Final answer:
The coefficient of variation of inter-arrival times measures the relative variability of the time between arrivals. A higher coefficient of variation indicates a higher degree of variability. In the context of installing new copiers in the operations department and professors arriving at a rate of 40 per hour, a high coefficient of variation would mean that the inter-arrival times of professors are highly variable, making it challenging to manage copiers and user demand.
Step-by-step explanation:
The coefficient of variation (CV) of inter-arrival times measures the relative variability of the time between arrivals. It is calculated by dividing the standard deviation of the inter-arrival times by the mean inter-arrival time, and then multiplying by 100 to express it as a percentage. A higher coefficient of variation indicates a higher degree of variability in the inter-arrival times.
In the context of installing 4 new copiers in the operations department and professors arriving at a rate of 40 per hour, a high coefficient of variation would mean that the inter-arrival times of professors are highly variable. This would imply that there are significant fluctuations in the rate at which professors arrive, and managing copiers and user demand could be challenging. For example, during periods of high variability, there may be instances where a large number of professors arrive in a short period, leading to a higher demand for copiers. On the other hand, during periods of low variability, there may be fewer arrivals, resulting in lower copier usage.