Question 1

Which one of the following statements about learning curves is TRUE?

Accepted Answer

A)  A learning curve assumes that the direct labor requirements per unit will DECREASE at an INCREASING rate as cumulative production increases. 
B)  A larger learning curve rate implies faster (greater) learning. 
C)  A learning curve graph usually follows a negative exponential curve. 
D)  Learning curves can be used only for individuals, not for the whole organization. 
E)  The formula describing the learning curve principle of doubling is computed differently when computing unit cost as opposed to unit time. 
A)  A learning curve assumes that the direct labor requirements per unit will DECREASE at an INCREASING rate as cumulative production increases. 
B)  A larger learning curve rate implies faster (greater) learning. 
C)  A learning curve graph usually follows a negative exponential curve. 
D)  Learning curves can be used only for individuals, not for the whole organization. 
E)  The formula describing the learning curve principle of doubling is computed differently when computing unit cost as opposed to unit time.

Question 2

The learning curve in the steel industry and the learning curve in disk memory drives have both been estimated at 79 percent.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 3

The formula approach to learning curve calculations allows us to determine the hours required for any unit.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 4

It took 60 hours to make the first unit of a product. After the second and third units were made, the learning curve was estimated to be 80%. At $10 per hour, estimate the labor bill for the fourth unit. (Use at least three decimals in the exponent if you use the formula approach.)

Accepted Answer

A)  $400 or less 
B)  from $400 to $420 
C)  from $420 to $440 
D)  from $1800 to $2000 
E)  over $2000 
A)  $400 or less 
B)  from $400 to $420 
C)  from $420 to $440 
D)  from $1800 to $2000 
E)  over $2000

Question 5

It took 18 hours to complete the first two products with an 80% learning curve. How long did the second product take?

Accepted Answer

A)  8.0 hours 
B)  10.0 hours 
C)  18.0 hours 
D)  8.1 hours 
E)  F none of these 
A)  8.0 hours 
B)  10.0 hours 
C)  18.0 hours 
D)  8.1 hours 
E)  F none of these

Question 6

The first unit of a product took 50 hours to build, and the learning curve is 85%. How long will it take to make the 20th unit? (Use at least three decimals in the exponent if you use the formula approach.)

Accepted Answer

A)  less than 25 hours 
B)  from 25 to 30 hours 
C)  from 30 to 35 hours 
D)  from 35 to 40 hours 
E)  more than 40 hours 
A)  less than 25 hours 
B)  from 25 to 30 hours 
C)  from 30 to 35 hours 
D)  from 35 to 40 hours 
E)  more than 40 hours

Question 7

The fourth unit of production took 80 minutes while the ninth unit of production took 50 minutes. How long did the first unit take?

Accepted Answer

T(1) = 80/(4^b) = 50/(

Question 8

Your company is making experimental turbochargers for a new design of high-powered farm tractors.
The production schedule for these new components is contained in the table below.
   The first turbocharger, a trial unit (not part of the 3 required in Month 1), took 1100 hours to produce. Based on your experience with similar products, the learning curve is 80%. You have 22 employees, and each employee works 160 hours per month. How many hours will be required in each month? In which month(s) will overtime be required to meet the production schedule?

Accepted Answer

Use the Total Time column of the 80% sec

Question 9

What is the basic premise underlying the learning curve?

Accepted Answer

The basic premise underlying t

Question 10

Your firm has a contract to make 20 specialty lenses for night vision equipment. The first one took 40 hours. Learning is expected at the 85% learning curve. How long will it take to finish all 20 units?

Accepted Answer

The best solution method uses

Question 11

A job requires 20 hours for the initial unit and 12.8 hours for the fourth unit. What is the learning rate?

Accepted Answer

A)  70% 
B)  75% 
C)  80% 
D)  85% 
E)  90% 
A)  70% 
B)  75% 
C)  80% 
D)  85% 
E)  90%

Question 12

The first unit took 79 hours; the tenth took 46 hours. What learning curve is implied by the data?

Accepted Answer

The improvement is 46/79 = 0.5

Question 13

In the formula approach to learning curve calculations, you have used the formula TN = T1 (Nb). For a problem with a 92 percent learning curve, what is b?

Accepted Answer

b = @#IMG-DLM& = @#IMG-DLM& =

Question 14

The fourth unit of production took 9 hours. If the learning curve is 90%, how long did the first unit take?

Accepted Answer

A)  9.0 hours 
B)  10.0 hours 
C)  11.1 hours 
D)  8.5 hours 
E)  32.0 hours 
A)  9.0 hours 
B)  10.0 hours 
C)  11.1 hours 
D)  8.5 hours 
E)  32.0 hours

Question 15

A defense contractor has just started producing engines for a new government contract. The first engine took 800 hours to produce. If the learning curve is 80%, approximately how long will it take to produce the first 20 engines?

Accepted Answer

A)  8388 hours 
B)  665 hours 
C)  8083 hours 
D)  310 hours 
E)  10,000 or more hours 
A)  8388 hours 
B)  665 hours 
C)  8083 hours 
D)  310 hours 
E)  10,000 or more hours

Question 16

Your firm has expertise with a special type of hand-finished furniture. The learning curve is known to be 82%. If the first piece of furniture took 6 hours, estimate (using the doubling approach) how long it will take to complete the third unit.

Accepted Answer

Using the doubling approach, the second

Question 17

The Learning-Curve Coefficients table reports that for 90 percent learning, the sixteenth unit has a unit time value of 0.656. Verify that table entry by use of the doubling method.

Accepted Answer

Successive doubling at 90 perc

Question 18

To use the table of learning-curve coefficients, you must specify ________ and ________.

Accepted Answer

the learning curve r

Question 19

A project manager bases his time and labor estimates on a learning curve of 86%. The actual learning curve turns out to be 84%. The manager, because of the decreased learning, will complete his project in more time and with more labor use than his estimate suggested.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

The first unit took 10 hours and the eighth unit took 5.12 hours. What is the learning curve?

Accepted Answer

A)  50% 
B)  90% 
C)  80% 
D)  12.5% 
E)  none of these 
A)  50% 
B)  90% 
C)  80% 
D)  12.5% 
E)  none of these

Exam 21: Learning Curves

Which one of the following statements about learning curves is TRUE?

The learning curve in the steel industry and the learning curve in disk memory drives have both been estimated at 79 percent.

The formula approach to learning curve calculations allows us to determine the hours required for any unit.

It took 60 hours to make the first unit of a product. After the second and third units were made, the learning curve was estimated to be 80%. At $10 per hour, estimate the labor bill for the fourth unit. (Use at least three decimals in the exponent if you use the formula approach.)

It took 18 hours to complete the first two products with an 80% learning curve. How long did the second product take?

The first unit of a product took 50 hours to build, and the learning curve is 85%. How long will it take to make the 20th unit? (Use at least three decimals in the exponent if you use the formula approach.)

The fourth unit of production took 80 minutes while the ninth unit of production took 50 minutes. How long did the first unit take?

What is the basic premise underlying the learning curve?

Your firm has a contract to make 20 specialty lenses for night vision equipment. The first one took 40 hours. Learning is expected at the 85% learning curve. How long will it take to finish all 20 units?

A job requires 20 hours for the initial unit and 12.8 hours for the fourth unit. What is the learning rate?

The first unit took 79 hours; the tenth took 46 hours. What learning curve is implied by the data?

In the formula approach to learning curve calculations, you have used the formula TN = T1 (Nb). For a problem with a 92 percent learning curve, what is b?

The fourth unit of production took 9 hours. If the learning curve is 90%, how long did the first unit take?

A defense contractor has just started producing engines for a new government contract. The first engine took 800 hours to produce. If the learning curve is 80%, approximately how long will it take to produce the first 20 engines?

Your firm has expertise with a special type of hand-finished furniture. The learning curve is known to be 82%. If the first piece of furniture took 6 hours, estimate (using the doubling approach) how long it will take to complete the third unit.

The Learning-Curve Coefficients table reports that for 90 percent learning, the sixteenth unit has a unit time value of 0.656. Verify that table entry by use of the doubling method.

To use the table of learning-curve coefficients, you must specify ________ and ________.

A project manager bases his time and labor estimates on a learning curve of 86%. The actual learning curve turns out to be 84%. The manager, because of the decreased learning, will complete his project in more time and with more labor use than his estimate suggested.

The first unit took 10 hours and the eighth unit took 5.12 hours. What is the learning curve?

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In the formula approach to learning curve calculations, you have used the formula T_N = T₁ (N^b). For a problem with a 92 percent learning curve, what is b?

To use the table of learning-curve coefficients, you must specify and .