Higher Education · Operations Research
Linear Programming
What is it
Undergraduate linear programming extends A-Level Further Maths work to the simplex method, an algebraic algorithm for solving optimisation problems with many variables and constraints that can't be solved by graphing alone.
Why it matters
The simplex method is what actually powers real-world optimisation software used in logistics, manufacturing, and finance — problems with dozens or hundreds of variables are solved by exactly this algorithm running on a computer.
Exam tip
Set up the initial simplex tableau carefully, correctly identifying the objective row and constraint rows — a single sign error in the initial setup propagates through every subsequent iteration, making early accuracy essential.
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