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Tool for Solving a Linear Program:
Excel has the capability to solve linear (and often nonlinear) programming problems. The SOLVER tool in Excel:
 May be used to solve linear and nonlinear optimization problems
 Allows integer or binary restrictions to be placed on decision variables
 Can be used to solve problems with up to 200 decision variables

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How to Install SOLVER:
The SOLVER Add-in is a Microsoft Office Excel add-in program that is available when you install Microsoft Office or Excel. To use the Solver Add-in, however, you first need to load it in Excel. The process is slightly different for
Mac or PC users.
Microsoft:
1. Click the Microsoft Office Button , and then click Excel Options.
2. Click Add-Ins, and then in the Manage box, select Excel Add-ins and click Go.
3. In the Add-Ins available box, select the Solver Add-in check box, and then click OK.
If Solver Add-in is not listed in the Add-Ins available box, click Browse to locate the add-in.
If you get prompted that Solver is not currently installed, click Yes to install it.
4. After you load Solver, the Solver command is available in the Analysis group on the Data tab.
MAC:
1. Open Excel for Mac 2011 and begin by clicking on the Tools menu.
2. Click Add-Ins, and then in the Add-Ins box, check Solver.xlam and then click OK.
3. After restarting Excel for Mac 2011 (fully Quit Excel 2011), select the Data tab, then select
Solver to launch
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How to Use SOLVER:
The key to solving an LP on a spreadsheet is:
 Set up a spreadsheet that tracks everything of interest
(e.g., costs, profits, resource usage)
 Identify the decision variables that can be varied. These
are