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I'm learning linear programming's basic concepts. In following inequality:

$$ \begin{align} \text{Minimize }c_1x_1 + c_2x_2 + \cdots+ c_nx_n \\ \\ \text{Subject to }a_{11}x_1 + a_{12}x_2 +\cdots+a_{1n}x_n & \geqslant b_1 \\ \\ a_{21}x_1 + a_{22}x_2 +\cdots+a_{2n}x_n & \geqslant b_2 \\ & {}\ \vdots\\ a_{m1}x_1 + a_{m2}x_2 +\cdots+a_{mn}x_n & \geqslant b_m \\ \\ x_1,x_2,\ldots,x_n & \geqslant 0 \end{align} $$

My question is : Why we call $a_{ij}$ "technological coefficients" ? What is technology ? And why is it technological ? I don't know the meaning of "technological" in here.

Thanks in advance

Update: Book: Linear Programming and Network Flows. Written by: Mokhtar S. Bazaraa. 3rd Edition. Page 2

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    It would be immensely helpful if you mention the book/paper/whatever you got this term from...2011-10-15
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    @J.M. Linear Programming and Network Flows. Written by: Mokhtar S. Bazara. 3rd Edition. Page 22011-10-15
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    Your TeX formatting technique was abominable. I've cleaned it up.2011-10-15
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    @MichaelHardy : thanks2011-10-15
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    For what it's worth, I've been teaching linear programming for years, and this is the first time I've heard the $a_{ij}$ called "technological coefficients." It's not a universal term.2011-10-15
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    @MikeSpivey : really ? i'm new to linear programming ... it's interesting for me . so I just asked. please let me know if you find some explanation.2011-10-16
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    @linker: I think it's just that the constraints in a particular scenario being modeled with an LP often represent some technological restriction on what's possible in that scenario. Thus it makes sense, I guess, to call the coefficients of the constraints "technological coefficients." I really don't think there's any deeper reason than that.2011-10-16

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The term is strange but it is not a mathematical term. My guess is that the term originates from the Economics field where it is comonly used in theories like input-output (e.g Link-1). Looking back at the history of Linear Programming and its early economical motivations, it is possible that early papers used the terminology of the problem filed (namely, Economics) to present the theory, and it has been used every since.

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They also called input-output coefficients, and they represents the amount of resource $ i$ consumed per unit of variable $x_j$.