Chapter 3: Assignment Problem

 Assignment problem is an special type of LPP. It

deals with allocating the various resources or items
to various activities on one to one basis in such
away that the time or cost involved in minimizing &
sales and profit maximized.
 Several problems of management has a structure
identical to with the assignment problem.
 For instance, HOD may have 6 people available for
assignment and 6 courses to assign on. He may like
to know which job should be assigned to which
person so that all these jobs can be completed in
the shortest possible time.
 Assignment Problem cont…
• Likewise a truck company, may have an empty truck in
each cities of 1,2,3,4,5 ,6 & needs an empty truck in
each cities of A,B,C,D.E,F.
• He likes to ascertain the assignment of trucks to various
cities so as to minimize the total distance covered.
• It may noted that with ‘n’ facilitation and ‘n’ jobs , there
are ‘n’ possible assignments.
• Now in the assumption that each one of the person can
perform each one of the job, one at a time. Then the
problem is to find an assignment in which job should be
assigned to one job person so that Total Cost of
performing all the job is minimized.
 Table of an assignment problem
• For this purpose the assignment problem is
constructed as follows:
Person jobs Total

1 2 3 …ith… n 1

1 c11 c12 c13 ……. c1n 1

2 c21 c22 c23 ……. c2n 1

3 c31 c32 c33 …… c3n 1

ith cij

n cn1 cn2 cn3 1 1

Total 1 1 1 ……. 1 n
 Assignment problem cont…
• There are finite no. of person & jobs and all the
persons are capable of taking up all the jobs with
different time or costs.
• Here cij is the cost or time or effectiveness, when
ith person is assigned to jth job.
• This is special case of transportation problem where
m=n.
• It may, however, be easily observed that any BFS of
an assignment problem contains(2n-1) variables of
which(n-1) variables are zero.
 Hungarian Method HAM
The Hungarian mathematician D. Koning developed
simpler & more efficient method of solving assignment
problem which is known as Hungarian techniques or
method.
 The Hungarian Method based on following principles:
 If a constant is added to every element of a row
/column of the cost of matrix of an assignment
problem the resulting assignment problem has the
same optimum solution as the origin problem and vice
versa.
 The solution having zero total cost is considered as
optimum solution.
 HAM cont…
 Steps to Follow:
When the objective function is that of the
minimization type. The HAM assignment problem
can be summarized in the following steps:
Step 1.starting with the 1st row, locate the smallest
cost element in each row of the cost table.
Now subtract this this smallest element in that row.
As result there shall be at least 1 zero in each row of
this new table.
 Steps in HAM
Step 2: in the reduced cost table obtained in step 1 ,
consider each column and locate the smallest element
in it. Subtract the smallest element in each column
from every element of that column.
 As result of this step, there would be at least 1 zero in
each rows and column of the 2nd reduced cost table.
Step 3: make an assignment for the reduced matrix
obtained from step 1 & 2 in the following way:
i). Examine the rows successively, until a row with
exactly 1 zero is found make an assignment to this
single zero by putting square around it & cross out all
other zeros appearing in the corresponding column.
 Steps cont…
-as they will not be used to make other any other
assignment in that column. Proceed in this manner
until all rows have been examined.
ii). Examine the column successively until column with
exactly 1 zero is found.
 Make an assignment to this single 0 by putting square
around it and cross out all the other 0s appearing in the
corresponding rows. Proceed in this manner until all
columns are examined.
iii). Repeat step 3(i) to 3(iii) until all 0s in the rows and
columns are either marked or crossed out.
 If the no of assignment(marked)= m or n then it is an
optimal solution
 Steps cont…
There may be some row or column without
assignment, in such case, we proceed to step 4.
Step 4: draw the minimum no of horizontal and
vertical lines necessary to cover all the 0s in the
reduced matrix obtained from step no 3 in the
following way:
a. Mark() all rows that do not have an assignment.
b. Mark() all columns that have 0 in the marked
rows step 4(a).
c. mark() all rows (not al ready marked) that have
assignment in the marked column (step 4(b).
 Steps cont…
d. Repeat step 4(a) to 4(c) until no more rows and
columns can be marked.
e. Draw straight lines through all un marked rows and
marked columns.
It may be pointed out that you may also draw the
minimum no of lines to cover all 0s by inspection.
 It should be however, be observed that in all n×n
matrices less than ‘n’ lines will cover 0s only when
there is no solution among them.
 Conversely, if the minimum no of lines required for
covering all the 0s is ‘n’ then the solution stage has
reached .
 Steps cont…
Step 5: if the no of lines drawn = n or m , then the
solution is optimal. Other wise, go step6.
 Step 6 Select the smallest element among all the
uncovered elements. Subtract this smallest
element from all the uncovered elements and add it
to the element which lies at the intersection of the
two lines. Then we obtain another reduced matrix
for fresh assignment.
 Step 7: Go to step 3 and repeat the procedures until
the no of assignment become = to no of m or n.
 Example
Company is faced with the problem of assigning five jobs to five
machines ; each job must be done on only one machine; the cost of
processing each job on each machine is given below in Birr:

Machines

M1 M2 M3 M4 M5

J1 7 5 9 8 11

Jobs J2 9 12 7 11 10

J3 8 5 4 6 9

J4 7 3 6 9 5

J5 4 6 7 5 11
 1st Reduced assignment problem
Machines

M1 M2 M3 M4 M5

J1 2 0 4 3 6

Jobs J2 2 5 0 4 3

J3 4 1 0 2 5

J4 4 0 3 6 2

J5 0 2 3 1 7
2nd Column wise reduced assignment table
Machines

M1 M2 M3 M4 M5

J1 2 0 4 2 4

Jobs J2 2 5 0 3 1

J3 4 1 0 X 1 3

J4 4 0 X 3 5 0

J5 0 2 3 0 X 5
 Solution Drawing lines cont…
machines

M1 M2 M3 M4 M5

J1 2 0 4 2 4

Jobs J2 2 5 0 3 1 

J3 4 1 0 1 3

J4 4 0 3 5 0

J5 0 2 3 0 5

 Solution cont…
Machines

M1 M2 M3 M4 M5

J1 2 0 5 2 4

J2 1 4 0 2 0 X

J3 3 0 X 0 X 0 2

J4 4 0 X 4 5 0

J5 0 2 4 0 X 5
 The optimal solution is reached.
Assign job To machine Cost in birr

J1 M2 5

J2 M3 7

J3 M4 6

J4 M5 5

J5 M1 4
Minimum Total cost = Birr 27.00
 Class Activity
Consider the f/f problem of assigning 5 jobs to 5
person. The assignment cost is given as follows:
jobs

1 2 3 4 5

A 8 4 2 6 1

Persons B 0 9 5 5 4

C 3 8 9 2 6

D 4 3 1 0 3

E 9 5 8 9 5
 Class activity in group
Consider that is producing a single product & is
selling it through 5 agencies situated in different
cities. All of the sudden, there is a demand for the
product in another 5 cities not having any agency of
the company. The company is faced with problem
of deciding on how to assign the existing agencies
to dispatch the products to the needy cities in such
away that the total travelling distance is minimized.
The distance b/n the surplus & deficit cities(KM) is
given in the following table.
 Assignment table
Deficit Cities

1 2 3 4 5

A 10 5 9 18 11

Surplus B 13 19 6 12 14
Cities

C 3 2 4 4 5

D 8 9 12 17 15

E 11 6 14 19 10
 Answer for class activity
Deficit Cities

1 2 3 4 5

A 0 X 0 1 7 X 0

Surplus B 5 16 0 3 5
cities

C 0 X 4 3 0 1

D 4 0 0 X 2 X0

E 2 2 7 9 0
 Special cases in assignment problem
Maximization case in Assignment Problem
In some cases, of the pay off elements of the
assignment problem may represent revenue or
profit instead of costs so that the objective will be
maximizing profit . In such cases, the maximization
must be converted into minimization by selecting
the largest elements among all elements of the
profit matrix and subtracting all elements from it.
And proceed as usual.
 Max.
machines

A B C D E

1 32 38 40 28 40

Jobs 2 40 24 28 21 36

3 41 27 33 30 37

4 22 38 41 36 36

5 29 33 40 35 39
Converting Maximization problem

A B C D E

1 9 3 1 13 1

2 1 17 13 20 5

3 0 14 8 11 4

4 19 3 0 5 5

5 12 8 1 6 2
 Unbalanced Assignment Problem
Whether the pay off assignment problem is not
square matrix .i.e. the number of m not equal to the
number of n.
jobs

J1 J2 J3 J4 J5 Dummy
column
M1 6 2 5 2 6 0

M2 2 5 8 7 7 0

Machines M3 7 8 6 9 8 0

M4 6 2 3 4 5 0

M5 9 3 8 9 7 0

M6 4 7 4 6 8 0
 Alternative optimal solutions
Is the situation in which decision maker has two
equally options.
Example: The foreman of a machine shop wants to
determine a minimum cost matching for operators
and machines. The foreman has determined hourly
cost for of four operators for the four machines, as
shown in the following cost table.
 Assignment table of alternative
solutions
machines

A B C D

1
70 80 75 64

operators 2
55 52 58 54

3
58 56 64 68

4
62 60 67 70
 Prohibited /constrained Assignment
prob.
Sometimes due to certain reasons an assignment can
not be made in a particular cell.
To explain prohibited assignments let us consider a
case where 3 workers are available to work with
the machine and respective cost( in birr ) associated
with each workers are given below. further do to
certain reasons worker 1 and worker2 can not be
assigned to machine 4 and machine 3 respectively.
 Machine s

M1 M2 M3 M4

W1 12 3 6 -

Workers W2 4 11 - 5

W3 8 2 10 9
 Assignment problem cont…
Solve the f/f assignment problem. The data given in
the below table shows production in units.
A B C D

1 10 5 7 8

2 11 4 9 10

3 8 4 9 7

4 7 5 6 4

5 8 9 7 5
 Example
• Assume that a city corporation has decided to carry
out road repair on 4 main entries of the city. The gov’t
has agreed make a special grant of $ 53 lakhs as
toward the cost with condition that the repair must be
done at the lowest cost and quickest time. If the
condition warrant that supplementary grant will also
be considered favorably. The corporation has floated
tenders and 5 contractors have sent in their bids.
Order to expedite work, one road will be awarded to
only one contractor.
• Find the best way of assigning the repair work to the
contractors and costs *If it is necessary to seek
supplementary, what should be the amount?
 City corporation assignment table.
Contractors

R1 R2 R3 R4

C1 9 14 19 15

C2 7 17 20 19

C3 9 18 21 18

C4 10 12 18 19

C5 10 15 21 16
 Travelling salesman Problem
• The travelling salesman problem may be solved as
assignment problem, with two additional conditions
on the choice of assignment. That is how should a
travelling salesman travel starting from his home
city visiting each city only once and returning to his
home city so that total distance(cost/time) covered
is minimum.
 Example:
• A travelling salesman has to visit five cities. He
wishes to start from particular city, visit each city
once and then return to his starting point.
Travelling salesman cost (in ‘000 birr) of each city
from a particular city is given below:
From
City Home work
To City
A B C D E

A ∞ 7 6 8 4

B 7 ∞ 8 5 6

C 6 8 ∞ 9 7

D 8 5 9 ∞ 8

E 4 6 7 8 ∞
From To City
City

A B C D E

A ∞ 2 5 7 1

B 2 ∞ 3 8 2

C 5 3 ∞ 4 7

D 7 8 4 ∞ 5

E 1 2 7 5 ∞