degeneracy

• Degeneracy arises when there is a tie in the minimum ratio value that
determines the variable to enter into the next solution (Sharma,
2017).
• While solving the linear programming problem, if the minimum ratio
to identify the outgoing variable from the basic variables is not
unique. This situation prompt the degeneracy problem in LP problem.
Besides, if one or more basic variables have zero value, this a case of
degeneracy.
Degeneracy in linear programming
•  This is a basic feasible solution in which some basic variables are zero.
• Example
•M
Subject to
Initial simplex table-basic feasible solution
Contribution per unit 3 9 0 0 Quantity Replacement Ratio
Ci
Variable X1 X2 S1 S2
0 S1 1 4 1 0 8 8/4=2
0 S2 1 2 0 1 4 4/2=2
Total contribution (Zj) 0 0 0 0 0
Opportunity loss (Ci-Zj) 3 9 incoming 0 0 The outgoing variable
variable csan be S1 0R S2
column Assuming its S1
• R1=R1/4
• R2=OR2-2NR1
Second simplex table
Contribution per unit 3 9 0 0 Quantity Replacement Ratio
Ci
Variable X1 X2 S1 S2
9 X2 1/4 1 1/4 0 8/4=2 8
0 S2 0.5 0 -1/2 1 0 0
Total contribution (Zj) 9/4 9 9/4 0 18
Opportunity loss (Ci-Zj) 3/4 0 -9/4 0 Since the outgoing
variable is X2, this
process will continue to
recur, hence we may not
be able to determine
the optimal solution
Degeneracy in linear programming
•  This is a basic feasible solution in which some basic variables are zero.
• Example
•M
Subject to
Initial simplex table-basic feasible solution
Contribution per unit 5 3 0 0 0 Quantity Replacement Ratio
Ci
Variable X1 X2 S1 S2 S3
0 S1 1 -1 1 0 0 2 2/1=2
0 S2 2 1 0 1 0 4 4/2=2
0 S3 -3 2 0 0 1 6 6/-3=-2
Total contribution (Zj) 0 0 0 0 0 0
Opportunity loss (Ci-Zj) 5 3 0 0 0
• From the Cj-Zj row, the incoming variable is x1. For the outgoing
variable, it can be S1 or S2 given that replacement ration is the same.
If we choose S1 as our outgoing variable, we will get another simplex
table as shown in next slide.
Initial simplex table-basic feasible solution
Contribution per unit 5 3 0 0 0 Quantity Replacement Ratio
Ci
Variable X1 X2 S1 S2 S3
5 X1 1 -1 1 0 0 2 2/-1=-2
0 S2 0 3 -2 1 0 0 0/3=0 NR2=OR2-2NR1
0 S3 0 -1 3 0 1 12 12/-1=-12
NR3=OR3+3NR1
Total contribution (Zj) 5 -5 5 0 0 10
Opportunity loss (Ci-Zj) 0 8 -5 0 0
• Given that X2 has a positive value in the Cj-Zj row, it becomes the
incoming variable.
• The replacement ratios are either negative or zero, hence we are
unable to proceed because we are unable to identify the outgoing
variable.
• The problem is therefore a degenerate problem.