In this module, we explored several special algorithms for solving some network problems. We saw how to develop an initial solution to the transportation problem with the northwest corner method. The stepping-stone path method was used to calculate improvement indices for the empty cells. Improved solutions were developed using a stepping-stone path. The special cases of the transportation problem included degeneracy, unbalanced problems, and multiple optimal solutions.

We presented the Hungarian method for solving assignment problems. When an assignment problem is unbalanced, dummy rows or columns are used to balance the problem. Assignment problems with maximization objectives were also presented. Other special-purpose algorithms for solving the maximal-flow problem and the shortest-route problems were also presented.