Math Problem Statement

Formulate a linear programming problem that can be used to solve the following question.

An individual needs a daily supplement of at least 462 units of vitamin C and 150 units of vitamin E and agrees to obtain this supplement by eating two foods, I and II. Each ounce of food I contains 32 units of vitamin C and 10 units of vitamin E, while each ounce of food II contains 22 units of vitamin C and also 8 units of vitamin E. The total supplement of these two foods must be at most 33 ounces. Unfortunately, food I contains 18 units of cholesterol per ounce and food II contains 17 units of cholesterol per ounce. Find the appropriate amounts of the two food supplements so that cholesterol is minimized.

x =  ---Select--- number of ounces of Food I number of units of vitamin C  y =  ---Select--- number of ounces of Food II number of units of vitamin E 

 ---Select--- Minimize Maximize 

F = 

18x+17y     (objective function)

Subject to   (total ounces of food)   (units of vitamin C)   (units of vitamin E)

x  ---Select--- ≥ = ≤ > <  0, y  ---Select--- > = ≥ < ≤  0

(nonnegativity constraint)

Solution

Here is the formulation of the linear programming problem:

Decision Variables:

  • xx: Number of ounces of Food I
  • yy: Number of ounces of Food II

Objective Function: Minimize cholesterol intake: F=18x+17yF = 18x + 17y

Constraints:

  1. Total Ounces of Food: x+y33x + y \leq 33
  2. Vitamin C Requirement: 32x+22y46232x + 22y \geq 462
  3. Vitamin E Requirement: 10x+8y15010x + 8y \geq 150
  4. Nonnegativity Constraints: x0,  y0x \geq 0, \; y \geq 0

This linear programming problem minimizes cholesterol intake while meeting the requirements for vitamin C, vitamin E, and the total amount of food allowed.


Would you like a solved example for this problem? Here are five relative questions you might explore:

  1. How do we interpret the results of this linear programming problem in real-world terms?
  2. What methods can be used to solve this problem (e.g., graphical method, simplex method)?
  3. How would the solution change if the total allowed supplement was increased to 40 ounces?
  4. What happens if the vitamin C requirement is reduced to 400 units?
  5. Can this problem be extended to include another food source with different nutritional values?

Tip: Always check if the constraints fully represent the real-world situation to avoid infeasible or impractical solutions.

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Math Problem Analysis

Mathematical Concepts

Linear Programming
Optimization
Inequalities

Formulas

Objective Function: F = 18x + 17y
Constraint 1 (Total ounces): x + y ≤ 33
Constraint 2 (Vitamin C): 32x + 22y ≥ 462
Constraint 3 (Vitamin E): 10x + 8y ≥ 150
Nonnegativity Constraints: x ≥ 0, y ≥ 0

Theorems

Linear Programming Feasibility
Optimization Principles

Suitable Grade Level

Grades 11-12 or College Level