Math Problem Statement

A dairy company gets milk from two dairies and then blends the milk to get the desired amount of butterfat. Milk from Dairy I costs $2.40 per gallon, and milk from Dairy II costs $0.80 per gallon. At most $144 is available for purchasing milk. Dairy I can supply at most 55 gallons averaging 3.7% butterfat, and Dairy II can supply at most 80 gallons averaging 2.9% butterfat. The company needs to get at most 100 gallons of milk with the maximum amount of butterfat.

Solution

The problem appears to be focused on determining the optimal amounts of milk to purchase from two dairies, Dairy I and Dairy II, to get a blend with the maximum amount of butterfat content while staying within budget constraints. Here's a breakdown of the problem setup:

Problem Setup:

  • Milk from Dairy I:

    • Price: $2.40 per gallon
    • Butterfat content: 3.7%
    • Maximum supply: 55 gallons
  • Milk from Dairy II:

    • Price: $0.80 per gallon
    • Butterfat content: 2.9%
    • Maximum supply: 80 gallons
  • Budget constraint: The company has at most $144 available to purchase milk.

  • Goal: The company wants to buy enough milk from each supplier to get at most 100 gallons of milk with the highest possible butterfat content.

Step-by-Step Approach:

  1. Let:

    • x1x_1 be the number of gallons from Dairy I.
    • x2x_2 be the number of gallons from Dairy II.
  2. Objective: Maximize butterfat content.

    • The total butterfat content is 0.037x1+0.029x20.037 \cdot x_1 + 0.029 \cdot x_2.
  3. Constraints:

    • Total gallons: x1+x2100x_1 + x_2 \leq 100 gallons.
    • Budget: 2.40x1+0.80x21442.40 \cdot x_1 + 0.80 \cdot x_2 \leq 144.
    • Supply limits: x155x_1 \leq 55 and x280x_2 \leq 80.
    • Non-negativity: x1,x20x_1, x_2 \geq 0.

This is a linear programming problem where we maximize the butterfat content subject to the constraints.

Solving:

You can solve this using graphical methods or simplex methods in linear programming.

Would you like a detailed solution for how to maximize the butterfat or further clarification on the steps? Here are 5 related questions you might consider:

  1. How does linear programming help in maximizing a function under constraints?
  2. Can the problem be solved graphically or does it require the simplex method?
  3. What would happen if the cost or butterfat percentages changed?
  4. How would you interpret the shadow price in this context?
  5. Could you formulate similar problems involving other ingredients and constraints?

Tip: When dealing with linear programming, always ensure to clearly define both your objective function and all constraints to avoid errors.

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Math Problem Analysis

Mathematical Concepts

Linear Programming
Optimization
Budget Constraints

Formulas

Objective: Maximize butterfat content = 0.037 * Dairy I gallons + 0.029 * Dairy II gallons
Budget constraint: 2.40 * Dairy I gallons + 0.80 * Dairy II gallons ≤ 144
Supply constraints: Dairy I gallons ≤ 55, Dairy II gallons ≤ 80
Total gallons: Dairy I gallons + Dairy II gallons ≤ 100

Theorems

Linear Programming Theorems
Simplex Method

Suitable Grade Level

College Level (Linear Algebra/Optimization)