Dictionary.net

(Or "linear assignment") Any probleminvolving minimising the sum of C(a, b) over a set P of pairs(a, b) where a is an element of some set A and b is an elementof set B, and C is some function, under constraints such as"each element of A must appear exactly once in P" or similarlyfor B, or both.For example, the a's could be workers and the b's projects.The problem is "linear" because the "cost function" C ()depends only on the particular pairing (a, b) and isindependent of all other pairings. (http://forum.swarthmore.edu/epigone/comp.soft-sys.matlab/bringhyclu). (http://soci.swt.edu/capps/prob.htm). (http://mat.gsia.cmu.edu/GROUP95/0577.html). (http://informs.org/Conf/WA96/TALKS/SB24.3.html).[Algorithms?]