Summarise what I need to learn from this that would help me understand it. (I do not need to memorise the specific answers just the methods)The Two Mines Company own two different mines that produce an ore
which, after being crushed, is graded into three classes: high, medium
and low-grade. The company has been contracted to provide a smelting
plant with 12 tons of high-grade, 8 tons of medium-grade and 24 tons of
low-grade ore per week. The two mines have different operating
characteristics as detailed below.
Table 1: Operation Characteristics by Mine
Mine Cost per day ($’000) Production (tons/day)
High Medium Low
X 180 6 3 4
Y 160 1 1 6
How many days per week should each mine be operated to fulfil the
smelting plant contract?
10
A Simple Example
Note: this is clearly a very simple (even simplistic) example but, as with
many things, we have to start at a simple level in order to progress to a
more complicated level.
11
A simple example...Guessing
To explore the Two Mines problem further we might simply guess (i.e.
use our judgement) how many days per week to work and see how they
turn out.
• work one day a week on X,
• one day a week on Y
This does not seem like a good guess as it results in only 7 tonnes a week
of high-grade ore, insufficient to meet the contract requirement for 12
tonnes of high-grade ore a week. We say that such a solution is infeasible.
• work 4 days a week on X,
• 3 days a week on Y
This seems like a better guess as it results in sufficient ore to meet the
contract. We say that such a sol Use words in all capital letters at least 14 times to highlight key points.
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