AQA D2 2008 January — Question 2

Exam BoardAQA
ModuleD2 (Decision Mathematics 2)
Year2008
SessionJanuary
TopicMatchings and Allocation

2 The following table shows the times taken, in minutes, by five people, Ash, Bob, Col, Dan and Emma, to carry out the tasks 1, 2, 3 and 4 . Dan cannot do task 3.
AshBobColDanEmma
Task 11410121214
Task 21113101212
Task 3131112**12
Task 41310121315
Each of the four tasks is to be given to a different one of the five people so that the overall time for the four tasks is minimised.
  1. Modify the table of values by adding an extra row of non-zero values so that the Hungarian algorithm can be applied.
  2. Use the Hungarian algorithm, reducing columns first then rows, to decide which four people should be allocated to which task. State the minimum total time for the four tasks using this matching.
  3. After special training, Dan is able to complete task 3 in 12 minutes. Determine, giving a reason, whether the minimum total time found in part (b) could be improved.
    (2 marks)