What is Mathematical Programming

Mathematical Programming, often referred to as Linear Programming (LP) is a model consisting of linear relationships representing a firm’s objective and resource constraints. A common LP problem is to determine the number of units to produce to maximize profit subject to resource constraints such as labor and materials.

An LP programming model consists of decisions variables, an objective function, and model constraints. Decisions Variables are mathematical symbols that represent levels of activity of an operation. The Objective Function is a linear relationship reflecting the objective of an operation. A constraint is a linear relationship representing a restriction on decision making.