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i)
The most im[portant function of management is decision making. A large number
of decision problems faced by an executive involve optimum allocation of scarce
resources to various activities with the objective of increasing profits or
decreasing costs or both.
ii)
The decision problem becomes complicated when a number of resources are
required to be allocated and there are several activities to perform. The problem
an be well handled by the technique of linear programming.
iii)
Applied for choosing the best alternative from a set of feasible alternatives.
iv)
To help managers in planning,decision making and to allocate the resources.
2. What do you mean by degeneracy?
In the simplex method,if any of the basis variable has a value zero,then it is termed
degeneracy.
3. Write a note on sensitivity analysis.
Sensitivity Analysis which is also known as post-optimality analysis,is done when ther
are changes due to unforeseen adverse conditions after getting the optimal solution to the
initial problem. This analysis essentially checks whether the changes affect the optimal
solution or not.
4. List out various applications of OR in management.
Assignment of jobs to applicants to maximize total profit or minimize total
costs.
Replacement techniques are used to replace the old machines by new ones.
Inventory control techniques are used in industries to purchase optimum
quantitry of raw materials.
Before executing a project, activities are sequenced and scheduled using
PERT Chart.
5. How do you identity the existence of degeneracy in LPP while solving it by simplex
method?
Degeneracy in LPP may arise
At the initial stage
At any subsequent iteration stage
In case of the initial stage at least one of the basic variables should be zero in the initial
basic feasible solution.
In case of subsequent iteration stage, at any iteration of the simplex method more than
one variable is eligible to leave the basis and hence the next simplex iteration produces a
degenerate solution in which at least one basic variable is zero. i.e the subsequent
iteration may not produce improvements in the value of objective function.
17. Use an example to show that dual of dual yields the primal.
Maximum z = 6x + 8y
Sub to 5x+2y 20
X+2y 10
X,Y 0 by
Min Z = 20 w1 + 10 w2
Sub to 5w1 + w2 6
2w1 +2w2 8
W1,w2 0.
18. What is adjacent basic feasible solution?
A basic solution to a LPP is called as a basic feasible solution if it satisfies the nonnegative restriction.
There are two types of basic feasible solutions.
Non degenerate: all m basic variables are positive abnd remaining n variables will be
zero.
Degenerate: A basic feasible solution is degenerate if one or more basic variables are
zero.
19. Define Operations research.
OR is the application of scientific methods to complex problems arising from operations
involving large systems of men, machines, materials and money in industry, business,
government and defenses.
20. Define degenerate solution in LPP.
In the simplex method, if any of the basis variable has a value zero,then it is termed
degeneracy.
21. What are the properties of Linearity?
Reduction of a feasible solution to a basic feasible solution.
Replacement of a basis vector.
IBFS
Unbounded solution.
Conditions of Optimality.
22. What are the assumptions that must be satisfied in order for a problem to be solved
in LP?
Proportionality, Additively, Continuity, Certainty, Finite Choices.
23. List the scope of applications of OR techniques.
Accounting: Cash Flow Planning, Credit Policy Analysis.
Finance: Dividend Policy making,Investment Analysis,Portfolio Analysis.
24. What is sensitivity analysis?
Sensitivity Analysis which is also known as post-optimality analysis,is done when ther
are changes due to unforeseen adverse conditions after getting the optimal solution to the
initial problem. This analysis essentially checks whether the changes affect the optimal
solution or not.
25. Write down the standard form of a LP problem.
Maximize or Minimize Z = C1X1+C2X2+..+Cn Xn
Subject to m constraint
a11x1+a12x2+..+a1jxj+..+amxm (= ) b1
.
.
.
am1x1+am2x2+..+amjxj+..+amnxm (= ) bm
in order to find the values of n decision variables X1,X2, Xn to maximize or minimize
the objective function and the nonneagtivity restrictions.
X1,X2,Xn 0
26. List the applications of OR Model.
Iconic (Physical ) Models : Toy,Miniature model of a building,scaled up model of a cell
in biology etc.
Analogue Models: A network of water pipes to represent the flow of current in an
electrical network or graphs,organizational charts etc.
Mathematical Model : LPP, A system of equations representing an electrical network or
differential equations representing dynamic systems etc.
27. List out the assumptions invoved in LPP.
Proportionality, Additively, Continuity, Certainty, Finite Choices.
28. What are slack and surplus variables?
In an optimization problem, a slack variable is a variable that is added to an
inequality constraint to transform it to an equality. Introducing a slack variable replaces
an inequality constraint with an equality constraint and a nonnegativity constraint. By
introducing the slack variable
equation
, the inequality
variables like slack variables carry a zero coefficient in the objective function. it is added
to greater than or equal to (>) type constraints in order to get an equality constraint.
Artificial Variables : Artificial variables are added to those constraints with equality (=)
and greater than or equal to ( > ) sign. An Artificial variable is added to the constraints to
get an initial solution to an LP problem. Artificial variables have no meaning in a
physical sense and are not only used as a tool for generating an initial solution to an LP
problem.
Particulars Slack Variable
Surplus Variable
Artificial Variable
Mean
Unused resources
of the idle
resources.
Excess amount of
resources utilized.
No physical or
economic meaning.
It is Fictitious.
When used
?
Coefficient
+1
-1
+1
Coefficient in
the Z
objective
function
-M for
Maximization and
+Mfor minimization
As Initial
Program
variable
Used as starting
point.
It is initially used
but later on
eliminated.
In Optimal
Table
It indicates the
Infeasible Solution
If a primal constraint is strict inequality then the corresponding dual variable is zero at
the optimum and vice versa.
40. Write any 4 areas of application of OR in management
Assignment of jobs to applicants to maximize total profit or minimize total costs.
Replacement techniques are used to replace the old machines by new ones.
Inventory control techniques are used in industries to purchase optimum quantitry
of raw materials.
Before executing a project, activities are sequenced and scheduled using PERT
Chart.
41. What is the utility of artificial variable in LPP?
Any non negativity variable which is introduced in the constraint in order to get the initial
basic feasible solution is called artificial variable.
42. What is the purpose of sensitivity analysis?
In many situations the parameters and characteristics of a Linear programming model
may change over a period of time.
43. When is an LPP preferred to be solved by graphical method?
If the number of variables in any linear programming problem is only two,one can use
graphical method to solve it.
44. Define the term infeasible solution in an LPP.
A solution is infeasible if it is meaningless and impractical. In the graphical solution,this
situation is encountered when ther is no common feasible area. In this simplex solution
this situation is encountered when optimality is reached but an artificial variable is in the
basis.
45. What are the essential characteristics of a LP.
The objective function is of maximization type.
All constraints are expressed as equations.
RHS of each constraints is non-negative
All variables are non-negative
46. What is the principle of duality in LP?
If the objective function of the primal is to be maximized then the objective function of
the dual becomes minimization and vice versa.
For maximinization primal with all less than type constraints there exists a mini dual
problem with all greater than type constraints and vice versa.
Each constraint in the primal corresponds to a dual variable in the dual and vice versa.
The matrix of the coefficients of variables in dual is the transpose of the matrix of
coefficients of variables in primal and vice versa.
47. What are the situations where OR will be applicable.
The most important function of management is decision making. A large number
of decision problems faced by an executive involve optimum allocation of scarce
o Many time it is not possible to express both the objective function and constraints
in linear form.
o The solution variable may have any values sometimes the solution variables are
restricted to take only integer values.
o This method does not take into account the effect of time.
55. Define objective function and decision variable.
Objective function: it is an expression representing the total profit or cost of carrying out
a set of activities at some levels.
It will be either a maximization or minimization type.
Decision variable: while making mathematical modeling of OR problems the variables
which are used and the value of which gives the solution are the decision variables.
56. What are the characteristics of OR?
Its system orientation
The use of interdisciplinary
Applications of scientific method
Uncovering of new problems
Improvement in the quality of decisions
57. List out the scientific method available in OR.
o The judgement phase
o The research phase
o The action phase
58. Why operation research is necessity for industry?
Complexity, Scattered responsibility and authority, Uncertainity, Knowledge explosion.
59. List out the scope of OR.
Industry , Defence, Planning, Agriculture, Public Utilities.
60. List out the phases of OR.
Formulating the problem.
Constructing a model to represent the system under study.
Deriving a solution from the model.
Testing the model and the solution derived from it.
Establishing controls over the solution.
Putting the solution to work.
61. What are the limitations of operations research?
Mathematical models are applicable to only specific categories of problems.
OR tries to find optimal solution taking all the factors of the problem into
account.
Bring a new field generally there is a resistance from the employees to the new
proposals.
Management who has to implement the advised proposals may itself offer a lot of
resistance due to conventional thinking.