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NCERT Exemplar · Q12

Q.A firm has to transport 1200 packages using large vans which can carry 200 packages each and small vans which can take 80 packages each. The cost for engaging each large van is Rs 400 and each small van is Rs 200. Not more than Rs 3000 is to be spent on the job and the number of large vans cannot exceed the number of small vans. Formulate this problem as a LPP given that the objective is to minimise cost.

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This is a linear programming problem where we minimise cost under constraints on capacity, budget, and van count. The LPP formulation is: minimise Z=400x+200yZ = 400x + 200y subject to 200x+80y≥1200200x + 80y \geq 1200, 400x+200y≤3000400x + 200y \leq 3000, x≤yx \leq y, x≥0x \geq 0, y≥0y \geq 0, with xx and yy integers.

The core of any optimisation word problem is translating real-world conditions into mathematical relationships. Here, we have two types of vans — large and small — each with a carrying capacity and a cost. The goal is to move exactly 1200 packages at minimum cost, but we are limited by a budget of Rs 3000 and a rule that the number of large vans cannot exceed the number of small vans.

Let’s break it down step by step.

  1. Define the decision variables

    Let xx = number of large vans used, and yy = number of small vans used.

    These are the quantities we can choose. Since we cannot hire a fraction of a van, xx and yy are non-negative integers — but in a standard LPP formulation, we first write them as ≥0\geq 0 and note the integer condition separately if needed.

  2. Objective function: minimise cost

    Each large van costs Rs 400, each small van costs Rs 200.

    Total cost Z=400x+200yZ = 400x + 200y.

    We want to minimise ZZ.

  3. Constraint 1: Capacity

    Large van carries 200 packages, small van carries 80.

    Total packages carried = 200x+80y200x + 80y.

    This must be at least 1200 (we can carry more, but not less):

200x+80y≥1200200x + 80y \geq 1200

  1. Constraint 2: Budget Total cost cannot exceed Rs 3000:

400x+200y≤3000400x + 200y \leq 3000

  1. Constraint 3: Large vans ≤ small vans The number of large vans cannot exceed the number of small vans:

x≤yx \leq y

  1. Non-negativity constraints You cannot hire a negative number of vans: x≥0,y≥0x \geq 0, \quad y \geq 0 …

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