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Linear programming (LP), also called linear optimization, is a method to achieve the best outcome (such as maximum profit or lowest cost) in a mathematical model whose requirements and objective are represented by linear relationships. Linear programming is a special case of mathematical programming (also known as mathematical optimization).
Some geometric optimization problems may be expressed as LP-type problems in which the number of elements in the LP-type formulation is significantly greater than the number of input data values for the optimization problem. As an example, consider a collection of n points in the plane, each
Design optimization applies the methods of mathematical optimization to design problem formulations and it is sometimes used interchangeably with the term engineering optimization. When the objective function f is a vector rather than a scalar, the problem becomes a multi-objective optimization one.
For example, it is not possible to build 3.7 cars. The integer variables represent decisions (e.g. whether to include an edge in a graph) and so should only take on the value 0 or 1. These considerations occur frequently in practice and so integer linear programming can be used in many applications areas, some of which are briefly described below.
Such a formulation is called an optimization problem or a mathematical programming problem (a term not directly related to computer programming, but still in use for example in linear programming – see History below). Many real-world and theoretical problems may be modeled in this general framework. Since the following is valid:
In mathematical optimization, the fundamental theorem of linear programming states, in a weak formulation, that the maxima and minima of a linear function over a convex polygonal region occur at the region's corners.
Multi-objective linear programming is a subarea of mathematical optimization. A multiple objective linear program (MOLP) is a linear program with more than one objective function. An MOLP is a special case of a vector linear program. Multi-objective linear programming is also a subarea of Multi-objective optimization.
Given a transformation between input and output values, described by a mathematical function, optimization deals with generating and selecting the best solution from some set of available alternatives, by systematically choosing input values from within an allowed set, computing the output of the function and recording the best output values found during the process.