Math Problem Statement

Consider a linear programming problem with the following constraints and objective function, C.

y≤x+2

y≤–3x+10

y≥–x+4

C=–10x+10y

What are the values of x and y that minimize the objective function for the feasible region?

Solution

To minimize the objective function C=10x+10yC = -10x + 10y subject to the constraints, we will:

  1. Graph the Constraints: Plot the three inequalities to determine the feasible region.
  2. Find the Corner Points: Identify the coordinates of the corner points of the feasible region.
  3. Evaluate the Objective Function at Each Corner: Calculate C=10x+10yC = -10x + 10y at each of the corner points to find the minimum value.

Step 1: Graph the Constraints

The constraints are:

  • yx+2y \leq x + 2
  • y3x+10y \leq -3x + 10
  • yx+4y \geq -x + 4

These describe half-planes, and the feasible region is the intersection of all these half-planes. We will first express the equations of the lines:

  1. y=x+2y = x + 2
  2. y=3x+10y = -3x + 10
  3. y=x+4y = -x + 4

These are straight lines, and we need to determine which side of each line satisfies the inequality.

Step 2: Find the Intersection Points (Corner Points)

We can find the intersections by solving pairs of equations:

  1. Intersection of y=x+2y = x + 2 and y=3x+10y = -3x + 10: x+2=3x+10    4x=8    x=2x + 2 = -3x + 10 \implies 4x = 8 \implies x = 2 Substituting x=2x = 2 into y=x+2y = x + 2: y=2+2=4y = 2 + 2 = 4 So, the intersection point is (2,4)(2, 4).

  2. Intersection of y=x+2y = x + 2 and y=x+4y = -x + 4: x+2=x+4    2x=2    x=1x + 2 = -x + 4 \implies 2x = 2 \implies x = 1 Substituting x=1x = 1 into y=x+2y = x + 2: y=1+2=3y = 1 + 2 = 3 So, the intersection point is (1,3)(1, 3).

  3. Intersection of y=3x+10y = -3x + 10 and y=x+4y = -x + 4: 3x+10=x+4    2x=6    x=3-3x + 10 = -x + 4 \implies -2x = -6 \implies x = 3 Substituting x=3x = 3 into y=x+4y = -x + 4: y=3+4=1y = -3 + 4 = 1 So, the intersection point is (3,1)(3, 1).

Step 3: Evaluate the Objective Function at Each Corner

Now we evaluate the objective function C=10x+10yC = -10x + 10y at each of the corner points (2,4)(2, 4), (1,3)(1, 3), and (3,1)(3, 1):

  1. At (2,4)(2, 4): C=10(2)+10(4)=20+40=20C = -10(2) + 10(4) = -20 + 40 = 20
  2. At (1,3)(1, 3): C=10(1)+10(3)=10+30=20C = -10(1) + 10(3) = -10 + 30 = 20
  3. At (3,1)(3, 1): C=10(3)+10(1)=30+10=20C = -10(3) + 10(1) = -30 + 10 = -20

Step 4: Conclusion

The objective function C=10x+10yC = -10x + 10y achieves its minimum value at the point (3,1)(3, 1), where C=20C = -20.

Final Answer:

The values of xx and yy that minimize the objective function are x=3\boxed{x = 3} and y=1\boxed{y = 1}.


Would you like further details on any part of the process?

Here are some related questions to explore:

  1. How do you graph a system of inequalities to find the feasible region?
  2. What are corner points in a linear programming problem and why are they important?
  3. How does the simplex method differ from graphical methods in linear programming?
  4. Can you solve a linear programming problem without graphing?
  5. What happens if the objective function is maximized instead of minimized?

Tip: Always ensure that the intersection points are within the feasible region defined by the inequalities before evaluating the objective function.

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Math Problem Analysis

Mathematical Concepts

Linear Programming
Graphing Inequalities
Optimization

Formulas

Objective function: C = -10x + 10y

Theorems

Fundamental Theorem of Linear Programming

Suitable Grade Level

Grades 10-12