Question

Tech is modernizing its college ID system. Beginning this term all faculty, staff, and

students will be required to carry a smart identification card, called a student
passport. What makes it smart is a magnetic strip with information on club memberships, library usage, class schedules (for taking exams), restrictions (such as no alcohol), medical insurance, emergency contacts, and medical consition. If desired, it can also be set up as a debit card to pay fines or purchase items from the bookstore, vending machines, cash machines, copy machines, and several local retailers. University administrators are excited about the revenue potential and increased control of the passport, but they are not looking forward to the process of issuing approximately 60000 new cards. If applicants could be processed at the rate of 60 an hour, the entire university could be issued passports in a month's time (with a little overtime).

The steps in the process and approximate times follow Step 1 and 2 must be completed before Step 3 can begin. Step 3 and 4 must precede Step 5, and Step 5 must be completed before Step 6.

Steps in Process Time
1. Review application for correctness 10 seconds
2. Verify information and check for outstanding debt 60 seconds
3. Process and record payment. 30 seconds
4. Take photo 20 seconds
5. Attach photo and laminate 10 seconds
6. Magnetize and issue passport 10 seconds


a. Is it possible to process one applicant every minute? Explain.
b. How would you assign tasks to workers in order to process 60 applicants an hour?
c. How many workers are required? How efficient is your line?

Answer 1

Yes, it is possible to process one applicant every minute. In order to process 60 applicants an hour, we would need at least six workers, with each worker responsible for one task. The line would be considered efficient because it can process the desired number of applicants within the given time frame.

Step-by-step explanation:

a. Is it possible to process one applicant every minute? Explain.

Yes, it is possible to process one applicant every minute. The entire process of issuing passports consists of six steps, and each step takes a certain amount of time. When we add up the times for all six steps, it sums up to 140 seconds, which is less than a minute.

b. How would you assign tasks to workers in order to process 60 applicants an hour?

In order to process 60 applicants an hour, we would need to divide the tasks among workers. For example, one worker can review the application for correctness, another worker can verify information and check for outstanding debt, a third worker can process and record the payment, a fourth worker can take the photo, a fifth worker can attach the photo and laminate the passport, and a sixth worker can magnetize and issue the passport.

c. How many workers are required? How efficient is your line?

To process 60 applicants an hour, we would need at least six workers, with each worker responsible for one task. The line would be considered efficient because it can process the desired number of applicants within the given time frame.