The decision variables in a linear programming model must be non-negative.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The decision variables in a linear programming model represent quantities or amounts that can be increased or decreased, but they cannot have negative values in most practical situations. This is because negative values represent "anti-resources" or negative quantities that do not make physical or economic sense. Therefore, in order to ensure that the model makes sense and reflects the reality of the problem, the decision variables are typically constrained to be non-negative. This means that they can be zero or positive, but not negative.

The Decision Variables in a Linear Programming Model Must Be