For problems 1.1-1.8. identify the following problem components:(a) decision variables;(b)...

For problems 1.1-1.8. identify the following problem components:

(a) decision variables;

(b) parameters;

(c) the objective function in words; and

(d) constraints in words.

Construction. A construction contractor employs a given force of skilled workers and has a limited set of specialized machinery. There are a number of categories of skilled workers as well as number of classes of specialized machinery. The contractor has a number of construction projects underway and has committed the company to completion dates for each of them. Certain job items (activities) are common to the various projects and requires the same inputs of labor and equipment. The activities occur on various dates throughout the time span from project start to project completion.

However, the contractor does not have enough labor and equipment to work on these job items on the same day on all projects. Hence, the contractor wants to schedule (stagger) the specialized work forces and specialized equipment on the projects so that ideally no labor or equipment shortages exist on any day and so that each project is done on time. If any shortages do exist. extra costs must be incurred for temporary workers or for equipment. A predetermined payment has already been received for each project. Now, the contractor wants to keep construction costs to a bare minimum.