Aunt Anastasia Operates a Small Business: She Produces Seasonal Ceramic

question 76

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:
$\text { Adjustable Cells }$
$\begin{array}{ccccccc}\hline\text { Cell } & \text { Name } & \begin{array}{c}\text { Final } \\\text { Value }\end{array} & \begin{array}{c}\text { Reduced } \\\text { Cost }\end{array} & \begin{array}{c}\text { Objective } \\\text { Coefficient }\end{array} & \begin{array}{c}\text { Allowable } \\\text { Increase }\end{array} & \begin{array}{c}\text { Allowable } \\\text { Decrease }\end{array} \\\hline \$ C \$ 18 & \text { Baskets } & 25 & 0 & 2.5 & 1 \mathrm{E}+30 & 0.5 \\\hline \text { \$C\$19 } & \text { Eggs } & 0 & -1 & 1.5 & 1 & 1 \mathrm{E}+30 \\\hline \text { \$C\$20 } & \text { Rabbits } & 25 & 0 & 2 & 0.5 & 1 \mathrm{E}+30\end{array}$


$\text { Constraints }$
$\begin{array}{ccccccc}\hline\text { Cell } & \text { Name } & \begin{array}{c}\text { Final } \\\text { Value }\end{array} & \begin{array}{c}\text { Shadow } \\\text { Price }\end{array} & \begin{array}{c}\text { Constraint } \\\text { R.H. Side }\end{array} & \begin{array}{c}\text { Allowable } \\\text { Increase }\end{array} & \begin{array}{c}\text { Allowable } \\\text { Decrease }\end{array} \\\hline \$ G \$ 13 & \text { Mix/mold } & 18.75 & 0 & 20 & 1 \mathrm{E}+30 & 1.25 \\\hline \$ G \$ 14 & \text { Kiln } & 50 & 2.5 & 50 & 2.5 & 25 \\\hline \$ G \$ 15 & \text { Paint and Seal } & 25 & 0 & 80 & 1 \mathrm{E}+30 & 55 \\\hline \text { \$G } \$16 & \text { Demand } & 25 & -0.5 & 25 & 25 & 5 \\\hline\end{array}$
-Suppose the charitable organization contacted Aunt Anastasia and told her that they had underestimated the amount of rabbits they needed. Instead of 25 rabbits, they need 35. How would this affect Aunt Anastasia's profits?

• A) Profits would increase by $5.
• B) Profits would decrease by $5
• C) Profits would increase by $2.50
• D) Profits would decrease by $2.50

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Definitions:

Competitive Forces

Market dynamics that impact the competitive landscape, often analyzed through frameworks like Porter's Five Forces, including threats from new entrants, bargaining power of suppliers and buyers, threats from substitute products, and rivalry among existing competitors.

Porter

Often associated with Michael E. Porter, an economist who developed the Five Forces Framework to analyze competitive forces within an industry.

Framework

A basic structure underlying a system, concept, or text.

Financial Crisis

A situation where the value of financial institutions or assets drops rapidly and the overall economy faces significant difficulties.