*1.
Northwest Corner Method*
1. The Northwest Corner Method is used to find:
a) Optimal solution
b) Initial basic feasible solution
c) Final solution
d) None of these
*Answer: b) Initial basic feasible solution*
2. In the Northwest Corner Method, we start allocating from:
a) Top-left cell
b) Top-right cell
c) Bottom-left cell
d) Any cell
*Answer: a) Top-left cell*
3. The Northwest Corner Method is applied to:
a) Transportation problems
b) Assignment problems
c) Network problems
d) Sequencing problems
*Answer: a) Transportation problems*
4. If supply = demand in a transportation problem, it is called:
a) Balanced
b) Unbalanced
c) Degenerate
d) None of these
*Answer: a) Balanced*
5. The main disadvantage of the Northwest Corner Method is:
a) It gives an optimal solution
b) It ignores costs
c) It is complex
d) It is time-consuming
*Answer: b) It ignores costs*
6. In the Northwest Corner Method, allocations are made based on:
a) Lowest cost
b) Highest cost
c) Supply and demand only
d) None of these
*Answer: c) Supply and demand only*
7. The number of basic cells in a transportation problem with m sources and n
destinations is:
a) m + n
b) m + n - 1
c) m × n
d) m - n
*Answer: b) m + n - 1*
8. If a transportation problem has 3 sources and 4 destinations, the number of
basic cells will be:
a) 7
b) 6
c) 12
d) 5
*Answer: b) 6 (3 + 4 - 1 = 6)*
9. The Northwest Corner Method ensures:
a) Minimized transportation cost
b) Feasibility
c) Optimality
d) All of these
*Answer: b) Feasibility*
10. If a cell is allocated in the Northwest Corner Method, we move:
a) Right or downward
b) Left or upward
c) Diagonally
d) Randomly
*Answer: a) Right or downward*
11. The transportation problem is a special case of:
a) Linear Programming
b) Dynamic Programming
c) Integer Programming
d) None of these
*Answer: a) Linear Programming*
12. A degenerate solution occurs when the number of occupied cells is:
a) Less than m + n - 1
b) More than m + n - 1
c) Equal to m + n
d) None of these
*Answer: a) Less than m + n - 1*
13. The first step in the Northwest Corner Method is:
a) Identify the smallest cost
b) Identify the largest cost
c) Start from the top-left corner
d) None of these
*Answer: c) Start from the top-left corner*
14. The Northwest Corner Method is a:
a) Heuristic method
b) Exact method
c) Probabilistic method
d) None of these
*Answer: a) Heuristic method*
15. The main advantage of the Northwest Corner Method is:
a) It is simple
b) It guarantees optimality
c) It considers costs
d) None of these
*Answer: a) It is simple*
---
### *2. Vogel’s Approximation Method (VAM)*
1. VAM is used to find:
a) Optimal solution
b) Initial basic feasible solution
c) Final solution
d) None of these
*Answer: b) Initial basic feasible solution*
2. VAM considers:
a) Only supply
b) Only demand
c) Opportunity costs (penalties)
d) None of these
*Answer: c) Opportunity costs (penalties)*
3. The penalty in VAM is the difference between:
a) Two largest costs
b) Two smallest costs
c) Largest and smallest costs
d) None of these
*Answer: b) Two smallest costs*
4. VAM usually gives a solution closer to optimal compared to:
a) Northwest Corner Method
b) Least Cost Method
c) Both a and b
d) None of these
*Answer: a) Northwest Corner Method*
5. In VAM, if two penalties are equal, we choose:
a) The cell with the lowest cost
b) The cell with the highest cost
c) Any arbitrary cell
d) None of these
*Answer: a) The cell with the lowest cost*
6. The main advantage of VAM is:
a) It is simple
b) It gives a better initial solution
c) It is optimal
d) None of these
*Answer: b) It gives a better initial solution*
7. The first step in VAM is:
a) Calculate penalties for each row and column
b) Allocate to the smallest cost cell
c) Allocate to the top-left cell
d) None of these
*Answer: a) Calculate penalties for each row and column*
8. VAM is also known as:
a) Penalty method
b) Cost method
c) Optimal method
d) None of these
*Answer: a) Penalty method*
9. In VAM, after allocation, we:
a) Recalculate penalties
b) Stop
c) Ignore penalties
d) None of these
*Answer: a) Recalculate penalties*
10. If a row or column is exhausted in VAM, we:
a) Remove it from consideration
b) Keep it for further allocation
c) Ignore it
d) None of these
*Answer: a) Remove it from consideration*
11. VAM is most useful when:
a) Costs are similar
b) Costs vary significantly
c) Supply = Demand
d) None of these
*Answer: b) Costs vary significantly*
12. The number of allocations in VAM must be:
a) m + n - 1
b) m × n
c) m + n
d) None of these
*Answer: a) m + n - 1*
13. If degeneracy occurs in VAM, we use:
a) Dummy allocations
b) Ignore it
c) Recalculate penalties
d) None of these
*Answer: a) Dummy allocations*
14. Compared to the Least Cost Method, VAM is:
a) More accurate
b) Less accurate
c) Same
d) None of these
*Answer: a) More accurate*
15. The final step in VAM is:
a) Check for optimality using MODI
b) Stop after allocation
c) Ignore costs
d) None of these
*Answer: a) Check for optimality using MODI*
---
### *3. Assignment Model*
1. The Assignment Problem is a special case of:
a) Transportation problem
b) Linear Programming
c) Both a and b
d) None of these
*Answer: c) Both a and b*
2. The Assignment Problem is:
a) Maximization problem
b) Minimization problem
c) Both a and b
d) None of these
*Answer: b) Minimization problem*
3. The Hungarian Method is used for:
a) Transportation problems
b) Assignment problems
c) Network problems
d) None of these
*Answer: b) Assignment problems*
4. In an assignment problem, the number of rows and columns are:
a) Equal
b) Unequal
c) Any number
d) None of these
*Answer: a) Equal*
5. The time complexity of the Hungarian Method is:
a) O(n)
b) O(n²)
c) O(n³)
d) None of these
*Answer: c) O(n³)*
6. If a cost matrix is 4×4, the number of assignments will be:
a) 4
b) 8
c) 16
d) None of these
*Answer: a) 4*
7. The first step in the Hungarian Method is:
a) Row reduction
b) Column reduction
c) Both a and b
d) None of these
*Answer: a) Row reduction*
8. If an assignment problem is unbalanced, we add:
a) Dummy rows/columns
b) Zero costs
c) High costs
d) None of these
*Answer: a) Dummy rows/columns*
9. The optimality test in the Hungarian Method is done by:
a) Drawing minimum lines
b) Adding dummy cells
c) Ignoring costs
d) None of these
*Answer: a) Drawing minimum lines*
10. If the number of lines covering zeros is less than n, we:
a) Stop
b) Modify the matrix
c) Add more lines
d) None of these
*Answer: b) Modify the matrix*
11. The Hungarian Method ensures:
a) Optimal solution
b) Feasible solution
c) Both a and b
d) None of these
*Answer: a) Optimal solution*
12. In a maximization assignment problem, we convert it to minimization by:
a) Subtracting all costs from the maximum cost
b) Adding dummy rows
c) Ignoring costs
d) None of these
*Answer: a) Subtracting all costs from the maximum cost*
13. If an assignment problem has a dummy worker, it means:
a) The task remains unassigned
b) The worker is extra
c) Both a and b
d) None of these
*Answer: a) The task remains unassigned*
14. The main advantage of the Hungarian Method is:
a) It is simple
b) It guarantees optimality
c) It works for large problems
d) None of these
*Answer: b) It guarantees optimality*
15. The number of steps in the Hungarian Method is:
a) Fixed
b) Variable
c) Depends on the problem
d) None of these
**Answer: c) Depends on the problem
### *4. Maximization & Unbalanced Assignment Models*
1. *In a maximization assignment problem, we first convert it into a minimization
problem by:*
a) Subtracting all entries from the largest entry
b) Adding all entries to the smallest entry
c) Taking reciprocals of all entries
d) None of these
*Answer: a) Subtracting all entries from the largest entry*
2. *An unbalanced assignment problem occurs when:*
a) Number of rows ≠ number of columns
b) Number of rows = number of columns
c) Costs are negative
d) None of these
*Answer: a) Number of rows ≠ number of columns*
3. *To balance an unbalanced assignment problem, we add:*
a) Dummy rows/columns with zero costs
b) Dummy rows/columns with high costs
c) Negative costs
d) None of these
*Answer: a) Dummy rows/columns with zero costs*
4. *The Hungarian method can be applied to:*
a) Only minimization problems
b) Only maximization problems
c) Both minimization and maximization problems
d) None of these
*Answer: c) Both minimization and maximization problems*
5. *In a maximization problem, the optimal assignment corresponds to:*
a) The minimum cost after conversion
b) The maximum cost before conversion
c) Any arbitrary assignment
d) None of these
*Answer: b) The maximum cost before conversion*
6. *If a 4×5 assignment problem is given, how many dummy rows/columns are needed?*
a) 1 dummy column
b) 1 dummy row
c) 0 dummy rows/columns
d) None of these
*Answer: b) 1 dummy row (to make it 5×5)*
7. *The key difference between balanced and unbalanced assignment problems is:*
a) The number of tasks and workers
b) The cost matrix symmetry
c) The presence of negative costs
d) None of these
*Answer: a) The number of tasks and workers*
8. *In a maximization assignment problem, the Hungarian method works by:*
a) Converting it into an equivalent minimization problem
b) Directly solving it without conversion
c) Ignoring the cost matrix
d) None of these
*Answer: a) Converting it into an equivalent minimization problem*
9. *If an assignment problem has 3 workers and 5 jobs, it is:*
a) Balanced
b) Unbalanced
c) Degenerate
d) None of these
*Answer: b) Unbalanced*
10. *After balancing an assignment problem, the number of rows and columns:*
a) Must be equal
b) Can be unequal
c) Depends on the costs
d) None of these
*Answer: a) Must be equal*
11. *The optimal solution for an unbalanced assignment problem ensures:*
a) All real tasks are assigned
b) Dummy tasks may remain unassigned
c) Both a and b
d) None of these
*Answer: c) Both a and b*
12. *In a maximization problem, if the largest entry in the cost matrix is 10, then
the converted minimization matrix will have entries as:*
a) (10 – original cost)
b) (Original cost – 10)
c) (1 / Original cost)
d) None of these
*Answer: a) (10 – original cost)*
13. *If an assignment problem has 4 workers and 4 jobs but one worker cannot
perform a specific job, we represent it by:*
a) Assigning a very high cost (M) to that cell
b) Assigning zero cost to that cell
c) Removing that cell
d) None of these
*Answer: a) Assigning a very high cost (M) to that cell*
14. *The Hungarian method for maximization problems ensures:*
a) Optimality
b) Feasibility
c) Both a and b
d) None of these
*Answer: c) Both a and b*
15. *An unbalanced assignment problem is converted into a balanced one to:*
a) Apply the Hungarian method
b) Increase the number of assignments
c) Reduce computational complexity
d) None of these
*Answer: a) Apply the Hungarian method*
---
### *5. Simplex Method*
1. *The simplex method is used to solve:*
a) Linear Programming problems
b) Integer Programming problems
c) Nonlinear problems
d) None of these
*Answer: a) Linear Programming problems*
2. *In the simplex method, the optimality condition for maximization is:*
a) All Cj – Zj ≤ 0
b) All Cj – Zj ≥ 0
c) All Cj – Zj = 0
d) None of these
*Answer: a) All Cj – Zj ≤ 0*
3. *The entering variable in the simplex method is selected based on:*
a) The most positive Cj – Zj (for max)
b) The most negative Cj – Zj (for min)
c) Both a and b
d) None of these
*Answer: c) Both a and b*
4. *The leaving variable is determined by the:*
a) Minimum ratio test
b) Maximum ratio test
c) Largest coefficient
d) None of these
*Answer: a) Minimum ratio test*
5. *A basic feasible solution in the simplex method must have:*
a) Exactly m basic variables (where m = constraints)
b) Exactly n basic variables (where n = variables)
c) Any number of basic variables
d) None of these
*Answer: a) Exactly m basic variables*
6. *If all Cj – Zj ≤ 0 in a maximization problem, the solution is:*
a) Optimal
b) Unbounded
c) Infeasible
d) None of these
*Answer: a) Optimal*
7. *In the simplex method, slack variables are used to convert:*
a) Inequalities into equations
b) Equations into inequalities
c) Maximization into minimization
d) None of these
*Answer: a) Inequalities into equations*
8. *An unbounded solution in the simplex method occurs when:*
a) All ratios are negative or infinite
b) All Cj – Zj ≤ 0
c) The solution is degenerate
d) None of these
*Answer: a) All ratios are negative or infinite*
9. *The initial simplex table is formed by:*
a) Writing constraints in standard form
b) Adding slack/surplus variables
c) Both a and b
d) None of these
*Answer: c) Both a and b*
10. *Artificial variables are used in:*
a) The Big-M method
b) The Two-Phase method
c) Both a and b
d) None of these
*Answer: c) Both a and b*
11. *Degeneracy in the simplex method occurs when:*
a) A basic variable has zero value
b) The minimum ratio is not unique
c) Both a and b
d) None of these
*Answer: c) Both a and b*
12. *The Two-Phase simplex method is used when:*
a) Artificial variables are needed
b) The problem has no feasible solution
c) Both a and b
d) None of these
*Answer: c) Both a and b*
13. *The Big-M method penalizes artificial variables by assigning them:*
a) A very large cost (M) in minimization
b) A very large profit (–M) in maximization
c) Both a and b
d) None of these
*Answer: c) Both a and b*
14. *If an LP problem has multiple optimal solutions, it means:*
a) At least one non-basic variable has Cj – Zj = 0
b) The solution is degenerate
c) The problem is unbounded
d) None of these
*Answer: a) At least one non-basic variable has Cj – Zj = 0*
15. *The simplex method terminates when:*
a) Optimality conditions are met
b) The problem is unbounded
c) No feasible solution exists
d) All of these
*Answer: d) All of these*
---
### *6. Degeneracy*
1. *Degeneracy in transportation problems occurs when the number of occupied cells
is:*
a) Less than m + n – 1
b) Equal to m + n – 1
c) More than m + n – 1
d) None of these
*Answer: a) Less than m + n – 1*
2. *Degeneracy in the simplex method occurs when:*
a) A basic variable has zero value
b) The minimum ratio is not unique
c) Both a and b
d) None of these
*Answer: c) Both a and b*
3. *To resolve degeneracy in the transportation problem, we use:*
a) A dummy allocation (ε)
b) Vogel’s approximation
c) The northwest corner rule
d) None of these
*Answer: a) A dummy allocation (ε)*
4. *Degeneracy may lead to:*
a) Cycling in the simplex method
b) Infeasibility
c) Unboundedness
d) None of these
*Answer: a) Cycling in the simplex method*
5. *In the transportation problem, if the number of basic cells is 5 for a 3×3
problem, it is:*
a) Degenerate (since 3+3-1=5, but if <5)
b) Non-degenerate
c) Unbalanced
d) None of these
*Answer: b) Non-degenerate (since m + n – 1 = 5)*
6. *The epsilon (ε) method is used to handle:*
a) Degeneracy
b) Unboundedness
c) Infeasibility
d) None of these
*Answer: a) Degeneracy*
7. *A degenerate solution in LP means:*
a) The solution is not optimal
b) The solution is not basic
c) A basic variable is zero
d) None of these
*Answer: c) A basic variable is zero*
8. *Cycling in the simplex method occurs due to:*
a) Degeneracy
b) Multiple optima
c) Unboundedness
d) None of these
*Answer: a) Degeneracy*
9. *To avoid cycling in the simplex method, we use:*
a) Bland’s rule
b) The Big-M method
c) The Two-Phase method
d) None of these
*Answer: a) Bland’s rule*
10. *In the transportation problem, degeneracy affects:*
a) The initial solution
b) The optimality test
c) Both a and b
d) None of these
*Answer: b) The optimality test (MODI method may fail)*
11. *If a transportation problem has 4 sources and 5 destinations, the minimum
number of allocations to avoid degeneracy is:*
a) 8
b) 9
c) 20
d) None of these
*Answer: a) 8 (4 + 5 – 1 = 8)*
12. *A degenerate basic feasible solution implies:*
a) Redundancy in constraints
b) Multiple optimal solutions
c) An extra constraint
d) None of these
*Answer: a) Redundancy in constraints*
13. *In the assignment problem, degeneracy does not occur because:*
a) It is always balanced
b) The number of assignments is fixed
c) Both a and b
d) None of these
*Answer: c) Both a and b*