ABSTRACT
Problems which seek to find a “best” configuration to achieve a certain goal are called optimization problems. Programming problems deal with determining optimal allocations of limited resources to meet given objectives. They deal with situations in which a number of resources such as manpower, materials, and land are available to be combined to yield one or more products. There are, however, restrictions imposed, such as the total number of resources available and the quantity of each product to be made. Linear programming deals with the class of programming problems in which these restrictions and any other relations among the variables are linear. In particular, the constraints imposed when searching graphs and networks for say shortest paths, matchings, and maximum flow can be expressed as linear equations.
