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Homework Statement
You want to process x units of a product (at y processing plants), minimizing the total time spent processing all the units. Each place y_i has a queue of q_i units ahead of you and a processing rate of r_i units/minute. If you can simultaneously process units at the same time at different places, what is the minimum amount of time you can spend?
Homework Equations
The Attempt at a Solution
I solved the problem by formulating it like the following:
min(max((x>0)*(x+q)/m))
where x,q,m are vectors representing how quantities sent/queues/rates at each processing plant.
and with constraints
sum(x)=total units
x_i>=0
The (x>0) is just an indicator variable saying that if we go to processing plant y_i, then we will have to add in the time we have to wait in the queue.
I get what I think is the correct solution by using an evolutionary search algorithm, but I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions on how I might restructure the problem to be a linear programming problem or what algorithm is the right one to use (otherwise it seems like an np hard problem?). Does anyone know any similar types of problems or methods?
I hope this is the right area to post this...thanks!