MATH 1090- Linear Programming Project

Use an Excel spreadsheet to solve optimization problems

Example
The Solar Technology Company manufactures three different types of hand calculators and
classifies them as scientific, business, and graphing according to their calculating capabilities.
The three types have production requirements given by the following table.

Scientific Business Graphing

Electronic circuit components 5 7 10
Assembly time (hours) 1 3 4
Cases 1 1 1
The firm has a monthly limit of 90,000 circuit components, 30,000 hours of labor, and 9000
cases. If the profit is $6 for the scientific, $13 for the business, and $20 for the graphing
calculators, how many of each should be produced to yield maximum profit? What is the
maximum profit?
Let S be the number of scientific, B be the number of business, and G be the number of graphing
calculators to be produced.
Then the optimization function is: Profit (S, B, G) = 6S + 13B + 20G.

Subject to the constraints:

5S  7 B  10G  90, 000 S  0

 
 S  3B  4G  30, 000 where  B  0
 S  B  G  9, 000 G  0
 

Open Excel and set up a workspace like the following to organize the information and work:

A B C
1 Variables
2
3 # scientific calculators (S)
4 # business calculators (B)
5 # graphing calculators (G)
6
7 Objectives
8
9 Maximize Profit
10
11 Constraints
12 Amount used Maximum
13 Circuit components 90000
14 Labor hours 30000
15 Cases 9000
In cell B9 enter the function: =6*B3+13*B4+20*B5 optimization function
In cell B13 enter the function: =5*B3+7*B4+10*B5 function for first constraint
In cell B14 enter the function: =B3+3*B4+4*B5 function for second constraint
In cell B15 enter the function: =B3+B4+B5 function for third constraint

The Solver will have to be Added-In if it hasn’t yet been used on the computer you’re using.
Click on the Office Button , and choose Excel Options. Then select Add-Ins in the left
column, and click Go at the bottom. Check Solver Add-in in the new window, and click OK.

Select Solver from the Data tab at the top.

Set Target Cell: B9

Equal to: Max
By changing cells: B3:B5
Click in the Subject to the Constraints box:
Click the Add button:
in the Cell Reference box enter: B13
skip by the <= sign because you want the formula in cell B13 ≤ the maximum
in the Constraint box enter: C13
then click OK
Click the Add button again:
in the Cell Reference box enter: B14
skip by the <= sign because you want the formula in cell B14 ≤ the maximum
in the Constraint box enter: C14
then click OK
Click the Add button again:
in the Cell Reference box enter: B15
skip by the <= sign because you want the formula in cell B15 ≤ the maximum
in the Constraint box enter: C15
then click OK
Click the Add button again:
in the Cell Reference box enter: B3
choose the >= sign because you want the value in cell B3 ≥ the minimum
in the Constraint box enter the number: 0
then click OK
Click the Add button again:
in the Cell Reference box enter: B4
skip by the >= sign because you want the formula in cell B4 ≥ the maximum
in the Constraint box enter the number: 0
then click OK
Click the Add button again:
in the Cell Reference box enter: B5
skip by the >= sign because you want the formula in cell B5 ≥ the maximum
in the Constraint box enter the number: 0
then click OK

Finally, click the Solve button.

Highlight the space you used to work the problem and print it on the paper that your group will
turn in. you should also write the system of equations and the optimization function that you
 used. Finally, write a few sentences that identify the maximum profit; the amount of each of the
variables used; and the number of each kind of calculator made.

For example: The optimization function is: Profit (S, B, G) = 6S + 13B + 20G.

Subject to the constraints:

5S  7 B  10G  90, 000 S  0
 
 S  3B  4G  30, 000 where  B  0
 S  B  G  9, 000 G  0
 

Variables

# scientific calculators (S) 2,000

# business calculators (B) 0
# graphing calculators (G) 7,000

Objectives

Maximize Profit $152,000

Constraints
Amount used Maximum
Circuit components 80,000 90,000
Labor hours 30,000 30,000
Cases 9,000 9,000

A maximum profit of $152,000 will be realized by using 80,000 circuit components, all 30,000
labor hours available, and all 9,000 cases available to make 2,000 scientific calculators and 7,000
graphing calculators. No business calculators will be made.

Assignment
1. a. Matt’s Master Photography has $6000 available per year for advertising. Newspaper ads cost
$100 each and he can afford a maximum of 21 ads annually. Radio ads cost $300 each and
he can afford a maximum of 28 annually at this price. Each newspaper ad is estimated to
reach 6000 potential customers (brides and families with children), and each radio ad is
estimated to reach 8000 potential customers. Of course Matt wants to maximize the number
of ad exposures to potential customers. Write the objective function and the system of
constraints, then set up a workspace in an Excel program to find the maximum possible
number of exposures to potential customers.
 A B C
1 Variables
2
3 # newspaper ads (N)
4 # radio ads (R)
5
6 Objectives
7
8 Maximum # of exposures
9
10 Constraints
11 Amount used Maximum
12 Newspaper ads 21
13 Radio ads 28
14 Cost 6000

b. Copy the space you used to work the problem and print it on your word document after
you’ve solved the problem. Write a sentence that tells the number of newspaper and radio
ads used, the cost, and the number of potential customers reached.
c. What if the available cost is $8,000? Since the newspaper ads maximized in the previous
constraint conditions, it is decided to let both the radio ads and the newspaper ads be 20;
enter these amounts in the cells that maximize these values. Write the new system of
constraints, then open the solver menu, and solve with these new constraints. Copy and print
the space you used to work the problem and write a sentence to explain it.
d. Write a short paragraph telling how the constraints may be changed, and how they can affect
the value of the variables which optimize the problem.

2. a. Suzanne’s Supervisory Services has $12,000 available for advertising. The following table
gives the costs per ad and the number of people exposed to its ads for three different media
(with number in thousands).

Ad Packages Newspaper Radio TV

Cost 2 2 4
Total audience 30 21 54
Working mothers 6 12 8

If the total available audience is 420,000, and if Suzanne wishes to maximize the number of
exposures to working mothers, how many ads of each type should she purchase? Set up a
workspace in an Excel program and solve the problem. Highlight the space you used to work
the problem and print it after you’ve solved the problem.
b. It is determined that a more realistic expectation for media exposure to working mothers is:
6,000 to the newspaper, 4,000 to the radio, and 8,000 to the TV. Make the change in the
optimization function and solve the problem with this new parameter. Highlight the space
you used to work the problem and print it after you’ve solved the problem.
c. Another estimate of the expectation for media exposure to working mothers is:
4,000 to the newspaper, 4,000 to the radio, and 8,000 to the TV. Make the change in the
optimization function and solve the problem with this new parameter. Highlight the space
you used to work the problem and print it after you’ve solved the problem.
 d. Write a short paragraph telling how the parameters may be changed, and how they can
affect the value of the variables which optimize the problem.

3. a. Amir’s Asian Deli and Catering has only two menus: I (Ceylonese) and II (Bengali). He
prepares these at three different facilities: A (the Avenues), B (Bountiful), and C
(Cottonwood). The production capacities and costs per week to operate the three facilities
are summarized in the following table:

A B C
I 200 200 400
II 100 200 100
Cost / week $1000 $3000 $4000

How many weeks should each facility operate to fill Amir’s orders at a minimum cost, and
what is the minimum cost? Set up a workspace in an Excel program and solve the problem.
.

A B C
1 Variables
2
3 # of weeks @ Facility A (A)
4 # of weeks @ Facility B (B)
5 # of weeks @ Facility C (C)
6
7 Objectives
8
9 Minimum Cost
10
11 Constraints
12 Amount used Minimum
13 Menu I Ceylonese 2000
14 Menu II Bengali 1200
15 Cost per week

b. Highlight the space you used to work the problem and print it after you’ve solved the problem.
c. Write a short paragraph telling how minimizing constraints changes the problem.