Integer programs solvable as LP
Sommer Gentry
November 18, 2003
Transportation problem
?
?
50 widgets
Baltimore
Detroit
Atlanta
Denver
Pittsburgh
Boston
Houston
20 widgets
30 widgets
75 widgets
40 widgets
20 widgets
15 widgets
$9
$7
$4
Sources and sinks connected by links
Objective: Minimize shipment cost
Assignment problem
?
?
Manny
Valves
Moe
Jack
Carburetor
Tires
Fluids
9 minutes
7 minutes
4 minutes
Transportation LP
,
...
...
...
...Subject to
.........Maximize
11
21
112111
21
111211
112121111111
t t
| |
mn
ji
nmnnn
m
mmnmm
n
mnmnnnnn
xx
ba
bxxx
bxxx
axxx
axxx
xcxcxcxcxcZ
Supplies
Demands
Persons and tasks connected by links
Objective: Minimize total task time
.0,0
Basis theory
?
as the number of constraints. The simplex
algorithm only searches feasible bases by design,
but any set of m variables is not guaranteed to
form a feasible basis.
subject to: -2/3x2+ x3 +1/3x5 = 4
x2 +x4 = 0
x1 +2/3x2 + 3x5 = -2
x1 >0, …, x5 >0
Find a starting basic feasible solution
?
have all less-than inequalities. In these cases the
starting feasible basis is obvious: all the slack
variables are basic and the others non-basic. How
can we find a feasible basis if given equality
constraints?
,
...
...Subject to
...Maximize
1
11
11111
11
t t
n
mnmnm
nn
nn
xx
bxaxa
bxaxa
Z
Every basis contains the same number of variables
The simplex algorithm examples shown so far
.0,0
xcxc
Courtesy of Sommer Gentry. Used with permission.
Answer: write this as a new LP!
? artificial variable.
Objective: Minimize the sum of the
artificial variables.
b
i
0.0,
...
...Subject to
...Minimize
11
11
111111
1
t t t t
mnnn
mmnnmnm
nnn
mnn
xxxx
bxxaxa
bxxaxa
xxZ
Phase I of simplex algorithm
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general simplex algorithm. Note that an
inconsistent system of equations will be revealed
as such by a positive Phase I optimum. Thus, LP
can function as a check for consistency of linear
systems of equations.
?
point solution found in Phase I.
Add to each equation one
– Multiply by –1 if necessary to find positive
,0,0
The new LP on the previous slide is phase I of the
Phase II uses as a starting basis the feasible corner
Transportation Basis
? m+n equations in a transportation
problem, but one row is dependent so there
are m+n-1 rows in each simplex tableau.
?
mn-(m+n-1)
zero, equations can be reordered triangularly.
?
integers, every corner point solution is
integer.
Integer basic feasible solutions
nklmlmk
mklmljkikij
klmljklkijjk
bxxx
axxxxx
axxxxxx
...
...
1
There are
Theorem: All bases are triangular.
– with nonbasic variables set to
Theorem: If supplies and demands are
Proof: All bases are triangular
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variable
variables. Let k be the number of basic
variables. Then there are at least 2n basic
variables in the supplies section, and at least 2m
basic variables in the demands section, thus
k >2n , k >2m , so k >m+n. But since there are
only m+n-1 independent equations, there is a
contradiction.
Proof: All bases are triangular
?
from the original system leaves an equation in
exactly one basic variable.
–
equation. Let k’ be the new number of basic variables.
Again make the contrary assumption to get k’ >2(n-1) ,
k >2m. There was at least one basic entry in the
equation excluded, so k >k’+1. Then k >m+n-1/2,
which again contradicts k <m+n-1.
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basic variable and repeat the argument for the
reduced array, establishing the theorem.
Lemma: Some row has exactly one basic
– Assume each row has at least two basic
Lemma: Exclusion of any redundant equation
Drop some equation as redundant, say, the last demand
Then, successively delete the row having a single
Network optimization
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network optimization problem. More complex
problems include transshipment nodes, arc
capacities, and nonlinear objective functions.
Network optimization is a well-developed
computer science field offering specialized
algorithms and approximation techniques for
myriad practical problems. Shortest paths,
maximum flow, traveling salesman problem,
minimal delay routing problems are further
examples.
The transportation problem is the simplest