Reference no: EM132143920

Outtel manufactures tablet computers. These tablet computers are manufactured in Seattle, Columbus, and New York and shipped to retail stores in Pittsburgh, Austin, Denver, Los Angeles and Washington D.C. These retail stores require 420, 290, 320, 510, and 370 tablet computers, respectively. Seattle plant can manufacture up to 720 tablet computers. Columbus plant can manufacture up to 670 tablet computers, and New York plant can manufacture up to 590 tablet computers. Shipping costs per tablet computer between plants and retail stores are given in the following table: Retail Store Plant Pittsburgh Austin Denver Los Angeles Washington Seattle $10.5 $12.6 $7.2 $6.4 $9.8 Columbus $3.6 $18.1 $9.6 $10.6 $5.7 New York $2.9 $17.5 $10.1 $12.4 $3.2 a) Develop a network representation of this problem. b) Formulate a linear programming model that can be used to determine the amount that should be shipped from each plant to each retail store to minimize the total cost. (Write the complete model for the problem. Make sure to give clear definitions of your decision variables). c) Solve the problem by using Excel Solver (Hand-in the one-page value and one-page formulas printouts for the problem).