- Suppose that a linear programming problem has the following property: its initial dictionary is not degenerate and, when solved by the simplex method, there is never a tie for the choice of leaving variable.
- Can such a problem have degenerate dictionaries? Explain.
- Can such a problem cycle? Explain.
- Solve the following linear program using Bland’s rule to resolve degeneracy: maxz = 10x1 − 57x2 − 9x3 − 24x4 subject to
0.5x1 − 5.5x2 − 2.5x3 + 9x4 ≤ 0 0.5x1 − 1.5x2 − 0.5x3 + x4 ≤ 0 x1 ≤ 1 x1,x2,x3,x4 ≥ 0.
- Consider the linear program maxz = 3x1 + 5x2
subject to
x1 + 2x2 ≤ 5 x1 ≤ 3 x2 ≤ 2 x1, x2 ≥ 0 Compare the efficiency of the implementation of the simplex algorithm if
- You are using the largest positive coefficient for the entering variable (and the lexicographic method for the leaving)
- You are using Bland’s rule
- Consider the following linear programming problem:
maxz = 2x1 − 3x2 + 2x3 + 12x4
subject to
4x1 + 5x2 + 2x3 ≤ 10
2x1 − x3 + x4 ≤ 30 4x2 + 2x3 + x4 ≤ 20 x1, x2, x3, x4 ≥ 0
Find the dual program to this linear program.
- Consider the following dual linear programming problem:
minξ = 3y1 + y2 + 2y3 subject to
2y1 + 3y2 − y3 ≥ 5 −y1 + 4y3 ≥ 10 y1 + 2y2 ≥ 7 3y1 − 2y3 ≥ 7 y1, y2, y3 ≥ 0
- Rewrite the problem in standard form.
- What is the primal problem corresponding to this dual linear program.
- Write a spreadsheet that can solve both, the primal and the dual linear program given the input coefficients aij, bi, cj for i = 1,…,4 and j = 1,…, Try different values for the coefficients to give an answer to the following questions:
- If both the primal and the dual problem have optimal solutions, how do they compare?
- If the primal problem is infeasible, what is happening with the dual problem?
- If the primal problem is unbounded, what is happening with the dual problem?
- If the dual problem is infeasible, what is happening with the primal problem?
- If the dual problem is unbounded, what is happening with the primal problem?
8 points per problems
Problems to be discussed in the Office Hours
- Consider the linear program
maxz = x1 + 2x2
subject to
3x1 + x2 ≤ 3 x1, x2 ≥ 0
Compare the efficiency of the implementation of the simplex algorithm if
- You are using the largest positive coefficient for the entering variable
- You are using Bland’s rule
- Consider the following linear programming problem:
maxz = 3x1 + 2x2 + x3
subject to
2x1 + 5x2 + 3x3 ≤ 10 x1 + x3 ≤ 5 3x2 + 2x3 ≤ 8 x1, x2, x3 ≥ 0
Find the dual program to this linear program. Solve both, the primal and the dual linear program using the simplex algorithm.



