APPLICATION OF GRAPHICAL METHOD

INTRODUCTION

Graphical method, or Geometric method, allows solving simple linear programming

problems intuitively and visually. This method is limited to two or three problems decision
variables since it is not possible to graphically illustrate more than 3D. Although in reality
only rarely problems arise with two or three decision variables, nonetheless it is very useful
this solving methodology. To graphically show possible situations such as the existence of a
single optimal solution, alternatives optimal solutions, the nonexistence of solution and
unboundedness, it is a visual aid to interpret and understand the graphical method algorithm
(much more sophisticated and abstract) and concepts surrounding it.

OVERVIEW

A system of linear inequalities defines a polytope as a feasible region. The graphical

algorithm begins at a starting vertex and moves along the edges of the polytope until it
reaches the vertex of the optimum solution.

GRAPHICAL METHOD THE FOLLOWING PROBLEM

Maximize Z = f(x,y) = 3x + 2y

subject to: 2x + y 18

2x + 3y 42

3x + y 24

1
 x0,y0

Initially the coordinate system is drawn and each variable is associated to an axis
(generally 'x' is associated to the horizontal axis and 'y' to the vertical one), as
shown in figure 1.

A numerical scale is marked in axis, appropriate to the values that variables can
take according to the problem constraints. In order to do this, for each variable
corresponding to an axis, all variables are set to zero except the variable
associated to the studied axis in each constraint.

The following step is to represent the restrictions. Beginning with the first, the line
obtained by considering the constraint as an equality is drawn. In the example, this
line is the segment connecting A and B points, and the region delimiting this
restriction is indicated by the color YELLOW. This process is repeated with the
other restrictions, BLUE and RED regions correspond to the second and third
constraint respectively.

The feasible region is the intersection of the regions defined by the set of
constraints and the coordinate axis (conditions of non-negativity of variables).

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 This feasible region is represented by the O-F-H-G-C polygon in PURPLE color.

As a feasible region exists, extreme values (or polygon vertices) are calculated.
These vertices are the points candidate as optimal solutions. In the example, these
points are O, F, H, G, and C, as shown in the figure.

Finally, the objective function (3x + 2y) is evaluated in each of these points
(results are shown in the tableau below). Since G-point provides the greatest value
to the Z-function and the objective is to maximize, this point is the optimal
solution: Z = 33 with x = 3 and y = 12.

REAL TIME EXAMPLE

Suppose that a farmer has a piece of farm land, say L km 2, to be planted with either
wheat or barley or some combination of the two. The farmer has a limited amount of
fertilizer, F kilograms, and insecticide, P kilograms. Every square kilometer of wheat requires
F1 kilograms of fertilizer and P1 kilograms of insecticide, while every square kilometer of
barley requires F2 kilograms of fertilizer and P2 kilograms of insecticide.

Let S1 be the selling price of wheat per square kilometer, and S 2 be the selling price of
barley. If we denote the area of land planted with wheat and barley by x 1 and x2 respectively,

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then profit can be maximized by choosing optimal values for x1 and x2. This problem can be
expressed with the following linear programming problem in the standard form:

(maximize the revenuerevenue is the "objective

Maximize:
function")

Subject
(limit on total area)
to:

(limit on fertilizer)

(limit on insecticide)

(cannot plant a negative area).

Which in matrix form becomes:

maximize

subject to

Sometimes, one may find it more intuitive to obtain the dual program without looking
at the program matrix.

Extreme point Coordinates (x,y) Objective value (Z)

O (0,0) 0

C (0,14) 28

G (3,12) 33

4
 H (6,6) 30

F (8,0) 24
APPLICATIONS OF GRAPHICAL ALGORITHM

One of the most interesting and recent applications of the graphical algorithm has
been to the assignment problem in on-line dating services. The objective of the graphical
method in an on-line dating site would be to maximize the matching of male and females
based on the numerical value of potential matches. In turns out that in this case it is as much
an art as it is a science since the value of a match must be determined based on characteristics
of the individuals, then and only then can the graphical method be used to maximize the
matches.

CONCLUSION

The graphical method is a method for solving problems in linear programming. This
method, invented by George Dantzig in 1947, tests adjacent vertices of the feasible set (which
is a polytope) in sequence so that at each new vertex the objective function improves or is
unchanged. The graphical method is very efficient in practice, generally taking to
iterations at most (where is the number of equality constraints), and converging in expected
polynomial time for certain distributions of random. The latter method solves an
unconstrained minimization problem in dimensions by maintaining at each iteration
points that define a graphical.

REFERENCES

http://www.phpgraphical.com/en/graphical_method_example.htm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDch07vVBxI
http://www.zweigmedia.com/RealWorld/tutorialsf4/frames4_3.html
http://mathworld.wolfram.com/GraphicalMethod.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphical_algorithm