A simplified global convergence proof of the affine scaling algorithm

Abstract

This paper presents a simplified and self-contained global convergence proof for the affine scaling algorithm applied to degenerate linear programming problems. Convergence of the sequence of dual estimates to the center of the optimal dual face is also proven. In addition, we give a sharp rate of convergence result for the sequence of objective function values. All these results are proved with respect to the long step version of the affine scaling algorithm in which we move a fraction λ, where λ ∈ (0,2/3), of the step to the boundary of the feasible region.