Introduction to Assignment Problem

The assignment problem is a special case of transportation problem in which the objective is to assign
m jobs or workers to n machines such that the cost incurred is minimized.
An assignment problem seeks to minimize the total cost assignment of n workers to m jobs, given that
the cost of worker i performing job j is cij. It assumes all workers are assigned and each job is
performed.
An assignment problem is a special case of a transportation problem in which all supplies and all
demands are equal to 1; hence assignment problems may be solved as linear programs.
There are four methods of solving an assignment problem. (a)Complete enumeration method (b) Transportation
method (c) Simplex method & (d) Hungarian assignment method
Hungarian Assignment Method (HAM)
Step 1 Find the minimum element in each row. Construct a new matrix by subtracting from each cost the
minimum cost in its row. For this new matrix, find the minimum cost in each column. Construct a new matrix
by subtracting from each cost the minimum cost in its column.
Step 2 Draw the minimum number of lines (horizontal or vertical) that are needed to cover all the zeros in the
reduced cost matrix. If n lines are required, an optimal solution is available among the covered zeros in the
matrix. If fewer than n lines are needed, proceed to step 3.
Step 3 Find the smallest nonzero element (call its value k) in the reduced cost matrix that is uncovered by the
lines drawn in Step 2. Now subtract k from each uncovered element of the reduced cost matrix and add k to
each element that is covered by two lines. Return to step 2.
1. Solve the assignment problem for the optimal solution using Hungarian Assignment Method
(HAM).
Jobs
Worker A B C D
1 45 40 51 67
2 57 42 63 55
3 49 52 48 64
4 41 45 60 55
2. Using the following cost matrix, determine (a) optimal job assignment, and (b) the cost of assignments.
Jobs
Machinist 1 2 3 4 5
A 10 3 3 2 8
B 9 7 8 2 7
C 7 5 6 2 4
D 3 5 8 2 4
E 9 10 9 6 10
3. Using this information, state (i) the optimal assignment of jobs, and (ii) the cost of such
assignment.
Job
Person J1 J2 J3 J4 J5
P1 27 18 - 20 21
P2 31 24 21 12 17
P3 20 17 20 - 16
P4 22 28 20 16 27
4. A company plans to assign 5 salesmen to 5 districts in which it operates. Estimates of sales revenue
in thousands of rupees for each salesman in different districts are given in the following table. In
your opinion, what should be the placement of the salesman if the objective is to maximize the
expected sales revenue?
District
Salesman D1 D2 D3 D4 D5
S1 40 46 48 36 48
S2 48 32 36 29 44
S3 49 35 41 38 45
S4 30 46 49 44 44
S5 37 41 48 43 47