Q1) A clothing manufacturer produces clothing in five locations in the U.S. In a move to vertical integration, the company is planning a new fabric production plant which will supply fabric to all five clothing plants. The clothing plants have been located on a coordinate system as follows:
Location X.Y
A 7,2
B 4,7
C 5,5
D 6,2
E 8,4
a. If the shipments of fabric to each plant are equal, what is the optimal location for the fabric plant?
b. if the shipments of fabric to each plant vary per week as follows: plant A, 200 units; plant B, 400 units; plant C, 300 units; plant D, 300 units; and plant E, 200 units, what is the optimal location for the fabric plant?