MINIMIZATION

You’re on a special diet and know that your daily requirement of five nutrients is 60 milligrams
of vitamin C, 1,000 milligrams of calcium, 18 milligrams of iron, 20 milligrams of niacin, and
360 milligrams of magnesium. You have two supplements to choose from: Vega Vita and Happy
Health. Vega Vita costs 20 cents per tablet, and Happy Health costs 30 cents per tablet. Vega
Vita contains 20 milligrams of vitamin C, 500 milligrams of calcium, 9 milligrams of iron, 2
milligrams of niacin, and 60 milligrams of magnesium. Happy Health contains 30 milligrams of
vitamin C, 250 milligrams of calcium, 2 milligrams of iron, 10 milligrams of niacin, and 90
milligrams of magnesium. How many of each tablet should you take each day to meet your
minimum requirements while spending the least amount of money?

GRAPHICAL METHOD

Step I: Represent the unknown:

Let x be the number of tablet from Vega Vita
y be the number of tablet from Happy Health

Step II: Tabulate the data of the facts:

Nutrients Vega Vita (mg) Happy Health (mg) Minimum Total
Requirement (mg)
Vitamin C 20 30 60
Calcium 500 250 1,000
Iron 9 2 18
Niacin 2 10 20
Magnesium 60 90 360
Cost per tablet .20 .30

Step III: Formulate the objective function and constraints

OBJECTIVE FUNCTION:
Minimize: C=.20x+.30y
Subject to: 20x+30y≥60
500x+250y≥1000
9x+2y≥18
2x+10y≥20
60x+90y≥360
x≥0, y≥0

Step IV: Graph and Identify the Feasible region and determine the corner points:
20x+30y=60 500x+250y=1000 9x+2y=18 2x+10y=20

x 0 3 x 0 2 x 0 2 x 0 10
y 2 0 y 4 0 y 9 0 y 2 0

Test Point(0,0) Test Point: (0,0) Test Point: (0,0) Test Point: (0,0)
20x+30y≥60 500x+250y≥1000 9x+2y≥18 2x+10y≥20
20(0)+30(0)≥60 500(0)+250(0) 9(0)+2(0) ≥18 2(0)+10(0) ≥20
0≥60, FALSE ≥1000 0≥18, FALSE 0≥20, FALSE
0≥1000, FALSE
60x+90y=360 x=0 y=0
 x 0 6 x 0 0 x 1 2
y 4 0 y 1 2 y 0 0

Test Point: (0,0) Test Point: (1,1) Test Point: (1,1)

60x+90y≥360 x≥0 y≥0
60(0)+90(0) ≥360 1≥0, TRUE 1≥0, TRUE
0≥360, FALSE

C
D

x=0 9x+2y=18
9x+2y=18 60x+90y=360
9(0)+2y=18
2y=18 y= 9 45(9x+2y=18)= _ 405x+ 90y=810
2 60x +90y = 360
A= (0,9) = 345x = 450
345
x= 1.3043
9(1.3043)+2y= 18
11.7387+ 2y= 18
11.7387+ 2y- 11.7387= 18-11.7387
2y =6.2613 y= 3.13165
2
B: (1.3043, 3.13165)
y=0 2x+10y=20
2x+10y=20 60x+90y=360
2x+10(0)=20
2x=20 x= 10 30(2x+10y=20)= _ 60x+300y= 600
2 60x+90y=360
D: (10,0) = 210y = 240
y= 1.143
210
2x+10y=20
2x+10 (1.143)=20
2x+11.43= 20
2x+11.43- 11.43= 20-11.43
2x= 8.57 x= 4.29
2
C: (4.29, 1.14)
Step V: Substitute the extreme points on the feasible region to the objective functions
P= 0.20x+0.30y
Extreme Corner Points Value of the Objective Function
(0,9) 0.20(0)+ 0.30(9)= 2.7
(1.30, 3.13) 0.20(1.30)+ 0.30(3.13)= 1.20
(4.29, 1.14) 0.20(4.29)+ 0.30(1.14)= 1.20
(10,0) 0.20(10)+ 0.30(0)= 2

Step VI: Formulate the Decision:

Since the coordinates (1.30, 3.13) and (4.29, 1.14) will give the lowest value of P1.20,
the decision is either to take 1.30 Vega Vita and 3.13 Happy Health each day or 4.29 Vega Vita
and 1.14 Happy Health each day.
x= 1.30 or 4.29 y= 3.13 or 1.14
C= 1.20

SOLVER (EXCEL)

Step 1: Represent the unknown in the problem.

Let x be the quantity of Vega Vita and

Let y be the quantity of Happy Health

Step 2: Tabulate the data about the facts (if necessary)

Nutrients Resource Requirement Daily

Vega Vita (x) Happy Health (y) Requirement
Vitamin C 20 milligrams 30 milligrams 60
Calcium 500 milligrams 250 milligrams 1,000
Iron 9 milligrams 2 milligrams 18
Niacinamide 2 milligrams 10 milligrams 20
Magnesium 60 milligrams 90 milligrams 360
COST P 20 P 30

Step 3: Formulate the objective function and constraints by restating the information in LP
model.

OBJECTIVE FUNCTION:
Minimize: C = 20x + 30y
Subject to: 20x + 30y >= 60
500x + 250y >= 1,000
9x + 2y >= 18
2x +10y>=20
60x+ 90y>=360
x >= 0, y >= 0

Step 4: Enter in the excel the solver parameter.

Step 6: Formulate the decision.
Since the coordinate (1.30,3.13) will give the lowest value of P 120, the decision is to take 1.30
milligrams of each nutrient of Vega Vita and 3.13 milligrams of each nutrient of Happy Health
in order to mi Ingredient A and 3 units of Ingredient B in order to minimize the cost.

Decision: x= 1.30 milligrams of each nutrient of Vega Vita unit

y= 3.13 milligrams of each nutrient of Happy Health
C= P 230

SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS