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Linear Programming Part 3
Linear Programming Part 3
Programming
SLACK VARIABLE AND SURPLUS
VARIABLE
SLACK
VARIABLE
• There is a standard procedure for transforming inequality
constraints into equations. This transformation is achieved by
adding a new variable, called a slack variable, to each
constraint.
• represents unused resources.
For example:
For the pottery company example, the model constraints are
The addition of a unique slack variable, , to the labor constraint and to the
constraint for clay results in the following equations:
For example:
Consider a hypothetical solution of = 5 and Substituting these
values into the foregoing equations yields.
For example:
The ultimate instance of unused resources occurs at the origin, where =
and . Substituting these values into the equations yields
What is the effect of these new slack variables
on the objective function?
The objective function for our example represents the profit gained from the
production of bowls and mugs,