An automobile company produces cars in Los Angeles and Detroit and has a warehouse in Atlanta. The company supplies cars to customers in Houston and Tampa. The costs of shipping a car between various points are listed in the file S14_87.xlsx, where a blank means that a shipment is not allowed. Los Angeles can produce up to 1100 cars, and Detroit can produce up to 2900 cars. Houston must receive 2400 cars, and Tampa must receive 1500 cars.
a. Determine how to minimize the cost of meeting demands in Houston and Tampa.
b. Modify the answer to part a if shipments between Los Angeles and Detroit are not allowed.
c. Modify the answer to part a if shipments between Houston and Tampa are allowed at a cost of $5 per car.