The Elixer Drug Company produces a drug from two ingredients. Each ingredient contains the same three antibiotics, in different proportions. One gram of ingredient 1 contributes 3 units, and 1 gram of ingredient 2 contributes 1 unit of antibiotic 1; the drug requires 6 units. At least 4 units of antibiotic 2 are required, and the ingredients contribute 1 unit each per gram.
At least 12 units of antibiotic 3 are required; a gram of ingredient 1 contributes 2 units, and a gram of ingredient 2 contributes 6 units. The cost for a gram of ingredient 1 is $80, and the cost for a gram of ingredient 2 is $50. The company wants to formulate a linear programming model to determine the number of grams of each ingredient that must go into the drug in order to meet the antibiotic requirements at the minimum cost.
a. Formulate a linear programming model for this problem.
b. Solve this model by using graphical analysis.