Final answer:
The total number of units in the process refers to work in process (WIP) and is related to items between raw materials and finished goods. Arrival rate and probability calculations are relevant in determining customer or patient arrival scenarios in business operations, especially in queueing theory. The correct answer is option: a. Work in process/things in process/patients in process/inventory
Step-by-step explanation:
The total number of units in the process is best described as work in process (WIP), things in process, patients in process, or inventory. This term refers to the items that are in the midst of being transformed from raw materials to finished goods but are not yet completed. In a service context like a health facility, patients in process would be equivalent to WIP.
In scenarios involving customer arrivals and service event probabilities, concepts like arrival rate and the related probabilities are crucial. For instance, if patients arrive at an urgent care facility on an average of one every seven minutes and this time is exponentially distributed, various probabilities can be calculated concerning these arrivals and durations between them. This is an important aspect of queueing theory and process management, which is essential in business operations management.
Other relevant terms related to process management include setup time, which is the time required to prepare equipment or processes for production, and value-added time, which is the time during which a product is being worked on and is actually increasing in value.