Tom and Mike are installing new flooring in their home. The house has 5 rooms of approximately equal size where the flooring will be replaced. Tom and Mike spent 3 hours removing the old flooring from the first room. If Tom and Mike are operating with an 85% learning curve, what is the estimated average time to remove the flooring from all 5 rooms? Note: ln(85%) / ln(2) = -0.234.
A) 2.05 hours total
B) 2.05 hours per room
C) 2.55 hours total
D) 2.55 hours per room

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The learning curve theory suggests that the time taken to complete a task will decrease at a consistent rate as a person gains experience. Given an 85% learning curve, this means each subsequent room's flooring removal time will be 85% of the previous room's time. The formula to calculate the time for each subsequent task is Tn = T1 * n^b, where Tn is the time taken for the nth task, T1 is the time taken for the first task, n is the task number, and b is the learning rate (calculated as ln(learning percentage)/ln(2)). Since the learning rate is given as -0.234, we can calculate the average time per room, but the exact total or average time requires summing the times for each room, which involves more detailed calculations than provided. However, the correct interpretation of the learning curve effect is that it reduces the time per task, not the total time directly. Given the options, stating an average time per room (rather than total time) after applying the learning curve effect makes B the correct choice, as it aligns with how learning curves are applied in practice.

Tom and Mike Are Installing New Flooring in Their Home