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''surplus variable''

A non-negative variable $y_i$ that is introduced for a (linear) constraint $\sum_ja_{ij}x_j\leq b_i$ in a [[Mathematical programming|mathematical programming]] or [[Linear programming|linear programming]] problem to convert this inequality into an equality $y_i+\sum_ja_{ij}x_j=b_i$. If this is done for all inequalities in a linear programming problem, one sometimes speaks of logical variables.