Chapter 4.3, Problem 24E

Animal Food An animal food must provide at least 54 units of vitamins and 60 calories per serving. One gram of soybean meal provides 2.5 units of vitamins and 5 calories. One gram of meat byproducts provides 4.5 units of vitamins and 3 calories. One gram of grain provides 5 units of vitamins and 10 calories, A gram of soybean meal costs 8ȼ, a gram of meal byproducts 9ȼ, and a gram of grain 10ȼ.

(a) What mixture of these three ingredients will provide the required vitamins and calories at minimum cost?

(b) What is the minimum cost?

(c) There is more than one optimal basic solution to this problem. The answer found in part (a) depends on whether the tie in the minimum ratio rule was broken by pivoting on the second row or third tow of the dual. Find the other solution.