MA 3231Linear Programming

Catalog

Cat. IThe mathematical subject of linear programming deals with those problems in optimal resource allocation which can be modeled by a linear profit (or cost) function together with feasibility constraints expressible as linear inequalities. Such problems arise regularly in many industries, ranging from manufacturing to transportation, from the design of livestock diets to the construction of investment portfolios.This course considers the formulation of such real-world optimization problems as linear programming problems, the most important algorithms for their solution, and techniques for their analysis. The core material includes problem formulation, the primal and dual simplex algorithms, and duality theory. Further topics may include: sensitivity analysis; applications such as matrix games or network flow models; bounded variable linear programs; interior point methods. Recommended background: Matrices and Linear Algebra (MA 2071, or equivalent).