Maximal flow problems are converted to transshipment problems by
A) connecting the supply and demand nodes with a return arc
B) adding extra supply nodes
C) adding supply limits on the supply nodes
D) requiring integer solutions

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In a maximal flow problem, we want to maximize the flow from a source node to a sink node while respecting the capacities of the arcs. In a transshipment problem, we want to maximize the flow from a set of supply nodes to a set of demand nodes while respecting the capacities of the arcs. By connecting the supply and demand nodes with a return arc, we can think of the problem as a transshipment problem where each supply node is connected to a demand node with a capacity equal to the capacity of the original arc. Therefore, the answer is A.

Maximal Flow Problems Are Converted to Transshipment Problems by