PROBLEM SOLVING

Introduction to OR

Problem No. 1
In the tickets example. (refer to ebook Operations Research by Taha)
a. Provide an infeasible alternative.
b. Identify a fourth feasible alternative and determine its cost.

Answer:
a. Infeasible alternative.

Buy one FYV-DEN trip and four DEN-FYV-DEN that span weekends.

b. The fourth feasible alternative and its cost.

Buy two round trip FYV-DEN-FYV tickets that spans weekends. Travel back to FYV every other
2nd week to cover the four weeks business commitment. Then buy FYV-DEN-FYV for the last
business week commitment.

Cost of Fourth Feasible Alternative:

2 x ($400 x 0.80) + $400 = $1,040

Problem No. 2
Amy, Jim, John, and Kelly are standing on the east bank of a river and wish to cross to the west side using
a canoe. The canoe can hold at most two people at a time. Amy, being the most athletic, can now across
the river in 1 minute. Jim, John and Kelly would take 3, 6, and 9 minutes respectively. If two people are
in the canoe, the slower person dictates the crossing time. The objective is for all four people to be on the
other side of the river in the shortest time possible.

A. Define the criterion for evaluating the alternatives (remember, the canoe is the only mode of
transportation, and it cannot be shuttled empty.
B. What is the shortest time for moving all four people to the other side of the river?

Answer:

A. Criterion for Evaluating the Alternatives

The criterion for evaluating the alternatives is the combination of the four people to cross to the
west side of the river bank using a canoe in the shortest time possible.

B. The shortest time for moving all four people to the other side of the river.
Amy and Jim go over, that takes 3 mins.
Amy rows back alone, 1 min
John and Kerry go over, 9 mins
Jim rows back alone to get Amy, 3 mins
Jim & Amy cross back, 3 mins

Job done in 19 mins.