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Limiting factors – Linear Programming

VIVA

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lilit says

    March 23, 2015 at 1:02 pm

    Hi, I have a question. I never really concentrated on this, until I met the way you did the programming. I usually put x and y as variables and graph them correspondingly (x axis and y axis). This time I put S and E as you have done and put S on x axis and E on Y axis and got totally different graph from the one you got. What is the right way to go.? I know this question may seem primitive, but I decided to ask. Thanks in advance.

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    • John Moffat says

      March 23, 2015 at 1:06 pm

      It does not matter which axis you use for which variable. The graph will look different (sort of sideways 馃檪 ) but provided you label everything properly it gets the marks whichever way round 馃檪

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      • Lilit says

        March 23, 2015 at 1:08 pm

        You simply motivate me to study. Thanks a lot.

  2. ananda says

    March 2, 2015 at 3:20 pm

    Thank you mr. John I am really happy to get you lecture and excited for next exam. I will definitely clear this time. ????

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  3. Yosef says

    February 23, 2015 at 5:15 pm

    I just don;t get it all I am spending hours on it and can’t get it right

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  4. Pricilla says

    February 22, 2015 at 10:30 am

    Sir, in the lectures, you said that maximum contribution is at point B which is correct and same was also proven when you have calculated the max cont at point A. But Sir my question is, “in the graph, on what basis you have said that B is the best point”. Because if i am not mistaken, in the lecture, you firstly said that B is the best point and then you have calculated the max cont and then you have shown the difference in contribution between point A and B.

    Thank you for your help Sir.

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    • John Moffat says

      February 22, 2015 at 10:33 am

      B was the best point because when I moved out the contribution line (keeping it parallel), B was the furthest point away from the origin.

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  5. Pricilla says

    February 22, 2015 at 9:26 am

    Sir, thank you for the fabulous lectures, it really helps.
    However i am confuse about one thing. In the Question 1, the requirement is firstly ‘Find the optimal production plan’ does the answer is the feasible region drawn in the graph.

    In addition, kindly advise why do we calculate ISO contribution? Why must we draw the ISO contribution line in the graph.

    Thanks to help Sir.

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    • John Moffat says

      February 22, 2015 at 9:46 am

      The feasible region identifies which combinations of the two products satisfy the constraints.

      We need the contribution line to find out which of these combinations is the optimal (i.e. gives greatest contribution). We move the line as far away from the original as possible and the optimum is the corner of the feasible region furthest away.

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  6. roni says

    February 21, 2015 at 3:07 pm

    thats a very good lecture sir my question is what is mean by iso contribution line

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    • John Moffat says

      February 21, 2015 at 3:14 pm

      ‘iso’ means ‘same’. So it is the contribution line that I draw in the lecture.

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  7. Patience says

    February 5, 2015 at 9:48 am

    I am so impressed and satisfied with Open Tuition. Thanks a million, I never understood limiting factors as much as I do now. Thanks

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  8. Imran says

    November 24, 2014 at 7:52 pm

    6s+9E= $ 225 (S=0 ; E= 25) ( E=0 ; S= 37.5)
    since Contribution comes out of to be $225, if we check the the contribution if it is out of the red shaded bodx or not it is actually is, i did not get it is..

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    • fahim231 says

      December 30, 2014 at 4:21 pm

      yeh thats true….you’ve confused me aswell now lol

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      • John Moffat says

        December 30, 2014 at 5:08 pm

        It is not a question of whether or not the contribution is inside or outside the box!! That does not make sense.

        The optimum mix is at point b – the point furthest away from the origin. This point is on the edge of the feasible region.

        When we know what the values are at that point then we can calculate the contribution.

        The values stated by Imran for S and E were purely for being able to draw the contribution line – there is no other relevance of them.

  9. nikki says

    November 4, 2014 at 12:04 am

    Great video! Thank you! 馃檪 checking out the next video now.

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  10. Karina says

    August 30, 2014 at 8:59 am

    Dear John,
    The example you’ve shown here is a 3rd example, which I encounter since I study F5, where the highest profit is earned at the intersection of labour hours and machine hours lines. Is this a rule? If yes, why don’t we go straight to that intersection?
    Why did you say that that the any of the corners could be most profitable?

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    • John Moffat says

      August 30, 2014 at 9:34 am

      No it isn’t a rule. The highest contribution will be earned at whichever of the corners is the furthest away from the origin when moving out the iso-contribution line.

      If you watch the video again you will see that if the line were a different angle, then when it is moved out then a different corner could be the furthest away.

      If you are not sure what I mean, just suppose the question was exactly the same except that the contribution per unit for S was $10, and for E was $1. The constraints are all the same and so the graph is the same.
      However, point A would then give the highest contribution ($360). Point B would only give a contribution of $305.

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  11. Temperance says

    August 21, 2014 at 9:02 am

    Waw!Thank you sir!Exceptional lecture!Very well done!

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  12. kapondoro says

    July 2, 2014 at 3:49 pm

    thanks a lot it is of value and explicit.

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  13. Mpazi Siame says

    July 1, 2014 at 3:02 pm

    Great lectures plz make these videos downloadable. Thank you

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    • John Moffat says

      July 1, 2014 at 3:05 pm

      Sorry, but no – we will not make them downloadable.

      It is the only way that we can keep this website free of charge.

      You can download the Course Notes, but the lectures can only be watched online.

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      • Mpazi Siame says

        July 1, 2014 at 3:56 pm

        Alright this still good staff sir. Thank you onceagain

  14. Jane says

    May 19, 2014 at 1:53 pm

    Very good lecture – Thanks that made it alot clearer

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  15. Peshala says

    May 17, 2014 at 8:14 am

    Great Lecture sir!!! Understood it very well

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  16. Aaron says

    May 8, 2014 at 7:57 pm

    Hi John

    I take it there is no rule at all for deciding which axis to put which product on?

    Thanks and best regards

    Aaron

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    • John Moffat says

      May 9, 2014 at 5:10 am

      That’s true – it doesn’t matter which axis you use for each product.

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  17. mashdu93 says

    May 7, 2014 at 2:53 pm

    Hiii sir, your lectures juz awesome 馃榾

    I have a question… Will be my answer considered wrong if thers a diffrnce in my optimal solution,whethr if i use “inspection” or “drawing ISO contribution line”?

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    • John Moffat says

      May 7, 2014 at 4:09 pm

      It depends what you mean by ‘inspection’.
      The only alternative to drawing the iso-contribution line is to calculate the total contribution at ever corner of the feasible area.
      (But still read the question carefully – obviously if it specifically asks for you to draw the iso-contribution line, then there is no choice 馃檪 )

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  18. pal4 says

    April 23, 2014 at 8:00 am

    Hello sir . Very nice lecture 馃檪 .. Sir i have a question .. That why we made third equation ? And what is its link with point B ? And sir if its all about calculating equations then why we plot graph .. Why we dont do all this in the begining ? Thankyou sir 馃檪

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    • John Moffat says

      April 23, 2014 at 8:35 pm

      We plot the graph because the exam will require it!
      We cannot just solve the equations without the graph because we do not know what the relevant corners of the feasible region will be. As it turns out in this question, the demand for executive chairs is redundant, but we would not know this if we had not drawn the graph.

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      • pal4 says

        April 24, 2014 at 5:49 pm

        thankyou sir .

      • John Moffat says

        April 25, 2014 at 9:38 am

        You are welcome 馃檪

  19. PROF. says

    March 10, 2014 at 3:06 pm

    Sir, what can be used to draw the graph in the exam; black Biro or Pencil?

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    • John Moffat says

      March 10, 2014 at 3:12 pm

      You can only use black ink in the exam-pencil and other colours are not allowed.

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  20. PROF. says

    March 9, 2014 at 3:09 pm

    Sir I so much appreciate your wonderful lectures. Is it possible that there will come a question on cost minimization in the exam under linear programming?

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    • John Moffat says

      March 9, 2014 at 3:10 pm

      Yes, it is possible.

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      • PROF. says

        March 9, 2014 at 3:33 pm

        Is it possible to have a lecture on that from opentuition?

      • John Moffat says

        March 9, 2014 at 3:44 pm

        There is no need for a lecture – really – because the logic is exactly the same.

        Although cost minimisation is possible, it is not very likely, and all that is needed is to have a go at one or two from your Revision/Exam Kit.

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