Question 1

Which unit, if any, will require approximately one-half the time of the first unit?

Accepted Answer

A) 18th unit 
B) 19th unit 
C) 20th unit 
D) 21st unit 
E) 22nd unit 
A) 18th unit 
B) 19th unit 
C) 20th unit 
D) 21st unit 
E) 22nd unit

Question 2

Assembly of a model airplane has a learning curve of 80 percent.The estimated time to assemble a second identical model airplane is 40 hours.Determine approximately how much time will be required for:
(A) the eighth unit
(B) the first ten units

Accepted Answer

(A) Unit time for eighth unit:

Question 3

If a contract for 30 units is canceled after the first 20 units, approximately how much of the expected total direct labor will have been expended to that point?

Accepted Answer

A) 73% 
B) 55% 
C) 61% 
D) 50% 
E) It is impossible to say without additional information. 
A) 73% 
B) 55% 
C) 61% 
D) 50% 
E) It is impossible to say without additional information.

Question 4

If we have never made the first unit but only think we know how much the labor time will be, we cannot draw a learning curve.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

A learning percentage of 95% indicates greater learning than a percentage of 90%.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

When the task is fairly complex and has a longer duration, it will take a larger number of repetitions before improvement is observed.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

Unit times for a job exhibit a learning effect.If the 2nd unit took 30 hours, and the 4th unit took 21 hours, roughly how many hours would you estimate the 3rd unit took?

Accepted Answer

A) 29 
B) 27 
C) 25 
D) 24 
E) 21 
A) 29 
B) 27 
C) 25 
D) 24 
E) 21

Question 8

The learning curve is a basic tool for mass production type activities because it can deal with large volumes of output.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

Approximately how long did it take to produce the first four units?

Accepted Answer

A) 15 hours 
B) 16 hours 
C) 18 hours 
D) 20 hours 
E) 21 hours 
A) 15 hours 
B) 16 hours 
C) 18 hours 
D) 20 hours 
E) 21 hours

Question 10

Learning curves are mostly relevant for complex, new activities that have not been done often.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

A learning rate of 98% implies an exceptionally rapid rate of improvement.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 12

Approximately how long will it take to produce the 25th through the 30th units?

Accepted Answer

A) 23 hours 
B) 49 hours 
C) 29 hours 
D) 38 hours 
E) It is impossible to say without additional information. 
A) 23 hours 
B) 49 hours 
C) 29 hours 
D) 38 hours 
E) It is impossible to say without additional information.

Question 13

An 80 percent learning curve means that with each doubling of repetitions there will be a 20 percent decrease in time per unit.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

A job will have a learning rate of 75 percent.If the 3rd unit requires 10 hours, the 12th unit should require about this many hours:

Accepted Answer

A) 5.6 
B) 6.5 
C) 7.4 
D) 8.3 
E) 9.2 
A) 5.6 
B) 6.5 
C) 7.4 
D) 8.3 
E) 9.2

Question 15

How long would a job with a 70 percent learning curve and a time of 20 hours for the first unit require (approximately, in hours) for the third unit?

Accepted Answer

A) 14.1 
B) 11.5 
C) 10.0 
D) 7.8 
E) 4.3 
A) 14.1 
B) 11.5 
C) 10.0 
D) 7.8 
E) 4.3

Question 16

The fact that human activities typically improve when they are done on a repetitive basis is described by a/an:

Accepted Answer

A) normal distribution curve 
B) learning curve 
C) binomial distribution curve 
D) exponential curve 
E) fatigue factor allowance 
A) normal distribution curve 
B) learning curve 
C) binomial distribution curve 
D) exponential curve 
E) fatigue factor allowance

Question 17

The 3rd unit of a ten-unit job required 7.3 hours to complete.The 4th unit has been worked on for two hours, but it is not yet finished.Estimate the remaining amount of time that will be needed to finish this ten-unit job if the work has an 80% learning curve.

Accepted Answer

We will need 37.66 h

Question 18

A job is expected to have a 70 percent learning curve.The first unit has been completed in 20 hours.Accordingly, the second unit can be expected to take approximately how many hours?

Accepted Answer

A) 6 
B) 9.8 
C) 14 
D) 20 
E) 34 
A) 6 
B) 9.8 
C) 14 
D) 20 
E) 34

Question 19

If an 80% curve is appropriate for a task and the first unit takes ten hours, the average time for the first two units would be eight hours.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

When are learning curves most relevant to managerial decision making in mass production settings?

Accepted Answer

A) late in product life-cycles 
B) in the maturity phase 
C) in the decline phase 
D) before processes are stabilized 
E) never 
A) late in product life-cycles 
B) in the maturity phase 
C) in the decline phase 
D) before processes are stabilized 
E) never

Exam 22: Extension 7: Learning Curves

Which unit, if any, will require approximately one-half the time of the first unit?

Assembly of a model airplane has a learning curve of 80 percent.The estimated time to assemble a second identical model airplane is 40 hours.Determine approximately how much time will be required for: (A) the eighth unit (B) the first ten units

If a contract for 30 units is canceled after the first 20 units, approximately how much of the expected total direct labor will have been expended to that point?

If we have never made the first unit but only think we know how much the labor time will be, we cannot draw a learning curve.

A learning percentage of 95% indicates greater learning than a percentage of 90%.

When the task is fairly complex and has a longer duration, it will take a larger number of repetitions before improvement is observed.

Unit times for a job exhibit a learning effect.If the 2nd unit took 30 hours, and the 4th unit took 21 hours, roughly how many hours would you estimate the 3rd unit took?

The learning curve is a basic tool for mass production type activities because it can deal with large volumes of output.

Approximately how long did it take to produce the first four units?

Learning curves are mostly relevant for complex, new activities that have not been done often.

A learning rate of 98% implies an exceptionally rapid rate of improvement.

Approximately how long will it take to produce the 25th through the 30th units?

An 80 percent learning curve means that with each doubling of repetitions there will be a 20 percent decrease in time per unit.

A job will have a learning rate of 75 percent.If the 3rd unit requires 10 hours, the 12th unit should require about this many hours:

How long would a job with a 70 percent learning curve and a time of 20 hours for the first unit require (approximately, in hours) for the third unit?

The fact that human activities typically improve when they are done on a repetitive basis is described by a/an:

The 3rd unit of a ten-unit job required 7.3 hours to complete.The 4th unit has been worked on for two hours, but it is not yet finished.Estimate the remaining amount of time that will be needed to finish this ten-unit job if the work has an 80% learning curve.

A job is expected to have a 70 percent learning curve.The first unit has been completed in 20 hours.Accordingly, the second unit can be expected to take approximately how many hours?

If an 80% curve is appropriate for a task and the first unit takes ten hours, the average time for the first two units would be eight hours.

When are learning curves most relevant to managerial decision making in mass production settings?

Introduction to Operations Management

Competitiveness, Strategy, and Productivity

Forecasting

Product and Service Design

Strategic Capacity Planning for Products and Services

Process Selection and Facility Layout

Work Design and Measurement

Location Planning and Analysis

Management of Quality

Quality Control

Aggregate Planning and Master Scheduling

MRP and ERP

Inventory Management

Jit and Lean Operations

Supply Chain Management

Scheduling

Project Management

Management of Waiting Lines

Linear Programming

Extension 4: Reliability

Extension 5: Decision Theory

Extension 8: The Transportation Model

Extension 10: Acceptance Sampling

Extension 14: Maintenance

Filters

Unit times for a job exhibit a learning effect.If the 2^nd unit took 30 hours, and the 4^th unit took 21 hours, roughly how many hours would you estimate the 3^rd unit took?

Approximately how long will it take to produce the 25^th through the 30^th units?

A job will have a learning rate of 75 percent.If the 3^rd unit requires 10 hours, the 12^th unit should require about this many hours:

The 3^rd unit of a ten-unit job required 7.3 hours to complete.The 4^th unit has been worked on for two hours, but it is not yet finished.Estimate the remaining amount of time that will be needed to finish this ten-unit job if the work has an 80% learning curve.