In order to ensure optimal health (and thus accurate test results), a lab technician needs to feed rabbits a daily diet containing a minimum of 24g of fat, 36g of carbohydrates, and 4g of protein. The rabbits should be fed 5 oz of food each day.
Rather than order custom blended food, it is cheaper to order Food A and Food B, and blend them for an optimal mix. Food A contains 8g of fat, 3g of carbohydrates, and ½ g of protein per ounce, and costs $0.20 per ounce. Food B contains 12g of fat, 12 g of carbohydrates, and 1g of protein per ounce, at a cost of $0.30 per ounce.
Write a linear programming model that can be used to find the optimal blend of foods to minimize the cost of a 5 ounce ration.
What is the optimal blend of Foods A and B? What is the cost of the blend?