Final answer:
The northwest-corner method is a technique used in operations research to solve transportation problems. It involves allocating resources starting from the northwest corner and moving towards the southeast corner. The total cost of the initial solution can be calculated by multiplying the allocated quantities with their corresponding unit costs and summing up these costs.
Step-by-step explanation:
The northwest-corner method is a technique used in operations research to solve transportation problems. It is a basic method for developing an initial solution to a transportation problem. The starting solution using the northwest-corner method is obtained by allocating resources starting from the northwest corner of the supply and demand table and moving towards the southeast corner. Each allocation is made by taking the maximum possible amount without exceeding the corresponding supply or demand.
The total cost of the initial solution can be calculated by multiplying the allocated quantities with their corresponding unit costs and summing up these costs. For example, if the supply table is represented by rows and the demand table is represented by columns, and the unit cost table is given, the total cost can be found by multiplying the allocated quantities with their corresponding unit costs and adding these values.
For more specific guidance and examples, please provide the transportation problem in question.