Table 10.4
Gable Express Co. provides delivery service seven days a week. The daily requirements (in workers) are estimated as follows:

Each worker is required to work five days per week, and each must have two consecutive days off.
-Use the information in Table 10.4. How much total slack will be generated from the schedule?
A) fewer than six days
B) six days
C) seven days
D) greater than seven days

Question

Table 10.4
Gable Express Co. provides delivery service seven days a week. The daily requirements (in workers) are estimated as follows:
  
Each worker is required to work five days per week, and each must have two consecutive days off.
-Use the information in Table 10.4. How much total slack will be generated from the schedule?
A) fewer than six days 
B) six days 
C) seven days 
D) greater than seven days

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Since there are 36 total workers required (6 workers per day for 7 days), and each worker works 5 days per week and has 2 consecutive days off, there can be a maximum of 4 workers off each day (2 who worked the previous day, and 2 who will work the following day). Therefore, the schedule allows for a maximum of 28 workers to have consecutive days off each week. This leaves a total slack of 8 workers (36 total workers required - 28 workers with consecutive days off allowed), which is exactly 1 full day of work for the entire workforce. Therefore, the answer is C) seven days.

Table 10.4 Gable Express Co. Provides Delivery Service Seven Days a Week