Simplex Algorithm

Solve the following optimization problem \(\begin{alignat*}{2} & \text{maximize: } && c^Tx \\ & \text{subject to: } && \begin{aligned}[t] Ax &\leq b\\ x &\geq 0 \end{aligned} \end{alignat*}\)

Concrete Problem

\[\begin{alignat*}{2} & \text{maximize: } && z = 2x + 3y\\ & \text{subject to: } && \begin{aligned}[t] x + 3y &\leq 12 \\ 3x + 2y &\leq 12 \\ x, y &\geq 0 \end{aligned} \end{alignat*}\]

Step I

Fromulating the problem and creating the first table for simplex algorithm.

Basic $x$ $y$ $s_{1}$ $s_{2}$ Solution Ratio
$z$ $-2$ $-3$ $0$ $0$ $0$  
$s_{1}$ $1$ $3$ $1$ $0$ $12$  
$s_{2}$ $3$ $2$ $0$ $1$ $12$  

Step II

We have to choose an entering variable which will increase the value of objective. So we choose any variable with negative coefficient. Here we choose $y$.

Basic $x$ $y$ $s_{1}$ $s_{2}$ Solution Ratio
$z$ $-2$ $-3$ $0$ $0$ $0$ $0$
$s_{1}$ $1$ $3$ $1$ $0$ $12$ $4$
$s_{2}$ $3$ $2$ $0$ $1$ $12$ $6$

Step III

We have to choose a leaving variable based on ratio analysis. Here we choose the variable with least positive ratio. In this table $s_1$ has the least positive ratio, so it will leave. Now we have to perform the pivoting step.

Step IV

After pivoting we get a new table. Where we can repreat the above steps again and again till the simplex algorithm terminate. In ideal case we get no entering varable.

Basic $x$ $y$ $s_{1}$ $s_{2}$ Solution Ratio
$z$ $-1$ $0$ $1$ $0$ $12$  
$y$ $\frac{1}{3}$ $1$ $\frac{1}{3}$ $0$ $4$  
$s_{2}$ $\frac{7}{3}$ $0$ $- \frac{2}{3}$ $1$ $4$  
Basic $x$ $y$ $s_{1}$ $s_{2}$ Solution Ratio
$z$ $-1$ $0$ $1$ $0$ $12$ $-12$
$y$ $\frac{1}{3}$ $1$ $\frac{1}{3}$ $0$ $4$ $12$
$s_{2}$ $\frac{7}{3}$ $0$ $- \frac{2}{3}$ $1$ $4$ $\frac{12}{7}$
Basic $x$ $y$ $s_{1}$ $s_{2}$ Solution Ratio
$z$ $0$ $0$ $\frac{5}{7}$ $\frac{3}{7}$ $\frac{96}{7}$  
$y$ $0$ $1$ $\frac{3}{7}$ $- \frac{1}{7}$ $\frac{24}{7}$  
$x$ $1$ $0$ $- \frac{2}{7}$ $\frac{3}{7}$ $\frac{12}{7}$  

Finally we got a table with all non-negaitve coefficient corresponding to $z$ variable. The solution of this problem is $96/7$ at the point $(12/7, 24/7)$

Problem 2

Solve the following optimization problem.

\[\begin{alignat*}{2} & \text{maximize: } && z = 2x_1 + x_2 - 3x_3 + 5x_4 \\ & \text{subject to: } && \begin{aligned}[t] x_1 + 2x_2 + 2x_3 + 4x_4 &\leq 40 \\ 2x_1 - x_2 + x_3 + 2x_4 &\leq 8 \\ 4x_1 - 2x_2 + x_3 - x_4 &\leq 10 \\ x_1, x_2, x_3, x_4 &\geq 0 \end{aligned} \end{alignat*}\]

$\displaystyle \left[\begin{matrix}-2 & -1 & 3 & -5 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0\1 & 2 & 2 & 4 & 1 & 0 & 0 & 40\2 & -1 & 1 & 2 & 0 & 1 & 0 & 8\4 & -2 & 1 & -1 & 0 & 0 & 1 & 10\end{matrix}\right]$

Basic $x_{1}$ $x_{2}$ $x_{3}$ $x_{4}$ $s_{1}$ $s_{2}$ $s_{3}$ Solution Ratio
$z$ $-2$ $-1$ $3$ $-5$ $0$ $0$ $0$ $0$  
$s_{1}$ $1$ $2$ $2$ $4$ $1$ $0$ $0$ $40$  
$s_{2}$ $2$ $-1$ $1$ $2$ $0$ $1$ $0$ $8$  
$s_{3}$ $4$ $-2$ $1$ $-1$ $0$ $0$ $1$ $10$  
Basic $x_{1}$ $x_{2}$ $x_{3}$ $x_{4}$ $s_{1}$ $s_{2}$ $s_{3}$ Solution Ratio
$z$ $-2$ $-1$ $3$ $-5$ $0$ $0$ $0$ $0$ $0$
$s_{1}$ $1$ $2$ $2$ $4$ $1$ $0$ $0$ $40$ $10$
$s_{2}$ $2$ $-1$ $1$ $2$ $0$ $1$ $0$ $8$ $4$
$s_{3}$ $4$ $-2$ $1$ $-1$ $0$ $0$ $1$ $10$ $-10$
Basic $x_{1}$ $x_{2}$ $x_{3}$ $x_{4}$ $s_{1}$ $s_{2}$ $s_{3}$ Solution Ratio
$z$ $3$ $- \frac{7}{2}$ $\frac{11}{2}$ $0$ $0$ $\frac{5}{2}$ $0$ $20$  
$s_{1}$ $-3$ $4$ $0$ $0$ $1$ $-2$ $0$ $24$  
$x_{4}$ $1$ $- \frac{1}{2}$ $\frac{1}{2}$ $1$ $0$ $\frac{1}{2}$ $0$ $4$  
$s_{3}$ $5$ $- \frac{5}{2}$ $\frac{3}{2}$ $0$ $0$ $\frac{1}{2}$ $1$ $14$  
Basic $x_{1}$ $x_{2}$ $x_{3}$ $x_{4}$ $s_{1}$ $s_{2}$ $s_{3}$ Solution Ratio
$z$ $3$ $- \frac{7}{2}$ $\frac{11}{2}$ $0$ $0$ $\frac{5}{2}$ $0$ $20$ $- \frac{40}{7}$
$s_{1}$ $-3$ $4$ $0$ $0$ $1$ $-2$ $0$ $24$ $6$
$x_{4}$ $1$ $- \frac{1}{2}$ $\frac{1}{2}$ $1$ $0$ $\frac{1}{2}$ $0$ $4$ $-8$
$s_{3}$ $5$ $- \frac{5}{2}$ $\frac{3}{2}$ $0$ $0$ $\frac{1}{2}$ $1$ $14$ $- \frac{28}{5}$
Basic $x_{1}$ $x_{2}$ $x_{3}$ $x_{4}$ $s_{1}$ $s_{2}$ $s_{3}$ Solution Ratio
$z$ $\frac{3}{8}$ $0$ $\frac{11}{2}$ $0$ $\frac{7}{8}$ $\frac{3}{4}$ $0$ $41$  
$x_{2}$ $- \frac{3}{4}$ $1$ $0$ $0$ $\frac{1}{4}$ $- \frac{1}{2}$ $0$ $6$  
$x_{4}$ $\frac{5}{8}$ $0$ $\frac{1}{2}$ $1$ $\frac{1}{8}$ $\frac{1}{4}$ $0$ $7$  
$s_{3}$ $\frac{25}{8}$ $0$ $\frac{3}{2}$ $0$ $\frac{5}{8}$ $- \frac{3}{4}$ $1$ $29$  

Since all the coefficient corresponding to $z$ is non-negative, hence there will be no entering variable. The simplex algorithm will terminate. The objective is $41$ at the point $(0,6,0,7)$.