BINARY INTEGER PROGRAMMING

INTRODUCTION
There are numerous applications of integer programming in which the problem includes a certain number
The decisions are either yes or no interrelated. In situations of this type, the only two possible choices
yes or no. For example, should a certain project be undertaken?, should something be done?
Capital investment? Should the production plant be located in a specific place?

Since these problems involve only two possibilities, this type of decision can be
represent using decision variables restricted to only two values: 0 and 1. In this way, the
the i-th decision yes or no can be represented by such that

Variables of this type are called binary (or 0-1 variables). Consequently, sometimes it is done.
reference to integer programming problems that contain only binary variables such as
binary integer programming problems (BIP or IP) or 0-1 integer programming problems.

SOME APPLICATIONS OF BINARY INTEGER PROGRAMMING

Investment analysis
o Should a certain supplier be preferred?
o Should a new production line be added?
Site selection
o Should a specific place be chosen for the location of a certain new facility?
Design of a production and distribution network
o Should a certain plant remain open?
o Should a new distribution branch be opened?
Assignments
o Should a certain worker be placed in a specific job position?
o Should a certain type of aircraft be assigned to a particular route?
Programming of interrelated activities
o When should the production of the new orders begin?
o When should the new products be marketed?
o Should a certain activity start at a given time?

SPECIAL CASES: INNOVATIVE USES OF BINARY VARIABLES

RESTRICTIONS ONE OR ANOTHER

Situation in which one must choose between two constraints, in such a way that only one of them
must be fulfilled.

For example, let the following restrictions be considered, of which only one should be taken into account in
the model:

()
()

Reformulate the constraints considering a very large positive number (M) on the right side of
this will result in the effect of removing one of them, as follows:

()
 ( )()

Note that if the variable y takes the value of zero, the first constraint remains with <= 6000 on its side.
right, but in the second it would have <= 6000 + M, by adding a number so large to 6000, the
the right side is as if it remains: <= INFINITE thus no longer being a restriction. The restriction that
It would prevail would be the first. The situation is completely opposite if the variable had been.
taking the value of 1; in that case, the restriction that would remain would be the second.

THE RESTRICTIONS MUST BE COMPLIED WITH

In this type of problem that consists of N constraints, only K of them must be met.
What really happens is that the unchosen N—K restrictions are eliminated from the problem.
Note that this situation is a generalization of the previous case which had K=1 and N=2.

Let the following restrictions be:

Applying the same logic as in the previous case, considering that at least two of the restrictions
it would result in the following:

( )

RESTRICTIONS WITH POSSIBLE VALUES

Situation in which it is required that a constraint takes any of N given values. Being by
Example for the following restriction that can take on the value of 15, 18 or
20:

The restriction would be transformed into:

( )

CONSIDERATION OF FIXED COST

When starting an activity or process, inherent costs are usually incurred at the beginning of it.
activity that is not directly related to the quantity to be produced. This cost is not
proportional to the level of production as variable cost usually is.

In the following mathematical model, the consideration of fixed cost can be seen.

( )
( )
Subject to:

( )
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EXAMPLES
EXAMPLE 1
The research and development division of a plastic products factory has been
developing four possible lines of new products. Management must now make a decision.
decision on which of these four products will be produced and at what levels. It has been requested that
formulate a mathematical programming model to find the best mixture of products
profitable.
The response in the production of any product comes with a substantial cost, which
It is provided in the following table. The net marginal income of each unit is also given.
produced.
Article 1
Cost 55 40 76 68
Utility 70 60 90 80

Due to company policies, management has imposed the following restrictions on these variables:
No more than two of these products can be produced.
Product 3 can only be produced if either product 1 or 2 is produced.
A total capital of $200 is available to invest in these projects.
Investment opportunities 3 and 4 are mutually exclusive.
Maximize total utility by deciding which items should be put into production.

Mathematical model:

( )

Solution:

EXAMPLE 2
A coach intends to choose the starting lineup for his basketball team. His selection consists of
of the 7 players who are qualified (on a scale of 1: bad and 3: excellent) according to their
ball handling, shooting, rebounds, and defensive skills. The positions in which each player
he is allowed to escape and the player's abilities are as follows:

Player Position Management of Shots Bounce Defense

ball
1 D 3 3 1 3
2 C 2 1 3 2
3 D-O 2 3 2 2
4 O-C 1 3 3 1
5 D-O 3 3 3 3
6 O-C 3 1 2 3
7 D-O 3 2 2 1
Defensive

The initial team of five players must meet the following conditions:
At least 3 members must be able to play defensively, at least 2 elements
they must go on the offensive and one will be in the center.
The average level of ball handling, shooting, and rebounding of the players in the starting lineup
it has to be at least 2.
Player 2 or Player 3 must start, but not both.
If player 3 were to start playing, then player 6 cannot play.
both or enter only player 6)
If player 1 starts, then members 4 and 5 must also play, otherwise, one of these or
both could enter.
Given these restrictions, the coach wants to maximize the team's total defense capacity.
initial. Formulate a PEB that helps the coach choose their starting team.

Mathematical model:

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( )
( )
( )
( )
( )
( )
( )
( )
( )

( )

EXAMPLE 3
A distributor decides to rent premises to establish warehouses in some regions. In the table
Attached are the three candidate warehouses that you can rent, their monthly costs of
rental, the maximum number of trucks that can load and dispatch in a month, the demand
monthly truck load for each of the four districts that you wish to serve and the cost
average of sending a truck from each warehouse to each district.
 Cost per truck Capacity Cost of
sales district monthly rental (S/.)
(S/.) (trucks)
Warehouse1 2 3 4
A 170 40 70 160 200 7750
B 150 195 100 10 250 4000
C 100 240 140 60 300 5500
Demand 100 90 110 60

Determine which warehouses to rent and the distribution plan to minimize total costs.

Mathematical model:

( )( )

Demands:

Do not exceed the capacity and rent the warehouse if at least one order is fulfilled from there.

Solution:

EXAMPLE 4
Graña has six projects to carry out in the next semester, so he must already be preparing for
personal for the start of the works, the economic data of each project is:
Path Projects Supermarket Houses Apartments Parks Bridges
Benefit
(thousands of $)
50 60 70 80 90 50

According to the company's conditions, the following conditions must be met:

The road is made so that the supermarket can be built. If the supermarket is not born, then the
A path could be made to benefit the neighboring houses.
One of the projects Camino and Departamentos must be chosen at most.
The Houses project could be carried out if the Apartments project and/or the project is done.
Parks.
Out of the six projects, four projects must be chosen.
The Departments project can be done if the House project is done and not the project.
Bridges.
Develop a PLB model to help Grafía choose its projects.

LINGO Solution:

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BINARY PROGRAMMING MODELING AND SOLUTION BY SOFTWARE

PROBLEM 1
A young couple, Carlos and Sara, want to divide the main household tasks (shopping, cooking,
washing dishes and washing clothes) between the two, so that each one has two responsibilities and that the
the total time to complete these tasks is minimized. The efficiency in each of the tasks varies
among them; the following table provides the time each one needs for each task:
Hours needed per week
Purchases (A) Cooking (B) Washing dishes (C) Washing clothes (D)
Carlos (1) 4.5 7.8 3.6 2.9
Sara (2) 4.9 7.2 4.3 3.1

Formulate a binary integer programming model and solve it using software.

PROBLEM 2
Graña has six projects to undertake in the next semester, so he must already be preparing for them.
personal for the start of the works, the economic data for each project is:
Projects Path Supermarket Houses Departments Parks Bridges
Benefit 50 60 70 80 90 50
(thousands of $)

According to the company's conditions, the following conditions must be met:

The road is made for the supermarket to be built. If the supermarket is not built, the
a path could be made to benefit the neighboring houses.
From the Camino and Departments projects, one at most must be chosen.
The Houses project could be done if the Apartments project and/or the project is done.
Parks.
From the six projects, four projects must be chosen.
The Apartments project can be done if the House project is done and not the project.
Bridges.
Develop a PLB model to help Graña choose its projects.

PROBLEM 3
A shopping mall has 10,000 m2of space to rent and wants to determine the amount of
stores because of the business they would have to install, The table provides the minimum numbers and
maximum number of stores per type of business (along with the area in m²2what they occupy).
Type of Store Surface (m)2) Min Max.
Jewelry 500 1 3
Shoe store 600 1 3
Appliances 1500 1 3
Bookstore 700 0 3
Telephony 900 1 3

The annual profit of each type of business will depend on the number of stores of each type installed in the
shopping center. This dependence is shown in the following table:

Profit per number of stores (thousands of $)

Type 1 2 3
Jewelry 9 8 7
Shoe store 10 9 5
Appliances 27 21 20
Bookstore 16 9 7
Telephony 17 13 10

Therefore, if there are 2 appliance stores in the shopping mall, each generates profits.
for $21,000 a year. Each business pays 5% of its profit as rent.
Formulate an integer programming problem whose solution will indicate how to maximize revenue from
rentals in the shopping center

Suggested reading

INTRODUCTION TO OPERATIONS RESEARCH

Hillier—Lieberman.
McGraw-Hill (Eighth edition)
2006
Innovative uses of binary variables in model formulation
Chapter 11 Integer Programming Page 487