Guest
425530 Points
Joined August 2012
Underlying assumptions
- The ordering cost is constant.
- The rate of demand is constant
Variables
- Q = order quantity
- Q * = optimal order quantity
- D = annual demand quantity of the product
- P = purchase cost per unit
- C = fixed cost per order (not per unit, in addition to unit cost)
- H = annual holding cost per unit (also known as carrying cost) (warehouse space, refrigeration, insurance, etc. usually not related to the unit cost)
The Total Cost function
The single-item EOQ formula finds the minimum point of the following cost function:
Total Cost = purchase cost + ordering cost + holding cost
- Purchase cost: This is the variable cost of goods: purchase unit price × annual demand quantity. This is P×D
- Ordering cost: This is the cost of placing orders: each order has a fixed cost C, and we need to order D/Q times per year. This is C × D/Q
- Holding cost: the average quantity in stock (between fully replenished and empty) is Q/2, so this cost is H × Q/2
.
In order to determine the minimum point of the total cost curve, set its derivative equal to zero:
.
The result of this derivation is:
.
Solving for Q gives Q* (the optimal order quantity):


Therefore:
.
Note that interestingly, Q* is independent of P, it is a function of only C, D, H