Final answer:
The capability index for Consolidated Corp. is 0.1786.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the capability index, we need to determine the process capability. In this case, the process capability refers to how well the production process meets the specifications. The capability index can be calculated using the formula:
Capability Index = (USL - LSL) / (6 * Standard Deviation)
Where USL is the upper specification limit, LSL is the lower specification limit, and the standard deviation is the measure of variation in the process.
In this case, the length of the metal plates follows a normal distribution with a standard deviation of 0.014 cm. The USL is 10.87 cm and the LSL is 10.72 cm. Plugging these values into the formula:
Capability Index = (10.87 - 10.72) / (6 * 0.014) = 0.1786
Therefore, the capability index for Consolidated Corp. is 0.1786.