Which of the following is a characteristic of Linear Programming?

A characteristic of Linear Programming is that it is fundamentally focused on optimizing a single objective function, which can either be the maximization of profit or the minimization of cost. This means that linear programming problems typically boil down to finding the best possible solution for one specific criteria under a given set of constraints. The linear relationships in the model ensure that the objective function and constraints can be represented as linear equations, allowing for efficient computation and solutions.

In contrast, when considering the other options, they deviate from the core principles of linear programming. Non-linear relationships, for example, are not encompassed within linear programming since the framework specifically deals with linear equations. Similarly, linear programming assumes that all variable values must be non-negative, reflecting real-world constraints in many scenarios, such as quantities of products, thus excluding negative values. Lastly, linear programming is aimed at optimizing a single objective function rather than multiple independent criteria, which would require different methodologies, such as multi-objective optimization techniques.