Subject: Principles of operations research (IV year CSE)

Short Answer questions

UNIT I

1. Define the term OR. Write any two merits and demerits of OR
2. What are the objectives of Operations Research? Enlist the various Applications of
Operations research
3. Define objective Function of LPP what are the possible objectives.
4. What is the significance of Non negativity condition in LPP Model?
5. Define slack and surplus and Artificial variable
6. What is the condition for unique optimal and multiple optimal solution in simplex
7. What do you mean by degeneracy in simplex
8. When the solution is said to be unbounded and infeasible.
9. Give two merits of two phase method over Big M method.
10. Give the application of Dual problem in LPP
Write the dual of
Max. Z = 2X1 + X2
Subject to: X1 + 2 X2 ≤ 10
X1 + X2 ≤ 2
X1 + 2 X2 ≤ 1

Essay Type Questions

UNIT I

1. Comment on “Operations Research is the art of finding bad solutions otherwise where
worst exist.”
2. What are the significant features of Operations Research? Discuss them briefly.
3. Use Graphical method to solve
Max Z = 3X1 + 2X2
Sub to: X1 + X2 ≤ 4, X1 - X2 ≤ 2, X1, X2 ≥ 0
4. Use Simplex method, solve the problem
Maximize z = 5 X1 + 3 X 2
Sub to: X 1 + X 2 ≤ 2, 5 X 1 + 2 X 2 ≤ 10, -2 X 1 - 8 X 2 ≥ - 12, X1, X2 ≥0
5. Solve the following LPP by simplex method
Max. Z = 2 X1 + X2
Sub to: 4X1 + 3 X2 ≤ 12, 4X1 + X2 ≤ 8, 4X1 - X2 ≤ 8, X1 X2 ≥ 0
6. Determine All possible solutions to LPP
Maximize z = 10X1 + 15 X 2 + 20 X 3
Sub to: 2 X 1 + 4 X 2 + 6 X 3 ≤ 24, 3 X 1 + 9 X 2 + 6 X 3 ≤ 30, X1, X2, X3≥0
7. Define Operations research, Discuss Different Phases in its study.
8. A manufacturer of leather belts makes three types of belts A, B and C, which are
processed on three machines M1, M2 and M3. Belt A requires 2 hours on machine M1 and
3 hours on machine M3. Belt B requires. 3 hours on machine M1, 2 hours on machine M2,
and 2 hours on machine M3 and belt C requires 5 hours on machine M2 and 4 hours on
machine M3. There are 8 hours of time per day available on machine M1, 10 hours of
time per day available on machine M2 and 15 hours of time per day available on machine
M3. The profit gained from belt A is Rs. 3.00 per unit, from belt B is Rs. 5.00 per unit and
from belt C is Rs. 4.00 per unit. What should be the daily production of each type of belt
so that the profit is maximum?
9. Use Big M technique to
Minimize Z = 4X1 + X2
Subject to the constraints: 3X1 + X2 = 3, 4X1 + 3X2 ≥ 6, X1 + 2 X2 ≤ 3, X1, X2 ≥0,
10. Solve by Two Phase Method
Max Z = 5X1 + 3X2
Sub to: 2X1 + X2 ≤ 1, X1 + 4X2 ≥ 6, X1, X2, ≥ 0
Short Answer questions
UNIT 2

1. What is a Transportation problem? What do you understand by balanced and unbalanced

transportation problem?
2. Name three methods of finding an Initial Basic Feasible Solution to a Transportation
problem.
3. When do you confirm that a transportation problem has multiple optimum solutions?
4. What is a Travelling salesman problem?
5. What do you understand by degeneracy in Transportation Problem? How can you resolve
degeneracy?
6. What is an unbalanced assignment problem? Explain in brief how to solve it?
7. What is the difference between travelling salesman problem and transportation problem?
8. What is the difference between assignment problem and a traveling salesmen problem?
9. Why all assignment problems can’t be solved as transportation whereas vice-versa is
possible.
10. Give the reason that assignment model is a special case of transportation model.

Essay Type Questions

UNIT 2
1. The DREAM - DRINK Company has to work out a minimum cost transportation
schedule to distribute crates of drinks from three of its factories X, Y, and Z to its three
warehouses A, B, and C. The required particulars are given below. Find the least cost and
north-west corner transportation schedule. Which schedule is the best schedule?

2. In a transportation problem the distribution given in the table below was suggested as an
optimal solution. The capacities and requirement are given. The bold figures are
allocations. The transportation costs are given in Rs, per unit from a source to a
destination.
(a) Test whether the given distribution is optimal?
(b) If not optimal obtain all basic optimal solution.
3. There are 5 jobs namely, A, B, C, D, and E. These are to be assigned to 5 machines P, Q,
R, S and T to minimize the cost of production. The cost matrix is given below. Assign the
jobs to machine on one to one basis.

4. Gamma India Limited has four factories at Chandigarh, Kolkata, Nasik and Trichy which
supply warehouses at Chennai, Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi and Hyderabad. The annual
capacity of factories at Chandigarh, Kolkata, Nasik and Trichy are 1000, 1500, 1200 and
800 units respectively. The annual demand of warehouses at Chennai, Bangalore,
Mumbai, Delhi and Hyderabad are 750, 900, 1200, 1150 and 500 units respectively. Unit
transportation costs from factories to warehouses are given below:
WAREHOUSES
Chennai Bangalore Mumbai Delhi Hyderabad
Chandigarh 7 6 4 5 9
Factories Kolkata 8 5 6 7 8
Nasik 6 8 9 6 5
Trichy 5 7 7 8 6

5. Determine an initial basic feasible solution to minimize the total transportation cost by
using
i) NW corner Method
ii) Vogel’s Approximation Method
6. From three warehouses A, B, and C orders for certain commodities are to be supplied to
demand points 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 monthly. The relevant information is given below:

During certain month a bridge on the road-connecting warehouse B to demand point 3 is

closed for traffic. Modify the problem suitably and find the least cost transportation
schedule. (The demand must be complied with).
7. A company has a current shipping schedule, which is being questioned by the
management as to whether or not it is optimal. The firm has three factories and five
warehouses. The necessary data in terms of transportation costs in Rs. per unit from a
factory to a destination and factory capacities and warehouse requirements are as follows:

Solve for an optimal shipping schedule in terms of lowest possible shipping costs.
8. A company has five jobs V, W, X, Y and Z and five machines A, B, C, D and E. The
given matrix shows the return in Rs. of assigning a job to a machine. Assign the jobs to
machines so as to maximize the total returns.
9. Five jobs are to be assigned to 5 machines to minimize the total time required to process
the jobs on machines. The times in hours for processing each job on each machine are
given in the matrix below. By using assignment algorithm make the assignment for
minimizing the time of processing.

10. The city post office has five major counters namely, Registration (R), Savings (S),
Money–Order (M), Postal stationary (P) and Insurance / license (I). The postmaster has to
assign five counters to five clerks A, B, C, D and E one for each counter. Considering the
experience and ability of these clerks he rates their suitability on a certain 10 - point scale
of effectiveness of performance for accomplishing different counter duties, as listed
below. Assign the counters to the clerks for maximum effective performance.

Short Answer questions

UNIT III
1. Explain the importance of sequencing problem?
2. How will you process n jobs through 2 machines?
3. What are the types of sequencing Problems?
4. Explain the importance of Johnson’s algorithm.
5. Write the condition for Johnson’s algorithm to be applicable in finding the optimal sequencing
order of `n' jobs through 3 machines.
6. Determine the optimal sequence to the below problem when the order is AB
Jobs
Machines J1 J2 J3 J4
A 16 26 14 29
B 21 12 19 14
7. Get the optimal sequence of four jobs J 1, J2, J3 and J4 , each of which go through two machines M1
and M2 in the order M1 M2 .

J1 J2 J3 J4
M1 5 1 9 3
M2 2 6 7 8
8. Explain the General assumptions in the machine sequencing problems.
9. Define total elapsed time in sequencing.
10. Define idle time in sequencing?

Essay Type Questions

UNIT II
1. Find the sequence of jobs that minimizes the total elapsed time to complete the following
jobs on two machines

Job 1 2 3 4 5 6
Machine A 3 12 5 2 9 11
Machine B 8 10 9 6 3 1

2. A company has 6 jobs which go through 3 machines X, Y and Z in the order XYZ. The
processing time in minutes for each job on machine is as follows:
Jobs
1 2 3 4 5 6
X 18 12 29 36 43 37
Machine Y 7 12 11 2 6 12
Z 19 12 23 47 28 36
Find the optimal sequence, total elapsed time and idle times for each machine.
3. (a) Write the condition for Johnson’s algorithm to be applicable in finding the optimal
sequencing order of `n' jobs through 3 machines.
(b) Write the condition for Johnson’s algorithm to be applicable in finding the optimal
sequencing order of `n' jobs through 2 machines.
4. Determine the optimal sequence and total elapsed time to the below problem when the
order is AB
Jobs
Machines J1 J2 J3 J4
 A 16 26 14 29
B 21 12 19 14
5. A foreman wants to process eight different jobs on three machines: a shaping machine, a
drilling machine and a tapping machine, the sequence of the operation being shaping-
drilling- tapping. The time taken in minutes by each job on each machine is indicated as
below. Each machine can process only one job at a time. Find out the optimal sequence
and total elapsed time. Also find idle time of each machine.
Jobs
J1 J2 J3 J4 J5 J6 J7 J8
Shaping 5 6 2 3 4 9 15 11
Machines Drilling 4 6 7 4 5 3 6 2
Tapping 8 10 7 8 11 8 9 13

6. Use of Graphical method to minimize the time needed to process the following jobs on
the machines as shown. For each machine, find which job is to be loaded first? Calculate
the total time required to process the jobs. The time given is in hours. The machining
order for job 1 is ABCDE and takes 3,4,2,6,2 hours respectively on the machines. The
order of machining for job 2 is BCADE and takes 5,4,3,2,6 hours respectively for
processing.
7. Akash, Banarjee, Dhanush, Farukh and Gajendra are five friends who stay in a Hostel.
All of them get up at 6 A.M and performs Bathing, dressing and dining in that order
before leaving their office. The most important thing is that only one can enter bathe
room, dressing room or Dining at a particular time. The time taken in minutes by these
friends to bathe, dress and dine is given below. Get the optimum schedule and makespan.
Akash Banarjee Dhanush Farukh Gajendra
Bathing 8 14 9 12 8
Dressing 6 6 4 6 3
Dining 9 7 7 8 10

8. Find the sequence that minimises the total elapsed time required to complete the
following Tasks:
Tasks A B C D E F G
Time on Machine I 3 8 7 4 9 8 7
Time on Machine II 4 3 2 5 1 4 3
Time on Machine III 6 7 5 11 5 6 12
9. There are five jobs, each of which is to be processed through two machines A and B in
the order AB, processing hours are as follows.
Jobs 1 2 3 4 5
Machine A 3 8 5 7 4
Machine B 4 10 6 5 8
Determine the optimum sequence for the five jobs, and minimise the elapsed time. Also
find the idle times of machines A and B.
10. Use Graphical method to minimise the time needed to process the following jobs on the
machines shown below, that is, for each machine find the job which should be done first.
Also calculate the total time needed to complete both jobs.
Job 1 Sequence of Machines A B C D E
Time (in hrs) 2 3 4 6 2
Job 2 Sequence of Machines C A D E B
Time (in hrs) 4 5 3 2 6

Assignment Questions

Unit 1

1. Solve the following LPP by using Big M method

Minimize Z = 4X1 + 8X2 +3X3
Subject to the constraints: X1 + X2 ≥ 2, 2X1 + 2X3 ≥ 5 and X1, X2, X3 ≥0,
2. Use simplex method to solve given LPP
Minimize Z = 5X + 4Y
Subject to the constraints: 4X + Y ≥ 40, 2X + 3Y ≥ 90 and X, Y ≥0,
3. Use graphical method to solve
Max. Z = 5X1 + 3X2
Subject to the constraints: X1 + X2 ≤ 6, 0≤X1 ≤3, 0≤X2≤3, 2X1+ 3X2 ≥ 3 and
X1, X2 ≥0,

Unit 2

1. Find the optimal solution to following transportation problem

P Q R Supply
A 1 2 3 50
B 3 2 1 80
C 4 5 6 75
D 3 1 2 95
Demand 120 80 100
2. Solve the following assignment problem
W X Y Z
A 2 3 4 5
B 4 5 6 7
C 7 8 9 8
D 3 5 8 4

3. Solve the following transportation Problem using VAM to find initial solution and MODI method
to optimize

I II III IV V Supply
A 6 4 4 7 5 100
B 5 3 7 4 8 125
C 3 4 6 3 4 175
Demand 60 80 85 105 75 400

Unit 3

1. Solve the following to determine optimal sequence and total time elapsed Processing time on two
machines are given in hrs in following table:
Jobs 1 2 3 4 5
Machine A 10 2 18 6 20
Machine B 4 12 14 16 8

2. There are 5 Jobs to be processed on 3 machines processing time is shown below

1 2 3 4 5
Machine A 11 17 8 16 20
Machine B 9 7 12 6 5
Machine C 13 16 15 12 16
3. Explain the following
(i) Travelling salesman Problem
(ii) Scheduling of 2 jobs on n machines