceeded, demand at each
warehouse is fully satisfied and the total cost of transportation is minimized.

2. (a) Solve the following linear systems using matrix row transformations (row
operations), this method is called the Gauss-Jordan method.

 4 x  y  z  5

(i) 2 x  2 y  3 z  10
5 x  2 y  6 z  1


 x  y  z  2

(ii) 2 x  y  z  5
 x  2 y  2 z  1


(b) Distinguishes between the following terms as used in Simplex Algorithm

 (i) Basic and Non-basic variables (ii) Entering and leaving variables

(iii) Slack and Surplus variables (iv) Pivot row and pivot column

3. The TOYOTA Company Limited (TCL) manufactures luxury cars and trucks. The
company believes that its most likely customers are high-income women and men. To
reach these groups, TCL has embarked on an ambitious TV advertising campaign and
has decided to purchase 1-minute commercial spots on two types of programs: The
comedy shows and football games. Each comedy show is seen by seven million high-
income women (HIW) and two million high-income men (HIM). Each football
commercial is seen by two million HIW and twelve million HIM. A 1-minute comedy
advertisement costs $50,000, and a 1-minute football advertisement costs $100,000. The
TCL would like the commercials to be seen by at least 34 million HIW and 30 million
HIM. Formulate the LP model and determine how the TCL can meet its advertising
needs at low cost using (a) Graphical method (b) Simplex algorithm.

4. Solve the given LP model by Simplex Algorithm

(a) Algebraic form (b) Tableau method
Max : 5 x1  4 x2  3x3
St : 2 x1  3x2  x3  5
4 x1  x2  2 x3  11
3x1  4 x2  2 x3  8
x1 , x2 , x3  0
5. Use LINDO or any Mathematics package to solve Question 4 above.
6. Write short notes on the following in relation to simplex algorithm
(a) The Two Phase Method.
(b) The Big M Method.
(c) Degenerate
(d) Unbounded solution
(e) Alternative optimal solution.
(f) Primal and Dual Problems