Constraints

Description

In an optimization problem, the constraint is some function of the decision variables that must be less than or equal to, greater than or equal to, or equal to some specific value. For example, we might use a less than or qual to constraint to ensure that the total labor used in producing a given number of products does not exceed the amount of available labor.

In Managerial Accounting a constraint is anything that prevents you from getting more of what you want. It is a limitation under which the company must operate, such as limited available machine time or raw materials, that restricts the company's ability to satisfy demand.

Wikipedia Reference

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constraint optimization

Covered in Topic(s)

Linear Programming
Managerial Accounting and the Business Environment
Overview of Optimization
Relevant Costs for Decision Making