Aunt Anastasia Operates a Small Business: She Produces Seasonal Ceramic

Multiple Choice

Aunt Anastasia operates a small business: she produces seasonal ceramic objects to sell to tourists. For the spring, she is planning to make baskets, eggs, and rabbits. Based on your discussion with your aunt you construct the following table:
$$\begin{array} { l c c c c } \text { Product } & \begin{array} { c } \text { Mix/mold } \\\text { requirements (lb) }\end{array} & \begin{array} { c } \text { Kiln } \\\text { (units) }\end{array} & \begin{array} { c } \text { Paint \& Seal } \\\text { (hr) }\end{array} & \begin{array} { c } \text { Profit/product } \\\text { (\$) }\end{array} \\\hline \text { Baskets } & 0.500 & 1 & 0.250 & \$ 2.50 \\\text { Eggs } & 0.333 & 1 & 0.333 & \$ 1.50 \\\text { Rabbits } & 0.250 & 1 & 0.750 & \$ 2.00 \\\text { Capacity } & 20 \text { pounds } & 50 \text { units } & 80 \text { hours } & \\\hline\end{array}$$ Your aunt also has committed to make 25 rabbits for a charitable organization. Based on the information in the table, you formulate the problem as a linear program.
B = number of baskets produced
E = number of eggs produced
R = number of rabbits produced
MAX 2.5B + 1.5E + 2R
s.t.
0.5B + 0.333E + 0.25R ≤ 20
B + E + R ≤ 50
0.25B + 0.333E + 0.75R ≤ 80
R ≥ 25
The Excel solution and the answer and sensitivity report are shown below.
The Answer Report:
$\begin{array}{l}\text { Target Cell (Max) }\\\begin{array}{cccc}\hline \text { Cell } & \text { Name } & \begin{array}{c}\text { Original } \\\text { Value }\end{array} & \text { Final Value } \\\hline \$ C \$ 21 & \text { Profit } & 0 & \$ 112.5\end{array}\end{array}$

$\text { Adjustable Cells }$
$\begin{array}{cccc}\text { Cell } & \text { Name } & \begin{array}{c}\text { Original } \\\text { Value }\end{array} & \text { Final Value } \\\hline \$ C \$ 18 & \text { Baskets } & 0 & 25 \\\hline\$ C \$ 19 & \text { Eggs } & 0 & 0 \\\hline\$ C \$ 20 & \text { Rabbits } & 0 & 25\\\hline\end{array}$

$\text { Constraints }$
$\begin{array}{cccccc}\hline\text { Cell } & \text { Name } & \text { Cell Value } & \text { Formula } & \text { Status } & \text { Slack } \\\hline & & & & \text { Not } & \\\text { \$G\$13 } & \text { Mix/mold } & 18.75 & \text { \$G\$13<=\$F\$13 } & \text { Binding } & 1.25 \\\hline\text { \$G\$14 } & \text { Kiln } & 50 & \text { \$G\$14<=\$F\$14 } & \text { Binding } & 0 \\\hline & & & & & \text { Not } \\\text { \$G\$15 } & \text { Paint and Seal } & 25 & \text { \$G\$15<=\$F\$15 } & \text { Binding } & 55 \\\hline \text { \$G\$16 } & \text { Demand } & 25 & \text { \$G\$16>=\$F\$16 } & \text { Binding } & 0\end{array}$ The Sensitivity Report:
$\text { Adjustable Cells }$
$\begin{array}{ccccccc}\hline\text { Cell } & \text { Name } & \begin{array}{c}\text { Final } \\\text { Value }\end{array} & \begin{array}{c}\text { Reduced } \\\text { Cost }\end{array} & \begin{array}{c}\text { Objective } \\\text { Coefficient }\end{array} & \begin{array}{c}\text { Allowable } \\\text { Increase }\end{array} & \begin{array}{c}\text { Allowable } \\\text { Decrease }\end{array} \\\hline \$ C \$ 18 & \text { Baskets } & 25 & 0 & 2.5 & 1 \mathrm{E}+30 & 0.5 \\\hline \text { \$C\$19 } & \text { Eggs } & 0 & -1 & 1.5 & 1 & 1 \mathrm{E}+30 \\\hline \text { \$C\$20 } & \text { Rabbits } & 25 & 0 & 2 & 0.5 & 1 \mathrm{E}+30\end{array}$


$\text { Constraints }$
$\begin{array}{ccccccc}\hline\text { Cell } & \text { Name } & \begin{array}{c}\text { Final } \\\text { Value }\end{array} & \begin{array}{c}\text { Shadow } \\\text { Price }\end{array} & \begin{array}{c}\text { Constraint } \\\text { R.H. Side }\end{array} & \begin{array}{c}\text { Allowable } \\\text { Increase }\end{array} & \begin{array}{c}\text { Allowable } \\\text { Decrease }\end{array} \\\hline \$ G \$ 13 & \text { Mix/mold } & 18.75 & 0 & 20 & 1 \mathrm{E}+30 & 1.25 \\\hline \$ G \$ 14 & \text { Kiln } & 50 & 2.5 & 50 & 2.5 & 25 \\\hline \$ G \$ 15 & \text { Paint and Seal } & 25 & 0 & 80 & 1 \mathrm{E}+30 & 55 \\\hline \text { \$G } \$16 & \text { Demand } & 25 & -0.5 & 25 & 25 & 5 \\\hline\end{array}$
-Aunt Anastasia is planning for next spring, and she is considering making only two products. Based on the results from the linear program, which two products would you recommend that she make?

A) baskets and eggs
B) baskets and rabbits
C) eggs and rabbits
D) She should continue to make all three.