A note on the relation between the product rate variation problem and the apportionment problem

This note establishes a connection between two problems that appear in different contexts: the Product Rate Variation (PRV) problem (sequencing units in a mixed-model assembly line in order to maximize the regularity of the sequence with regard to the output of units) and the apportionment problem. This allows us to apply to the PRV problem the properties of the apportionment problem and known procedures for solving it, and suggests alternative approaches to the former problem.