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Part V
Analyzing Data with Excel
To start Solver to tackle this example, choose Data ➪ Analysis ➪ Solver. Excel displays its Solver
Parameters dialog box, shown in Figure 37.4.
FIGURE 37.4
The Solver Parameters dialog box.
In this example, the target cell is D6 — the cell that calculates the total profit for three products.
1. Enter (or point to) cell D6 in the Set Target Cell field of the Solver Parameters dialog box.
2. Because the objective is to maximize this cell, click the Max option.
3. Next, specify the changing cells (which are in the range B3:B5) in the By Changing Cells
box. The next step is to specify the constraints on the problem. The constraints are added one at a
time and appear in the box labeled Subject To The Constraints.
4. To add a constraint, click the Add button. Excel displays the Add Constraint dialog box, shown
in Figure 37.5. This dialog box has three parts: a Cell Reference, an operator, and a Constraint
value.
5. To set the first constraint (that the total production capacity is 300 units), enter B6 as the
Cell Reference, choose equal (=) from the drop-down list of operators, and enter 300 as the
Constraint value.
6. Click Add to add the remaining constraints. Table 37.1 summarizes the constraints for this
problem.
FIGURE 37.5
The Add Constraint dialog box.
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