I How Do You Formulate Decision Variables in a Linear Programming Problem?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around formulating decision variables for a linear programming problem related to time allocation for various tasks. The decision variables include time spent gardening, rewiring, insulating, and checking ventilation by different individuals. There are concerns regarding the constraints, particularly the interpretation of the last constraint, which should reflect that insulation time must be at least half of the gardening time, not twice as much. Additionally, participants note missing costs and maximum hours for tasks, emphasizing the need for careful review of the problem statement. The conversation highlights the importance of accurate interpretations in linear programming formulations.
Erenjaeger
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I was given the problem attached in the photo below and the first question is to define the decision variables and formulate the problem as a linear program. There are no solutions online, so it would be helpful if someone on the mighty PF could check them to see if they are correct, thanks.
https://scontent.fhlz2-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t34.0-12/23113532_1505762442836859_1149946816_n.png?oh=f7a855d08561239a24b48af9741cbfbf&oe=59FAF30B
decision variables are..
let xig be the amount of time the investor spends gardening
let xwg be the amount of time the worker spends gardening
let xir be the amount of time the investor spends rewiring the house
let xii be the amount of time the investor spends insulating the house
let xcv be the amount of time the contractor spends checking ventilation
Max: 400xig + 400xwg +350xir +200xii + 300xcv - 100xig - 100xir - 60xwg - 150xcv
subject to:
xig + xir + xii ≤ 50
xig ≤ 10
xir ≥ 6
xii / (xig + xwg ) ≥ 2
Note: I'm not that sure about the last constraint, It is meant to be the one that says for 1 hour gardening there has to be at least 30 minutes insulating.
 
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I interpret the last constraint in the same way as you, but it should be 1/2, not 2.
There are some costs missing and i can check the ventilation as well. The maximal hours for each task are missing as well. The i gardening constraint is wrong (although it won’t change the result here).

A more careful check of your statements would have helped.

The problem has a maximum that is easy to find manually step by step, that gives a nice cross check.
 
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mfb said:
I interpret the last constraint in the same way as you, but it should be 1/2, not 2.
There are some costs missing and i can check the ventilation as well. The maximal hours for each task are missing as well. The i gardening constraint is wrong (although it won’t change the result here).

A more careful check of your statements would have helped.

The problem has a maximum that is easy to find manually step by step, that gives a nice cross check.
if the last constraint had 1/2 on the RHS wouldn't the LHS read (xig + xwg) / xii instead, since you're given the information in the form of (xig + xwg) ≤ (1/5)xii?
And what do you mean about some costs missing?
Also how is the xig constraint wrong? I took that part of the problem to mean that he doesn't want to spend more than 20% of his total time (50 hours) improving the house, on gardening, 20% of 50 hours is 10 hours so doesn't that just mean he doesn't want to spend more than 10 hours gardening, hence xig ≤ 10 hours ?
 
Erenjaeger said:
if the last constraint had 1/2 on the RHS wouldn't the LHS read (xig + xwg) / xii instead
No, that would be wrong again. Currently you require insulation to be at least twice the time spent on gardening, but the requirement is "at least half".
And what do you mean about some costs missing?
You only accounted for two tasks of the investor, but he can do all of them.
Also how is the xig constraint wrong? I took that part of the problem to mean that he doesn't want to spend more than 20% of his total time (50 hours) improving the house, on gardening, 20% of 50 hours is 10 hours so doesn't that just mean he doesn't want to spend more than 10 hours gardening, hence xig ≤ 10 hours ?
He doesn't want to spend more than 20% of the time he spends on gardening. It literally has the bold part in the problem statement. He doesn't have to spend 50 hours.
 
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