A two-component process has a 90.25% success rate in series and a 99.75% success rate in parallel. If each component has the same reliability, what is the reliability of an individual component?
A) 50%
B) 90%
C) 95%
D) 99%
E) 97%

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

For components in series, the overall reliability is the product of their individual reliabilities. Let $R$ be the reliability of each component. Then, $R^2 = 0.9025$, so $R = \sqrt{0.9025} = 0.95$ or 95%. For parallel systems, the formula involves more steps, but the question only asks for the reliability of individual components in series, which we've found.

A Two-Component Process Has a 90