Question: A linear programming computer package is needed. Epsilon Airlines services predominately the eastern and southeastern United States. A vast majority of Epsilon's customers make reservations

A linear programming computer package is needed.

Epsilon Airlines services predominately the eastern and southeastern United States. A vast majority of Epsilon's customers make reservations through Epsilon's website, but a small percentage of customers make reservations via phone. Epsilon employs call-center personnel to handle these reservations along with any problems with the website reservation system and for the rebooking of flights for customers if their plans change or their travel is disrupted. Staffing the call center appropriately is a challenge for Epsilon's management team. Having too many employees on hand is a waste of money, but having too few results in very poor customer service and the potential loss of customers.

Epsilon analysts have estimated the minimum number of call-center employees needed by day of week for the upcoming vacation season (June, July, and the first two weeks of August). These estimates are given in the following table.

Day

Minimum Number of Employees Needed

Monday

65

Tuesday

40

Wednesday

35

Thursday

55

Friday

80

Saturday

75

Sunday

40

The call-center employees work five consecutive days and then have two consecutive days off. An employee may start work any day of the week. Each call-center employee receives the same salary. Assume that the schedule cycles and ignore start-up and stopping of the schedule. Develop a model that will minimize the total number of call-center employees needed to meet the minimum requirements. (Let Xi = the number of call-center employees who start work on day i where i = 1 = Monday, i = 2 = Tuesday, etc).

Min ___________

s.t.

Monday_________

Tuesday___________

Wednesday________

Thursday______

Friday________

Saturday________

Sunday_______

X1, X2, X3, X4, X5, X6, X7 0

Find the optimal solution: (X1, X2, X3, X4, X5, X6, X7) = ____________

Give the number of call-center employees that exceed the minimum required.

(M, Tu, W, Th, F, Sa, Su) = ___________

Please answer the question as I would have answered and entered it and written on the answer line. Exactly as it should be written on the answer line.

Could you show step-by-step written instructions on how you got each answer? Thanks.

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