Saved on this device

Follow your curiosity

What discovery has been shared with you?

FACTREE gives you something interesting to discover every day — and something worth talking about together.

Start with one fact. Explore it, go deeper, then follow whichever branch catches your imagination.

Choose subjects for a surprise

Exploring any topic

Begin your discovery

Your next discovery is one click away.

Choose one or more subjects above, or leave Any Topic selected and let curiosity decide.

Mathematics

Linear Programming in Business and Resource Allocation

Quick fact

Since Leonid Kantorovich formulated linear programming in 1939 for Soviet plywood production, it has been used to save billions of dollars annually in industries as diverse as airlines scheduling flights and retailers optimizing their supply chains.

Why this is interesting

Imagine you run a bakery with a fixed supply of flour and butter—how do you decide how many croissants and baguettes to bake to maximize your profit? Linear programming solves exactly this kind of puzzle, and it powers thousands of business decisions.