Utilizing the Excel spreadsheet program for Formulating and solving linear programming models

Abstract

This research aims to highlight the importance of using spreadsheets to solve many of the problems faced by economists, decision-makers in general, and university students in particular. Spreadsheets contribute to reducing many of the difficulties students face in accessing specialized quantitative analysis software. Also, understanding and applying such software can be time-consuming and costly. Spreadsheets are used to solve many realistic linear programming models in various fields such as resource allocation, production scheduling, managerial decision-making, and transportation problem solving. Spreadsheets are known for their ease of understanding and application, even for those who do not have sufficient knowledge of the mathematical foundations behind linear programming models and quantitative analysis. This research contains a practical example of building, formulating and solving a mathematical model using this method.