Introduction to Optimization Modeling

Use Excel’s Solver to complete the problems.

Ch14. 28a

28. A farmer in Iowa owns 45 acres of land. He is going to plant each acre with wheat or corn. Each acre planted with wheat yields $200 profit, requires 3 workers, and requires 2 tons of fertilizer; each with corn yields $300 profit, requires 2 workers, and requires 4 tons of fertilizer. One hundred workers and 120 tons of fertilizer are available.

  a. Use Solver to help the farmer maximize the profit from his land.

Ch14.34b

34. Bloomington Brewery produces beer and ale. Beer sells for $5 per barrel, and ale sells for $2 per barrel. Producing a barrel of beer requires 5 pounds of corn and 2 pounds of hops. Producing a barrel of ale requires 2 pounds of corn and 1 pound of hops. The brewery has 60 pounds of corn and 25 pounds of hops.

  a. Use Solver to maximize Bloomington Brewery’s revenue.

  b. Confirm graphically that the solution in part a maximizes Bloomington Brewery’s revenue.

Ch 14.38

38. Woodco manufactures tables and chairs. Each table and chair must be made entirely out of oak or entirely out of pine. A total of 150 board feet of oak and 210 board feet of pine are available. A table requires either 17 board feet of oak or 30 board feet of pine, and a chair requires either 5 board feet of oak or 13 board feet of pine. Each table can be sold for $40, and each chair for $15.

Determine how Woodco can maximize its revenue.