Basic approach

Find lower bound (best case value /

optimized solution)
Expand the problem using state space
search tree
Each state must satisfy all the constrains
(conditions) of problem
Assignment Problem
◦ Assign a job to each person such that no two
persons should be assigned to same job.
A =

Step 1: find lower bound

Consider minimum value from each row
and add.
2 + 3 + 1 + 4 = 10
We can assume this as lower bound but it
is not feasible. Person b, c assigned to
job3.
Step2: Explore the problem by applying
different combinations for first person , ‘a’
Level 0
Lower bound
2+3+1+4 = 10

Level1

a  job 1 a  job 2 a job 3 a  job 4

Lb =9+3+1+4 Lb =2+3+1+4 Lb =7+4+5+4 Lb =8+3+1+6
=17 =10 =20 =18

Note: whatever the job is assigned for ‘a’ is not

assigned for the other persons
Comparing all lower bound, value is
obtained only job2 is assigned for ‘a’.
Now we assign job2 for a.
Explore the problem to level 2 for person b.
Since job2 is already assigned to a, the
choices left for b is, job1, job3 or job4.
 Lower bound =10

a1 a3
a2 a4
Lb =17 Lb=20
Lb =10 Lb =18
level 2:
b1 b3 b4
Lower bound Lower bound Lower bound
2+6+1+4 =13 2+3+5+4 =14 2+7+1+7 =17

 consider level2, block 1 where person b is assigned with

job1, c is assigned with least value 3.
 whereas, in block2 person c is assigned with value 5 (b is
assigned with job2 which should not be assigned to any
other)
leastlower bound value is obtained only
when job1 is assigned to person b.
Proceed to level 3.

person job
A 2
B 1
C 3 OR 4
 Lower bound =10

a1 a3
a2 a4
Lb =17 Lb=20
Lb =10 Lb =18

b1
Lb=13 b3 b4
Lb=14 Lb=17

Level 3
c3 c4
Lb= 2 + 6 +1+4 Lb= 2 + 6 +8 + 9
= 13 = 25
Minimum cost can be achieved by
assigning the job 3 to c and job4 to d.

Optimal Solution
person job
A 2
B 1
C 3
D 4