Chapter

LINEAR
PROGRAMMING
Graphical Method
Graphical Method of Solving LPP 3.1
Applications of LP Problems by Graphical Method 3.2
Special Issues in Graphic Method of Solving LPP 3.3

Objectives
At the end of the chapter, the students should be able to

Solve LP problems by graphic method

Identify whether the solution is feasible or infeasible
Identify the difficulties in solving LP problems by graphic method
and be able to explain the situation
Appreciate solving LP problems and relate these problems to real life.

45
 GRAPHICAL METHOD
It was mentioned previously that the graphical method is one of the methods of solving
LPP. The graphical method of solving LPP is a set of mathematical steps carried out by using
graphs. The graphic method is best applied in solving linear programming problem with two
decision variables only.
3.1 Graphic Method of Solving LPP
The following are steps in solving LPP by graphic method
Determine the decision variables in the problem, and then represent them using variable
letters.
Form the LP model.
a.) State the objective function b.) Formulate the constraints
Graph the problem constraints and determine the feasible region, the region that satisfies
all of the constraints. This feasible region may be an open or closed plane figure or
sometimes only a line segment.
Find the corner points of the feasible region. One of the corner points of the feasible
region is the solution of the problem, which is the optimal corner point.
Test each corner points of the feasible region to see which yields the maximum or
minimum amount of the objective function.
Plot an iso-profit line or iso-cost line at the optimal corner point. The iso-profit or iso-cost
line represents all possible combinations of variables that yield the total profit or total cost
respectively.

The following are the possible solutions of an LPP:

Feasible
The solution is said to be feasible if the graphical solutions of the problem constraints
have a common intersection, called the feasible region. The intersection may be a plane figure or a
segment and the corner/end points of this figure can be determined.
The feasible region may be bounded or unbounded; bounded if the region is a closed plane
figure , and unbounded if the region is an open figure.
Infeasible
An LPP has infeasible solution if the solutions of the problem constraints do not
intersect, that is, no feasible region is formed.
Examples: Solve the following linear programming problems by graphical method:

Maximize Profit ( P ) = 3x + 2y
Subject to x + y ≤ 6 ( 1 )
x+y≥2(2)
≥0(3)
≥0(4)
4
6
 y
9
8 Isoprofit line
7 P1
6
x+y = 6
5
4
P3 x+y = 2
3
2
1 P4 P2
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 x
Figure 3.1

Figure 3.1 shows the feasible region (shaded region ) of the above problem. The corner
points of this region are P1, ( 0,6 ), P2 ( 6,0 ), P3 ( 0,2 ),and P4 ( 2,0 ). To determine which point will
give the maximum value of the objective function P, substitute each value of x and y to P.

At P1 (0, 6) P = 3 ( 0 ) + 2 ( 6 ) = 12
At P2 (6, 0) P = 3 ( 6 ) + 2 ( 0 ) = 18
At P3 (0, 2) P=3(0)+2(2)=4
At P4 (2, 0) P=3(2)+2(0)=6

P2 ( 6,0 ) gives the maximum value of P, thus the optimum value of P is 18 where x + 6
and y = 0. The isoprofit line should pass through this solution point. If 18 is the value of P, then the
equation of the isoprofit line is 3x + 2y = 18.

Maximize Profit ( P ) = 12x +

5y Subject to –x + y ≤ 4
+y≥4
x + y ≤ 12
x ≥ 0, y ≥ 0

Figure 3.2 shows the feasible region of the above system of inequalities. The corner points
of the feasible region are A(0,4), B(4,8), C(12,0), and D(4,0).

4
7
 Test for corner points:
At A ( 0,4 ) P = 12(0) + 5(4) = 20
At B (4,8) P = 12(4) + 5(8) = 88
At C (12,0) P = 12(12)+ 5(0) = 144
At D (4,0) P = 12(4) + 5(0) = 48

Point C (12,0) gives the maximum value of P, thus the optimum value of P,thus the
optimum value of P is 144 where x = 12 and y = 0; and the equation of isoprofit line is 12x + 5y =
144.

12
11
10
9
8
7
]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]
6
5
y 4
3
]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]
2
1
-1 -2 -3 -4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Figure 3.2

3. Minimize Cost (C) = 5x – 2y

Subject to x + y < 8
x>4
y>3
x,y > 0

Figure 3.3 shows the corner points of the feasible region of the given inequalities. These
are Q(4,3), R (4,4), and S (5,3)

48
 Y x=4
9

8
x+y=8
7
Iso-cost line
6

5
R
4
S y=3
3
Q
2

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
X
Figure 3.3

Test for corner points: Point Q(4,4) gives the minimum value of C, thus
At Q(4,3) C = 5(4) – 2(3) = 14 the optimum value of C is 12 where x = 4 and y = 4 ;
At R(4,4) C = 5(4) – 2(4) = 12 and the equation of iso-cost line is 5x – 2y = 12.
At S(5,3) C = 5(5) – 2(3)= 19

Solve the following LPP by graphical approach

1. Minimize C = 5x + 8y
Subject to 2x + 6y > 36
x + y >12
x + 6y > 24
x > 0, y > 0

2. Maximize P = 10x + 13y

Subject to 4x + y < 16
x + y < 12
x + 5y = 10
x > 0, y > 0

49
 Modify the constraints of this
problem. What will happen to
the solution if you reverse the
inequality symbol of the
second constraint? What will
happen to the solution if you
change the symbol of the 3rd
constraint to >?

3. Maximize C = 20x + 16y

Subject to 2x + 3y < 18
x + 2y > 22
2x + 3y > 18
x>0
y>0

50
4. Max P = 3x – 2y
Subject to x+y<4
3x – 2y < 12
X<6
x.y > 0

5. Min C = 3x – 2y
Subject to x+y>6
y<4
x>2
x,y > 0

51
 3.2 Applications of LPP by Graphic Method

Problems that will be discussed here involved only two variables. Problems involving
more than two variables will be discussed in the next chapter.

Examples: Solve the following linear programming word

problems by graphical method

Two machines, A and B produce items at the rate of 50 per hour and 40 per hour,
respectively.
Under a certain production plan the total number of items needed is at least 1000
items, and the total number of man-hours available for running the machines is at most
24 hours.

If the hourly cost is P100 for running machine A and P70 for machine B,
determine the equation that will yield the most economical production program.
Let x be the number of hours machine A is used and the y number of hours
machine B is used.
Express the two conditions above as inequalities
Add to the system of inequalities in part (b) the two inequalities resulting from
the fact that x and y are non-negative numbers, then graph the system.
Determine the values of x and y that gives the most economical production
cost.
In part (a), if the hourly cost were P100 for running machine A and P90 for
running machine B, what would be the best plan?

a.) Let x – no. of hours machine A is used

y – no. of hours machine B is used
C – Total cost of production

Objective Function: Minimize C = 100x + 70y

b.) Constraints: 50x + 40y > 1000

x + y < 24

52
Figure 3.4
d.) Solving for the minimum cost
At P1 (4,20) C = 100(4) + 70(20) = 1800,
At P2 (25,0) C = 100(25) + 70(0) = 2500, &
At P3 (20,0) C = 100(20) + 70(0) = 2000

e.) C = 100x + 90y

At P1 (4,20) C = 100(4) + 90(20) = 2200
At P2 (25,0) C = 100(25) + 90(0) = 2500
At P3 (20,0) C = 100 (20) + 90(0) = 2000
Vouge by Krista produces two kinds of textile, textile Q and textile R, each of which
must be processed through two machine centers. Machine center 1 has a maximum
of 120 hours available ad machine center II has a maximum of 180 hours available.
Manufacturing a roll of textile Q requires 6 hours in machine center. 1 and 3 hours
in machine center II. Manufacturing a roll of textile R requires 4 hours in machine
center 1 and 10 hours in machine center II. If profit is P4 500 for a roll of textile Q
and P5500 for a roll of textile R, determine the number of rolls textile Q and textile R
should be manufactured in order to maximize the profit considering that the number
of rolls of textile R must not exceed 12 units and the number of rolls of textile Q
must be at least 10 units.

Let x – number of rolls of textile Q y – number of rolls of textile R

The table below may summarize the above conditions

Machine Centers x Y Maximum available time
I 6 4 120
II 3 10 180

53
Objective Function: Max Profit = 4500x + 5500y
Subject to 6x + 4y < 120
3x + 10y < 180
y < 12
x > 10
x,y > 0

Figure 3.5
30

28 x = 12
26

24

22

20

18

16

14 y=12
12

10

6 6x + 4y = 120 3x + 10y = 180

5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60

Figure 3.5, shows that the feasible region is bounded by the points X(10, 12), Y(12,
12), Z(20, 0) and W(10, 0).

Solving for the maximum profit:

At X(10, 12), Profit = 4500(10) + 55000(12) = 111 000
At Y(12, 12), Profit = 4500(12) + 55000(12) = 120 000
At Z(20, 0), Profit = 4500(20) + 55000(0) = 90 000
At W(10, 0), Profit = 4500(10) + 55000(0) = 45 000

Point Y(12, 12) gives the maximum amount of profit, thus the answer to the problem is “12
rolls of each kind of textile must be produced.”

Chemikris chemist wants to mix up 500 ponds of a diet food for aerobics students.
There are two principal ingredients in the mixture, x1 and x2, both sources of protein.
The first source of protein, x1, costs P`5 a pound and x2 costs P12 a pound. Chemical
constraints dictate that the mixture contains more than 300 pounds of x1 and at most
200 pound of x2. Find the optimum product mix and the minimum cost.

54
 Let x be the amount of protein x1
y be the amount of protein x2

Objective Function: Min cost = 15x + 12y

Subject to x + y = 500
x ≥ 300
y ≤ 200
x, y ≥ 0

Y
500
] x + y = 500 x = 300
400

300
y = 200
200 A

100
B
100 200 300 400 500 x

Figure 3.6
The solution is a line segment whose end point are A(300,400) and B(500,0). See Figure 3.6
Solving for the minimum cost:
At A(300,200), Cost = 15(300) + 12(200) = 6900
At B(500,0) Cost = 15(500) + 12(0) = 7500
Point A(300,200) gives the minimum amount of cost, thus the answer to the problem
is “The mixture should contain 300 pounds of protein x1 and 200 pounds of protein x2”

Solve the following by graphical method

Luzcel real estate owns 8400 square meters of lot area and decides to construct two
different styles of houses, B and C. The lot area of house B is 140 sq.m and house C lot
area is 105 sq.m. The construction engineer has a maximum of 6240 man-hours of labor
for the construction. Let your variables be the number of units of house B and the number
of units of house C to be constructed.

Write and Inequality which states that there is 8400 sq.m of land available.

A unit of house B requires 180 man-hour and a unit of house C requires 270 man-hour.
Write an inequality that the engineer has at most 16200 man-hour available for
construction.

5
5
 If material cost 600 thousand pesos for a unit of house B and 900 thousand for a unit of
house C, write an inequality stating that the engineer has at least 18 million pesos to
spend for materials.

Labor cost 1.1 million pesos for constructing a unit of house B and 1.3 million pesos for
constructing a unit of house C. If a unit of house B sells for 3.5 million and a unit of house
C sells for 4.5 million, how many units of house B and house C should be constructed to
obtain the maximum profit? Show the graph.
Solution:
a.) b.)

c.) d.)

Graph

Answer: __________________________________________________________-

5
6
 In the table below, the vitamin and mineral content of two brands of cereals C1 and C2 is
given in milligrams per gram of cereal. The third column gives the daily minimum
requirements of these vitamins and minerals. At the bottom of the first two columns, the
costs per gram of each cereal are listed. Find the number of grams for each cereal which
taken together that satisfy the daily minimum requirements of thiamin, niacin and iron at
lowest costs.

Vitamin/mineral Cereal 1 (C1) Cereal 2 (C1) Daily minimum

requirement
Thiamin 0.50 0.25 2.00
Niacin 50.00 150.00 450.00
Iron 1.50 2.00 11.00
Cost P25.00 P20.00

Solution: Graph
OF:_________________________
Constraints:
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________

Answer: _______________

Dimensions by Marchelle, makes two wood items, tables and chairs, which must be
processed through assembly and finishing departments. Assembly has 60 hours available
per week; finishing can handle up to 48 hours of work a week. Manufacturing one table
requires 4 hours in assembly and 2 hours in finishing. Each chair requires 2 hours in
assembly and 4 hours in finishing. If profit is P7000 per table and P4000 per chair,
determine the number of tables and chairs that must be proceed to maximize the profit`

57
Solution
Objective Function: _________________________________
Constraints: _________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________

Graph

Answer
__________________________-
__________________________-
__________________________-

58
3.3 Special Issues in Graphic Method of Solving LPP

Four cases and difficulties arise at times when using the graphical method
of solving LP problems, they are:
1. Infeasibility 2. Unboundedness
2. Redundancy 4. Alternate Optimal Solution (Alternative
Optima)
Infeasibility
As was discussed earlier, infeasibility is a condition that arises when there is
no solution to an LPP that satisfies all the conditions given. Graphically, it means that a
feasible solution region does not exist – a solution that might occur, if the problem was
formulated with conflicting constraints.

Example: Consider the following constraints

x +2y < 6
2x + y < 8
x>7
x,y > 0
Notice that, in Figure 3.7, there is no common
region that satisfies the given constraints.

Unboundednes
Sometimes an LP will not have a finite solution. In maximization problem, for
example, one or more solution variables of the profit function, can be made infinitely large
without violating any constraints. If we try to solve such problem graphically, one will note
that the feasible region is open-ended. We call this solution in LPP as unboundedness

Example: Maximize Profit = 3x 1 + 5x2 Figure 3.8

Subject to: x1 >5 x2
x1 + 2x2 > 10 x1=10 x2=10
x2 < 10 10
x1, x2 > 0
5

x1+2x2=10
5 10 15 20 x1
Redundancy
A redundant constraint is simply one that does not affect the feasible region. This
occurs when the condition set by the constraint is already defined by the other constraints.
59
 Example : Maximize Profit = x + 2y Figure 3.9
Subject to: x +y < 20 y
2x + y < 30 x=25
X<25 25
x+y=20
x,y > 0 20

15

10
In figure 3.9, the constraint x < 25 5 2x+y=30
does not affect the feasible region. x
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Alternate Optimal Solution (Alternate Optima)

A linear programming problem may, occasion have two or more optimal solutions.
Graphically, this is the case when the objective function’s iso-profit or iso-cost line runs
perfectly parallel to one of the problem’s constraints – in other words, they have the same
slope.

Example: Maximize Profit = 3x + 2y Figure 3.10

Subject to: 6y + 4y < 24
y
x < 3 6
x=3
>
x,y 0 5

4 Isoprofit line

Figure 3.10 shows that the 3

isoprofit line and the corresponding line of 2 6x + 4y =24

constraint 6x + 4y = 24 coincide. 1
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 x

Determine which LP formulation

Has more than one optimal solution
is unbounded
Is infeasible
Has redundant constraint

1.) Max P = 3x – 2y 2.) Min C = 20x + 15y

Subject to x + y > 4 Subject to x + y > 6
3x – 2y < 12 y<4
X <6 x>2
x,y > 0 x,y > 0

60
3. Max P = 5x + 2y 4.) Min Z = 10x + 8y
Subject to y>2 Subject to 3x + 5y < 15
3x + 2y < 12 6x + 5y > 30
X<4 y>3
x,y > 0 x.y > 0

61
 Activity 3.1
Solutions OF LPP

Using the graphical approach, determine whether the given formulation if feasible
(bounded or unbounded) or infeasible.
1. Max P = 10x1 + 8x2 2. Min P = 3x + 2y
Subject to 2x1 < 10 Subject to x + y > 5
2x1 + 4x2 < 16 x >2
4x2 < 8 2y > 8
X1 >6 x, y > 0
X1 , x 2 > 0
x2 y
5
9
8 4
7
6 3
5
4 2
3
2 1

1 x1 x
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 3 4 5

Answer : Answer:

Max R = 3x1 + 2x2 Min C = 4x + 8y

Subject to 2x1 + 2x2 < 8 Subject to 2x +2y > 10
3x1 + 2x2 < 12 -x + y > 8
xy + ½ x2 < 3 ,y>0
x1 + x2 > 0
y
x2
6 12
5 10
4 8
3 6
2 4

1 x1 2 x
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 1 2 3 4 5

Answer :_______ Answer:

62
 Activity 3.2
Graphic Solution of LPP

Solve the following linear programming problems by graphical method

1. Maximize R = 10x + 20y

Subject to 3x + 4y > 12
4x + y < 8
2x + y > 6
X > 0, y > 0

2. Minimize C = 5x + 14y
Subject to 2x + y > 12
2x + 9y > 36
2x + 3y = 24
x,y > 0

y
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4

2 x
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 1 8

63
 Activity 3.3
Graphic Solution of LPP

Solve the following linear programming problems by graphical method

1. Minimize C = 6x + 4y
Subject to 2x + 4y = 20
y<4
3x + 2y > 18
x,y > 0

y
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2

1 x
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

2. Maximize Z = 5x – 7y
Subject to 4x + 5y > 10
x + 2y < 5
-2x + 3y < 3
x,y>0

y
5

x
-2 -1 1 2 3 4 5

64
 Activity 3.4
Graphic Solution of LPP

Solve the following problem:

CT & GA Company manufacture two types of chandelier; special and ordinary. Each
special chandelier requires 8 pounds of brass and each ordinary chandelier requires 4 pounds of
brass. During each production period,, the company’s brass supply is limited to 640 pounds. Each
special type requires 6 hours of assembly time in the machines and each ordinary type requires 2
hours of assembly time in the machine. The company’s assembly machines are available only for
360 hours in each production period. Each special type requires 5 light bulbs that must be imported
from Hingkong. The importation of these bulbs is limited to 200 units. The contribution to profit of
each special type is P2200 and P1050 on the ordinary. How many units of the special and ordinary
chandelier should be produced per production period to maximize the profit?

Solution:
Objective Function:
Subject to

Graph

No. of units of special chandelier =

No. of units of ordinary chandelier =

6
5
 Activity 3.5
Graphic Solution of LPP

Solve the following problem:

Two machines A and B, produce items at the rate of 500 per hour and 400 per hour
respectively. The production plan indicates that the total items to be produces by the two machines
must be at least 10 000 items. The total number of hours available for running the two machines is
at most 24 hours. Machine A spends P30 per hour operational cost, while machine B spends P45.
How many hours should each machine be used in order to minimize the cost.

Solution

Objective Function:
Subject to

______

Graph:

No. of hours machine A should be used =

No. of hours machine B should be used =

66
 Activity 3.6
Graphic Solution of LPP
Solve the following problem:

Kriscellon store sells local and important compact disks. The owners buy the local CD for
P400 then sell it for P650 and buy and an imported CD for P650 then sell it for P1000.
They can buy pieces of both. How many pieces of local and imported CD should they buy
to maximize their profit?

Solution
Objective Function:
Subject to:

Graph:

No. of pieces of local CD =

No. pieces of imported CD =

67
 Activity 3.7
Special Issues in Graphic Solution of LPP

Graph each of the following LP models. Determine whether it is a.) infeasible b.)unbounded c. )
has redundant constraint d.) has more than one optimal solutions.

1. Max P = 20x1 + 12x2 Min Z = 5x + 8y Subject

Subject to 2x1 < 6 to 5x + 4y > 20
X1 + x2 < 6 5x + 3y > 15
X2<6 2y > 4
x1 >1 ,y>0
x1 , x2 > 0 ,y>0

x2 y
5

8 4

6 3

4 2

2 1
x2
1
x
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 3 4 5

Answer: Answer:
Max R = 3x1 + 2x2 Min C = 4x + 8y
Subject to 2x1 + 2x2 < 8 Subject to 2x + 2y < 8
3x1 + 2x2 < -x + y > 6
12 x1 + ½ x2 ,y>0
< 3 x1 , x2 > 0
y
x2
6 12
5 10
4 8
3 6
2 4
1 x1 2 x
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 12345

Answer: Answer:

6
8