Table 3.4: I am Ulysses Uncle Ulysses operates a small business: he produces three types of houses ...

Table 3.4: I am Ulysses
Uncle Ulysses operates a small business: he produces three types of houses to sell to people wanting to get back to nature. Based on your discussion with your uncle you construct the following table based on your understanding of his weekly availability of labor.

Item	Profit/Unit	Fabrication	Assembly	Painting	Crating
Birdhouse	$15	1	2.5	1	0.25
Doghouse	$35	1.25	1.5	0.5	0.5
Outhouse	$58	1.75	4	2	0.75
Capacity	​	30 hours	50 hours	20 hours	20 hours

Based on the information in the table, you formulate the problem as a linear program. The labor needed for fabrication, assembly, painting, and crating is all dedicated solely to each function, i.e., none of the workers have been cross-trained. The Excel solution and the answer and sensitivity report are shown below.

The Answer Report:


The Sensitivity Report:



Uncle Ulysses is planning for next spring, and he is considering making only two products. Based on the results from the linear program, which two products would you recommend that he make?

• birdhouses and doghouses

• birdhouses and outhouses

• doghouses and outhouses

• He should continue to make all three.