OR1 Review 2018
OR1 Review 2018
Operations Research 1
Linear Programming Modelling
Simplex Method
Post-optimality Analysis
Transportation and Assignment Models
Operations Research 2
Network Optimization
Decision Theory
Integer Programming
Non-linear Programming
Dynamic Programming
Probability Review
Queuing Theory
Markov Analysis
Simulation
Operations Research Review 2018
Choice X1 X2 X3 X4 Profit
A) 0 60 16.67 0 340
B) 0 0 20 20 400
C) 0 0 0 60 840
D) 0 0 0 25 350
E) 33.33 0 16.67 0 1,040
Solution: (B)
Calculator tip: Use the CALC Function to enter values of Xi on each constraint.
Explanation:
(A) is infeasible on both constraints
(C ) is infeasible on first constraint eventhough it is feasible on second constr.
(D) is feasible with profit=350 but (B) is also feasible and has a higher profit of 400
(E ) is infeasible on both constraints
Operations Research Review 2018
2. What is the lowest total cost to the following assignment of workers on jobs?
a) 55 b) 43 c) 46 d) 59 e) 53
15 15 20 13
12 8 22 16
20 22 15 18
20 13 18 20
Operations Research Review 2018
15 15 20 13
12 8 22 16
20 22 15 18
20 13 18 20
15 15 20 13
12 8 22 16
20 22 15 18
20 13 18 20
Operations Research Review 2018
3. Find the shortest possible time to finish all the jobs that comprise the animation project:
4. Find the set of jobs comprising the critical path for the project posed in the previous
question.
5. Based on the previous question’s project durations, what is the slack for activity F?
Choice X1 X2 Z
A 30 0 180
B 22.22 38.89 327.78
C 95 0 570
D 58.33 18.33 441.66
E 0 47.5 237.5
Answer: (B)
Solution: Graphical approach since only 2 vars.
Calculator tip: Mode EQN 2 simultaneous equations Ax+By=C
X1 X2 Z
30 0 180
22.22 38.89 327.78
0 47.5 237.5
Corner pts
Operations Research Review 2018
C
D
Explanation:
Since this is a minimization problem, points closest to the origin (0,0) would
be deemed optimal.
Point A is on the same line as E, so E will always be the lower quantity than
A. The same can be said regarding C with D. D is closer to zero than C.
Operations Research Review 2018
Creative Coffees sells two types of coffees to retail stores: Regular and Decaf. For the
current month, the company has 200 tons of coffee beans in inventory and has scheduled up
to 300 hours of processing time for roasting. Each ton R of regular coffee requires one ton of
beans and one hour of roasting, yielding P150,000 of profit. Each ton D of decaf also requires
one ton of coffee but needs two hours of roasting, and yields P250,000 of profit.
9. The following are parts of the linear programming formulation for the Creative Coffees
production planning situation EXCEPT
Ans: (D) roasting constraints require 2 hours for Decaf D, not 2 hours on Regular R, and total
time right hand side value is not 200, but rather 300.
Operations Research Review 2018
10. What should be the production plan to maximize total profit for Creative Coffees for the
following month?
Corner points
Regular R Decaf D Profit= 150R+200D (in thousands)
200 0 30,000
100 100 40,000
0 150 37,500
Operations Research Review 2018
11. A small company makes only two products (quantities X and Y) with the following
production constraints representing two machines and their maximum availability:
2X+3Y ≤ 18
2X+ Y ≤ 10
If the profit equation is P4.00X + P2.00Y, the maximum possible profit is:
Answer: (a)
Explanation: Corner points are (X,Y) =(5,0) (0,6) and intersection (3,4). Two
optimal corner points have same profit of P2,000. X,Y= (5,0) and
intersection point X,Y = (3,4). This suggests that the slope of the
objective function is thee same as the binding constraint. (Constraint
2X+Y=10 has the same slope as objective function 4X+2Y.)
The choices (b), (c) (d) and e) are incorrect because the maximum
profit is P2,000.
Operations Research Review 2018
12. The optimal solution [X1, X2] vector is which of the following?
a. [22.5, 0] c. [0, 30] e. none of these
b. [17.14, 4.28] d. [4.28, 17.14]
13. By how much can the unit cost contribution of X1 change without changing the current
optimal solution?
a. +0.33 c. +0.50 e. no feasible range.
b. -0.33 d. -0.50
14. By how much can the unit cost contribution of X2 change without changing the current
optimal solution?
a. +0.33 c. +0.50 e. no feasible range.
b. -0.33 d. -0.50
Answers: [C, D, A]
X1 X2 Cost=5X1+3X2
0 30 90
120/7=17.14 30/7=4.28 98.57
22.5 0 112.5
X2 has minimum per unit cost of 3 pesos. The feasibility region may be drawn on X1-X2
(XY) axis. One can see that the slope of the objective function is (-5/3), for which the corner
(X1,X2)=(0,30) is the closest to the origin, hence minimizing total cost. It is noteworthy to see
that the binding constraint is 3X1+2X2=60 line. Multiple optimal answers would occur if the cost
function slope is also like this binding constraint (i.e. slope = -3/2).
The direction of change can be determined. Since X2 costs 3 pesos is minimal, then
the optimal solution can change if it goes up (increase). The direction for the cost of X1 would
be opposite, when the 5 pesos per unit cost can go down.
Try out the ±0.33 cost change first and make a table using the same corner points, to
simulate the change in costs for X2 first.
When P5 cost decreases by P0.50 to P4.50 does the optimal answer remain at 90. This
satisfies the sensitivity analysis simulation. We therefore choose -0.50.
A quick calculation at Cost=4.25X1 + 3X2 could confirm that at [X1,X2] = [0,30] Cost is P90,
while at [17.14, 4.28] cost is lower at 85.7142, representing a new optimal cost that is lower than
the current P90.
Operations Research Review 2018
Product A B
Materials (P2/kg) P 6.00 P 8.00
Labor (P60/hr) 30.00 18.00
Factory Overhead 5.00 3.00
(P10/hr)
Variable Cost 41.00 29.00
Selling Price 85.00 75.00
Contribution Margin 44.00 46.00
There are only 30,000 kgs of material and 36,000 labor hours available. The
company also has an agreement to supply 1,000 units of product A which must
be met.
a) A= 6,500 B= 5,000
b) A=10,000 B= 5,000
c) A=6,500 B= 0
d) A=10,000 B=0
a) 516,000 c) 670,000
b) 440,000 d) 299,000
Max 44 A + 46 B
St 3 A + 4 B ≤ 30,000 kgs (Binding constraint with intercepts
0.5A+0.3B ≤ 36,000 kgs A=10,000, B=7,500)
A ≥ 1000 units
B ≥0
20. Consider the same situation in the last question: Now suppose an
additional 45 minutes were to become available to Machine 1, what
would be the difference in the optimal profit levels (in pesos)?
a) 2.16 b) 4.33 c) 6.50 d) 8.67
Answers: [C, A, C]
Operations Research Review 2018
Explanation (Q#20) If 45 mins would be added to Machine 1 time, then the constraint
Operations Research Review 2018
(3/4) X1+(1/4) X2 ≤ 12
Turns into: (3/4) X1+(1/4) X2 ≤ 12.75 or
multiplying both sides by 12: 3X1+X2 ≤ 51
Optimal profit at intersection point becomes 1,846.50 or an increase from old value 1,840 by + 6.50
Operations Research Review 2018
Two supply depots (S1 and S2) can serve the demand for three demand centers (D1,
D2 and D3). The cost to transport one unit of supply from supply depot to demand
center is shown on the table below:
Supply depot 1 has 1,200 available units, while depot 2 has 2,000. The demand centers
have 1,200 units, 1,300 units and 700 units for D1, D2 and D3, respectively.
21. In the optimal allocation, how many units should supply depot 1 allocate to demand center
1?
Optimal solution: Total cost = 74,700: one could compute that (S1, D2) cell has a unit
contribution cost of +3, and (S2, D3) has a contribution cost of +2, both
positive, signifying that any allocation to these cells results in the total cost
becoming higher than present solution.
23. An initial solution to the problem above is represented by the following table:
What is wrong with this solution? How does one remedy this fault?
Operations Research Review 2018
Ans: For a transportation problem table with n rows and m columns, the required basic
variables should be num(rows)+(cols)-1= 2+3-1 = 4 cells. The initial solution
shown only has 3 cells occupied.
Remedy: add a zero to any one of the three unoccupied cells, and make this occupied
cell become the required 4 basic variables, with two unoccupied cells which can
be used to iterate out of this basic solution.
Principle: In any LP problem with n variables and m constraints, the number of basic
variables for the iterative simplex procedure is (n+m-1).
Operations Research Review 2018
The cost (in pesos) to deliver a loaf from a plant to a restaurant chain is given in the following table:
Determine a delivery set-up for the baking firm that will maximize its total profit from this product.
24. What is the per unit profit contribution to delivering a loaf of the product from Plant B to
Restaurant Chain 3?
a. 2 c. 6 e. 10
b. 4 d. 7
Ans: (d) 7
Explanation: Profit= Selling price offer less Plant B cost less transportation B3 =
40 - 25 - 8 = 7
Operations Research Review 2018
25. In the optimal allocation of plant capacities, how many loaves will be serviced by Plant A
for Chain 1 ?
a. 1,550 c. 1,050 e. 1,750
b. 1,800 d. 550
Explanation: Since cell A1 has the single highest unit profit of 10, we allocate as much as
possible for this cell, which is the demand for Chain 1 of 1,800.
Operations Research Review 2018
Optimal solution 1 of 2:
Operations Research Review 2018
Optimal solution 2 of 2
29. What is the total float time for activity path ABDEIK?
a) 5 days b) 8 days c) 12 days d) 15 days e) 81 days
Explanation: Total Float time can only exist on a non-critical path. Total float time is the
time that a set of jobs can be delayed without causing a delay in the project total completion
time.
Path ABDEIK has a total float time of 8 days (5 days for [BDE vs CFG] + 3 days for [I vs
H]) or simply the difference between the critical path and the path in question i.e 89- 81 = 8
days)
Differentiate free float for an activity and total float for a path.
A dietitian is planning the menu for the evening meal at a university dining hall.
Three main items are served, all having different nutritional content. The dietitian is
interested in providing at least the minimum daily requirement of each of three vitamins
in this one meal. The following table summarizes the vitamin content per ounce of each
type of food, as well as the cost per ounce of each food and the minimum daily
requirements for the three vitamins. Any combination of these foods may be selected as
long as the total serving size is at least 9 ounces.
To determine the number of ounces of each food item to include in the meal so as to
minimize the total cost of said meal, a linear programming formulation was required.
We let Xi refer to the number of ounces from food item i (i=1,2,3).
Answer: [B, A, B]
Operations Research Review 2018
The following optimal tableau was made available for your analysis regarding a
maximization problem.
Z X1 X2 X3 S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 Value
0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0.429 -0.286 1,200
0 0 0 0 0 0 1 -0.429 0.286 3,800
0 0 1 0 -0.5 0 0 -0.143 0.429 1,850
0 0 0 0 0.5 1 0 0.143 -0.429 1,150
0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2,500
1 0 0 0 1.5 0 0 2.429 0.714 35,050
In the table above: Z is the total profit, X1 is the budgeted output of product 1, X2
is budgeted output of product 2, X3 is for product 3. S1 is the unsatisfied demand for
product 1, S2 the unsatisfied demand for product 2 and S3 unsatisfied demand product
3. S4 is the unutilized type A machining time, S5 is the unutilized type B machine time.
Interpret the final tableau by indicating the answers to the following queries.
33. How many units of product 1, 2 and 3 should be budgeted for production?
a. 3,800, 1,200, 1,850 units respectively
b. 2,500, 3,800, 1,850 units respectively
c. 2,500, 1,850, 1,200 units respectively
d. 1,850, 3,800, 2,500 units respectively
Ans: C
34. What is the expected profit from the optimal production plan?
Operations Research Review 2018
a. 35,050 c. 3,750
b. 38,000 d. 2,500
35. How much is the unsatisfied demand for each product 1, 2 and 3?
a. 2,500, 0 , 3,800 units respectively
b. 0 , 1,150, 3,800 units respectively
c. 2,500, 1,850, 1,200 units respectively
d. 3,800, 7,140, 1,850 units respectively
Z X1 X2 X3 S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 Value
0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0.429 -0.286 1,200
0 0 0 0 0 0 1 -0.429 0.286 3,800
0 0 1 0 -0.5 0 0 -0.143 0.429 1,850
0 0 0 0 0.5 1 0 0.143 -0.429 1,150
0 1 0 0 1(Not) 0 0 0 0 2,500
1 0 0 0 1.5 0 0 2.429 0.714 35,050
Ans: (b) Explanation: S1 is not a basic variable, so its value should be zero.
S2 and S3 are basic variables due to having zero entries in its column
except for the a single row with a “1”. We read off the row with “1” as
the value of such variables.
Operations Research Review 2018
36. How much would profit increase if one unit of type A machining time becomes
available ?
a. 0.429 b. 0 c. 2.429 d. 0.714
37. How much would profit decrease if one unit of type B machining time is
reduced?
a. 0.286 b. 0.714 c. 0.429 d. 2.429
Z X1 X2 X3 S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 Value
0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0.429 -0.286 1,200
0 0 0 0 0 0 1 -0.429 0.286 3,800
0 0 1 0 -0.5 0 0 -0.143 0.429 1,850
0 0 0 0 0.5 1 0 0.143 -0.429 1,150
0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2,500
1 0 0 0 1.5 0 0 2.429 0.714 35,050
Operations Research Review 2018
38. The initial simplex tableau for the following LP problem must be constructed.
For the following problem, construct the initial simplex tableau using S1, S2, …. as your
slack variables. Answer the following four questions:
39. Determine the Entering variable (EV) and Leaving variables (LV) from the initial
tableau.
EV LV
a. X1 S1
b. X2 S2
c. X1 S2
d. X2 S1
Operations Research Review 2018
40. After the entering and the leaving variables are identified, their so-called pivot
element is useful for which next step in the Simplex procedure?
a. The Right hand side value should be divided by the
corresponding EV column element.
b. The other elements on the EV column should be turned to zero
using matrix row operations.
c. The pivot cell value should be divided by itself, along with every
cell on the pivot element’s row.
d. The other elements on the EV row should be turned to zero
using matrix row operations.
Operations Research Review 2018
Initial Tableau:
EV
Variable X1 X2 S1 S2 RHS Ratio
(choose smallest)
P -3 -4 0 0 0
S1 2 4 1 0 120 120/4=30
S2 2 2 0 1 80 80/2=40
First iteration part 3: Check if optimal tableau is reached: Since there still is a
negative entry in the objective row P (under X1), another iteration
must be made. Find lowest ratio under the entering var X 1 , next
iteration’s leaving variable is S2.
EV
Variable X1 X2 S1 S2 RHS Ratio
P -1 0 1 0 120
X2 0.5 1 0.25 0 30 30/0.5=60
S2 1 0 -0.5 1 20 20/1=20
Operations Research Review 2018
Second iteration part 3: Check if optimal tableau is reached: Since all no negative
entries exist in objective row P, optimality is achieved.