Slack variables are added to constraints and represent unused resources.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Slack variables are added to constraints to represent unused resources or surplus capacity in the system. They are typically added to inequality constraints in linear programming problems to convert them into equality constraints. By introducing slack variables, we can transform any inequality constraint of the form Ax ≤ b into the equivalent equality constraint of the form Ax + s = b, where s is the non-negative slack variable. This allows us to solve the problem using standard linear programming techniques.

Slack Variables Are Added to Constraints and Represent Unused Resources