Final answer:
The higher ampacity can be used for a distance of 10 feet or 10 percent of the circuit length figured at the higher ampacity, whichever is less. The rating of a circuit breaker gives an indication of the current demand of the appliances it is meant to protect.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question is asking to determine what distance can the higher ampacity (current carrying capacity) be used beyond the transition point when two different ampacities apply to adjacent portions of a circuit. The answer to the question is that the higher ampacity can be used for a distance of 10 feet or 10 percent of the circuit length figured at the higher ampacity, whichever is less.
From the information provided about circuit breakers, we can deduce that appliances such as refrigerators, which are protected by higher rating circuit breakers (e.g., 20 amps), likely have a higher current demand compared to the multiple outlets in a living room that are collectively protected by a 15-amp breaker. This implies that the refrigerator uses more current and hence requires a higher ampacity to operate safely and effectively, demonstrating the importance of sizing circuit breakers according to the electrical load they protect.