Question: Scheduling package Express delivers packages and overnight mailers. At each of several decentralized delivery depots in one district, Package Express hires a number of full- and part-time unskilled employees (so one-half of an employee is an individual who works half a day for 5 days). Each employee works the same shift (or part of a shift) for 5 consecutive days. Thus, if x1 is the number of employees who begin work on Monday, then those same x1 employees work Monday through Friday. The following table shows the minimum number of unskilled workers needed at a depot on each day of the week.
How many unskilled employees should begin their shifts on each day of the week in order to staff a depot properly but minimize the total number of these workers that Package Express needs?