An Illustrated Guide to Linear Programming

by Saul I. Gass

Entertaining, nontechnical introduction covers basic concepts of linear programming and its relationship to operations research; geometric interpretation and problem solving, solution techniques, network problems, much more. Appendix offers precise statements of definitions, theorems, and techniques, additional computational procedures. Only high-school algebra needed. Bibliography.

Genres: Mathematics, Science

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1970

Reviews

[Miles Jaffee]

If I found this in high school, it would have been like a spaceship crashing in my backyard. I would have become enamored by it, majored in economics, business, or industrial systems, and probably regretted the decision because of the mushy interpersonal vagueness of those fields in practice. As it is, as a practitioner of the slightly 'harder' computer science, I felt like this was not for me at all. We did the travelling salesman problem in sophomore year, and here's this guy trying to explain it to pig farmers and truck drivers (not to diminish those two noble lines of work) in 1970. The abrupt jump to hard mathematics in the last chapter also left something to be desired.

[Lucille Nguyen]

Is what it says it is: an illustrated introductory guide to linear programming. Covers simple linear optimization problems, introduces the simplex method, offers an appendix for further learning. Good for what it sets out to do.

[Liam]

"This type of diet problem was first formulated in the early 1940s -- before the discovery of the mathematics and solution procedures of linear programming. At that time, and economist, George J. Stigler, formulated a 77-food, nutrient-diet problem, using 1939 costs of the foods. Stigler's approach was by trial and error. ... His solution called for the use of only five foods at a total yearly cost of $39.93. ... The true minimum cost diet obtained by linear programming methods called for nine foods ... with a slightly better yearly cost of $39.67." (33-4)

"In situations ... where the newfangled mathematics is pitted against human experience, it is psychologically and strategically important to obtain the cooperation and interaction of the human element." (53)

[Valerie]

Not the most fun reading, but a great book on one of the most fascinating subjects in useful mathematics.