Operations research
This or that
OR Terms You Keep Mixing Up
Do you know the difference? Four OR pairs, answer before I do
Quick check · tap an answer to continue
Lesson notes
Key points
- Feasible / Optimal: Feasible satisfies every constraint; optimal is the feasible point with the best objective value.
- Basic / Non-basic variable: Non-basic variables are set to zero; basic variables are solved from the constraint equations.
- Slack / Surplus: Slack is added to less-than constraints; surplus is subtracted from greater-than constraints.
- Total float / Free float: Total float delays the project end; free float is delay without pushing back the next activity.
Takeaway: Feasible is allowed; optimal is the best of the allowed.
Quick check: Which kind of LP has no finite best objective value?
- Infeasible
- Degenerate
- Unbounded
Unbounded means the objective can improve forever; infeasible has no valid points.
Lessons like this, for your syllabus.
Short narrated study videos written for your course, level and exam. Free to start.
Get lessons for your own syllabus