This page provides the materials and video tutorials for the linear programming section of the course. You can increase the quality of the video by clicking on the gear button of the video.
This video was created by Sarah Nurre (she is a cat person, I am a dog person). It focuses on how to model planning her cat's daily menu as a linear program with two variables. It then discusses how to use the graphical method as a basis to determine the optimal solution. Please read the description of the application before viewing this video: Cat's Daily Menu.
This video was created by Thomas Sharkey. It focuses on how to model a Lego workshop that sells three types of items as a linear program. Please read the description of the application before viewing this video: Bigger Lego Workshop.
This video was created by Thomas Sharkey. It discusses how implement and solve the Bigger Lego Workshop linear program using Excel Solver. You can download the final version of the Excel file (including the Solver formulation) here: Lego Workshop Excel Solver.
This video was created by Sarah Nurre. It focuses on a problem that is inspired by the game show Supermarket Sweep. The video discusses how to model this problem as a linear program. It then shows how to implement and solve the problem with Excel Solver. It illustrates that you can keep track of your variables in Excel in different ways, depending on the application. Please read the description of the application before viewing this video: Supermarket Sweep. You can download the final version of the Excel file (including the Solver formulation) here: Supermarket Sweep Solution.
This video was created by Sarah Nurre. It discusses how to solve a linear program with all <= constraints that is interested in maximizing its objective function using the Simplex Method. It does utilize a spreadsheet that helps automate some of the row operations in the Gaussian elimination but having access to the spreadsheet is not required to understand the steps involved in the video. The linear programming problem in this video can be found here: A Maximization LP.
This video was created by Sarah Nurre. It discusses how to apply the two-phase method to a linear program without an ‘easy’ starting basic feasible solution. It solves the Phase-I linear program and then uses information from it as a starting point for the Phase-II linear program. The linear programming problem in this video can be found here: A Two-Phase Linear Programming Example.
This video was created by Thomas Sharkey. It focuses on a modeling a problem that is interested in taking over the Lego Workshop discussed in previous videos. It then discusses the role of this linear program as the dual to the workshop LP along with introducing the concepts of weak and strong duality. Please read the description of the takeover problem described here: A Takeover of the Lego Workshop Problem. In addition, the comparison between the workshop and takeover problem can be found here: Comparison of Models.
This video was created by Thomas Sharkey. It focuses on determining how much you would be willing to acquire additional bricks in the Lego Workshop example. It discusses the notion of the shadow price of a resource in linear programming and their relationship with the simplex method and duality. Please read the description of the problem here: How Much for Another Small Brick or Another Big Brick?.