Simplex method Computation:

Simplex method computation is facilitated by imposing two requirements on the constraints of

the problems:

1. All the constraints are equations with non-negative right-hand side.

2. All the variables are non-negative.

For example

To convert ≤ inequality to equation, a non-negative slack is added to the left-hand side of the
constraint

5x1 + 8x1 + 3x3 ≤ 30

Let S1 be the unused quantity, the equation then becomes

5x1 + 8x1 + 3x3+ S1 = 30

The conversion from ≥ to = is by substituting a non-negative surplus variable from the Left-hand
side of the inequality;

5x1 + 8x1 + 3x3 ≥ 300 Comment [EMU1]: Left-hand side

Comment [EMU2]: Right hand side
How to Set-up an Initial Tableau for Iterative Simplex Computations

Using the Mr Briggs example, to explain the details of the Simplex Method;

Maximize z = 5X1 + 4X2

Subject to

6x1 + 4x2 ≤ 24 (1)

x1 + 2x2 ≤ 6 (2)

-x1 + x2 ≤ 1 (3)

x2 ≤ 2 (4)
 x1, x2 ≥ 0 (5)

Step 1:

 Determine a starting basic feasible solution: this is achieved by first convert the
constraints inequalities to equations, and the objection function inequality to equation;

6x1 + 4x2 + S1 = 24 (1)

x1 + 2x2 + S2 = 6 (2)

-x1 + x2 + S3 = 1 (3)

x2 + S4 = 2 (4)

x1, x2, s1, s2, s3, s4 ≥ 0

Z - 5x1 + 4x2 = 0

Initial starting Tableau is represented as follows: Table 1

Basic Z x1 x 2 s1 s 2 s3 s 4 Solution
z 1 5 4 0 0 0 0 0
s1 0 6 4 1 0 0 0 24
s2 0 1 2 0 1 0 0 6
s3 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 1
s4 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 2

The initial tableau specifies the set of basic and non-basic variables, as well as the solution.
Normally the Simplex method starts at the origin (Point i), where x1= 0 & x2 = 0 Comment [EMU3]: Plot x1 against x2

At this point, the sets of non-basic and basic variable are defined as

Non basic (zero) variables: (x1; x2)

Basic variable: (s1, s2, s3, s4), and the value of the objective function z = 0. Substituting the non-
basic variables (x1; x2) = (0, 0), in the exemplary equation we have ……. Comment [EMU4]: Demonstrate

Step 2:
  Select an entering variable using the optimality condition. Stop if there is no entering
variable; the last solution is optimal. Else, go to step 3.

Identification of the “Entering variable”: This is achieved by satisfying the conditions for
optimality.

Optimality conditions:

 The entering variable in a maximization (minimization) problem is the non-basic

variable having the most negative (positive) coefficient in the objective function (z) row.
In Table 1, the variable with most negative coefficient in the z row is x 1, having a
coefficient of -5. (The design of the simplex method calls for increasing one variable at a
time, with the selected variable being the one with the most negative (positive)
coefficient in the objective function (z) row). With these explanations, we now have our
“entering variable” as x1, having satisfied the optimality conditions rule.

Step 3

Select a “leaving variable” using the feasibility condition.


To determine the Leaving variable, we divide the right-hand side of the equations
(solution column) with the coefficients under the entering variables x1.

Feasibility Solution: for both the maximization and minimization problems, the leaving
variable is the basic variable associated with the smallest non-negative ratio. (Ties are broken
arbitrarily).

Table 2: mechanics for determining the leaving variable

Basic Entering variable Solution Ratio
(x1)
S1 6 24 x1 = =4

S2 1 6 x1 = = 6

S3 -1 1 x1 = = -1

S4 0 2 x1 = = ∞ Comment [EMU5]: Which variable is leaving?

Step 4:

Gauss- Jordan row Operations: This is also called the swapping process. It identifies the
entering variable column as the pivot column and the leaving variable row as the pivot row. The
intersection of the pivot column and the pivot row is called the pivot element.

1. Pivot row
 Replace the leaving variable in the basic column with the entering variable.

 New pivot row =

2. All other rows including z

New row = (current row) – (its pivot column coefficient) x (New pivot row)

Solution:

1. Replace s1 in the Basic column with x1

New x1-row = Current s1-row / 6
(0 6 4 1 0 0 0 24) = (0 1 2/3 1/6 0 0 0 4)

2. New z-row = Current z-row – (-5) x (0 1 2/3 1/6 0 0 0 4) = (1 0 -2/3 5/6 0 0 0 20)
3. New s2-row = Current s2-row – (1) x (0 1 2/3 1/6 0 0 0 4) = (0 0 4/3 -1/6 1 0 0 2)
4. New s3-row = Current s3-row – (-1) x (0 1 2/3 1/6 0 0 0 4) = (0 0 5/3 1/6 0 1 0 5)
5. New s4-row = Current s4-row – (0) x (0 1 2/3 1/6 0 0 0 4) = (0 0 1 0 0 0 1 2)
 The new basic solution is (x1, s2, s3, s4), and the new tableau becomes

In the last tableau, find the entering variables and the leaving variables following the optimality
and the feasibility conditions.

 Following the optimality condition, Entering variable now becomes x2

 Following the feasibility condition as shown in third Tableau, the leaving variable now
becomes s2

Replacing s2 in the Basic column with entering x2, and repeat the iteration (second iteration)
Based on the optimality condition, none of the z-row coefficients associated with the non-basic
variables, x1 and x2 is negative. Hence the last tableau is optimal.

Result Interpretation

Decision variable Optimum value Recommendation

x1 3 Produce 3 tons of exterior paint daily
x2 Produce 1.5 tons of interior paint
daily
Z 21 Daily profit is ₦21,

EXERCISES

1. Explain what is meant by decision variables, objective function and constraints in Linear
Programming.
2. Give the mathematical formulation of the linear programming problems.
3. What are the components of LPP? What is the significance of non-negativity restriction?
4. State the limitations of LPP.
5. Give the assumptions and advantages of LPP.
6. An investor wants to identify how much to invest in two funds, one equity and one debt.
Total amount available is ₦5, 00, 000. Not more than ₦3, 00, 000 should be invested in a
single fund. Returns expected are 30% in equity and 8% in debt. Minimum return on total
investment should be 15%. Formulate as LPP.
7. A company manufactures two products P1 and P2. Profit per unit for P1 is ₦200 and for
P2 is ₦300. Three raw materials M1, M2 and M3 are required. One unit of P1 needs 5
units of M1 and 10 units of M2. One unit of P2 needs 18 units of M2 and 10 units of M3.
Availability is 50 units of M1, 90 units of M2 and 50 units of M3. Formulate as LPP.
8. A firm produces two products X and Y. Minimum 50 units of X should be produced.
There is no limit for producing Y. Profit per unit is ₦100 for X and ₦150 for Y.
PRODUCT Resource Requirement Resource Availability
X 20 machine-hours Machine hours = 2500
10 labor hours Labour hours = 3000
Y 10 Machine hours
15 Labour hours
 Formulate as LPP.
9. A patient has been recommended two nutrients N1 and N2 every day. Minimum intake is
10g for N1 and 15g for N2 every day. These nutrients are available in two products P1
and P2. One unit of P1 contains 2g of N1 and 3g of N2. One unit of P2 contains 1g of N1
and 2g of N2. Cost per unit is ₦200 for P1 and ₦150 for P2. Formulate as LPP such that
nutrient requirement can be fulfilled at the lowest cost.
10. Two vitamins A and B are to be given as health supplements on daily basis to students.
There are two products Alpha & Beta which contain vitamins A and B. One unit of Alpha
contains 2g of A and 1g of B. One unit of Beta contains 1g of A and 2g of B. Daily
requirements for A and B are at least 10g each. Cost per unit of Alpha is ₦20 and of Beta
is ₦30. Formulate as LPP to satisfy the requirements at minimum cost.