LINEAR PROGRAMMING

 Linear programming is the process of taking various linear inequalities relating to some situation, and finding the
best value obtainable under those conditions.

 A typical example would be taking the limitations of materials and labor, and then determining the best
production levels for maximal profits under those conditions.

 In real life, linear programming is part of a very important area of mathematics called optimization techniques.

Review: Linear Inequalities

Sketch the graph of the following inequalities:

𝑦 ≥ −2 𝑥≤4 𝑦>𝑥

𝑥+𝑦 ≤5 𝑥 + 2𝑦 > 6
𝑥 > 2𝑦
 1) June 2013
8
Trish wishes to buy x oranges and y mangoes which she intends to
carry in her bag. Her bag has space for only 6 fruits. 7
(i) Write an inequality to represent this information. [1]
6
To get a good bargain, she must buy AT LEAST 2 mangoes.
(ii) Write an inequality to represent this information. [1] 5
More information about the number of oranges and mangoes
associated with the good bargain is represented by 𝑦 ≤ 2𝑥 4
(iii) Write the information represented by this inequality in 3
your own words. [2]
(iv) Draw the lines associated with the two inequalities 2
obtained in (i) and (ii) above. [3]
1
(v) Shade on your graph the region which represents the
solution set for the three inequalities. [1] 0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

2) Jan 2016
10
x=2 The diagram below shows the graphs of three lines and a
shaded region S, defined by three inequalities associated with
8 these lines.
The inequality associated with the line 𝑦 = 3 is 𝑦 ≥ 3.
6 (i) State two other inequalities that define the shaded region.
S [2]
4
y=3 The function 𝑃 = 5𝑥 + 2𝑦 − 3 satisfies the solution set
represented by the closed triangular region.
2
(ii) Identify the three pairs of (x, y) values for which 𝑃 has a
maximum or minimum value. [2]
0 (iii) Which pair of (x, y) values makes 𝑝 a maximum? Justify
0 2 4 6 8 10 your answer. [3]

3) June 2008 I
The shaded area in the diagram below shows the solution of a
20 set of inequalities in x and y.
The variable x represents the number of boys in a cricket club
and y represents the number of girls in the cricket club
(i) State, using arguments based on the graph, whether the
15
cricket club can have members:
a) 10 boys and 5 girls b) 6 boys and 6 girls [2]

10 (ii) Write down the set of THREE inequalities that define the
shaded region. [4]

(iii) A company sells uniforms for the club and makes a profit of
5 $3.00 on a boy’s uniform and $5.00 on a girl’s uniform.
a) Write an expression in x and y that represents the total
profit made by the company on the sale of uniforms.
b) Calculate the minimum profit that the company can make.
0 [3]
0 5 10 15 20 25
4) Jan 2010
(a) The manager of a pizza shop wishes to make x small pizzas and y large pizzas. His oven holds no more than 20
pizzas.
(i) Write an inequality to represent the given condition. [2]

The ingredients for each small pizza cost $ 15 and for each large pizza S30. The manager plans to spend no more
than $450 on ingredients.
(ii) Write an inequality to represent this condition. [2]

(b) (i) Using a scale of 2 cm on the x-axis to represent 5 small pizzas and 2 cm on they-axis to represent 5 large
pizzas, draw the graphs of the lines associated with the inequalities at (a) (i) and (a) (ii) above. [4]

(ii) Shade the region which is defined by ALL of the following combined:
- the inequalities written at (a) (i) and (a) (ii)
- the inequalities x ≥ 0 and y ≥ 0 [1]

(iii) Using your graph, state the coordinates of the vertices of the shaded region. [2]

(c) The pizza shop makes a profit of $8 on the sale of EACH small pizza and S20 on the sale of EACH large pizza. All
the pizzas that were made were sold.
(i) Write an expression in x and y for the TOTAL profit made on the sale of the pizzas. [1]
(ii) Use the coordinates of the vertices given at (b) (iii) to determine the MAXIMUM profit. [3]

5) June 2007
A company manufactures gold and silver stars to be used as party decorations. The stars are placed in packets so that
each packet contains gold and silver stars.

The conditions for packaging are given in the table below:

Condition Inequality
(1) Each packet must contain at least 20 gold stars 𝑥 ≥ 20
(2) Each packet must have at least 15 silver stars
(3) The total number of stars in each packet must not be more than 60
(4) 𝑥 < 2𝑦

(a) Write down the inequalities to represent conditions (2) and (3). [2]
(b) Describe, in words, the condition represented by the inequality x<2y. [2]
(c) Using a scale of 2cm to represent 10 units on both axes, draw the graphs of all four inequalities represented in the
table above. [7]
(d) Three packets of stars were sealed for inspection. The contents are shown below.
Packet No. of gold stars (x) No. of silver stars (y)
A 25 20
B 35 15
C 30 25

Plot the points A, B and C on your graph.