Which job allocation results in the least cost assignment for the given schedule?

To determine that the job allocation (M to 4, N to 3, P to 1, Q to 2) results in the least cost assignment, one must analyze the cost associated with each task's allocation. In assignment problems, it's crucial to evaluate how the assignments of jobs to resources minimize total costs, which may be represented in a cost matrix.

When considering the proposed allocation:

• M is assigned to 4, N to 3, P to 1, and Q to 2. The combined costs associated with this allocation need to be the lowest when summed up across all assigned jobs. The efficacy of this solution hinges on how the costs allocated to task combinations compare to the costs of the other choices.

The allocation strategy seeks to minimize costs by ensuring that the most expensive tasks are assigned to resources that can handle them efficiently while keeping overall expenditures low. Hence, the allocation of each task in option A likely reflects a careful balance between the costs of tasks and the unique efficiencies of resources.

In other options, the arithmetic differences in cost assignments often reflect combinations that are not as favorable, either because one or more costly combinations are paired or because they allocate resources sub-optimally. For example, if any of the other job