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Learning curve theory question

Forums › Ask ACCA Tutor Forums › Ask the Tutor ACCA PM Exams › Learning curve theory question

  • This topic has 5 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 4 years ago by John Moffat.
Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • December 15, 2021 at 12:27 am #644266
    letty23
    Participant
    • Topics: 10
    • Replies: 8
    • ☆

    Tech World is a company which manufactures mobile phone handsets. From its past experiences, Tech World has realised that whenever a new design engineer is employed, there is a learning curve with a 75% learning rate which exists for the first 15 jobs.

    A new design engineer has just completed their first job in five hours.

    Note. At the learning rate of 75%, the learning factor (b) is equal to -0.415.

    How long would it take the design engineer to complete the sixth job?

    Y = axb
    b = log 0.75/log 2 = –0.1249/0.3010 = -0.415

    Can you please explain me the below calculation:

    When x = 6, x –0.415 = 1/6 –0.415 = 0.4754

    Did they divide it by 6 because we are looking for the time of the sixth jobs?

    Thank you.

    December 15, 2021 at 8:21 am #644279
    John Moffat
    Keymaster
    • Topics: 57
    • Replies: 54831
    • ☆☆☆☆☆

    I can only imagine that you have copied the answer wrongly or that there is a typing error in the answer.

    If it is either a past exam question or a question in the BPP Revision Kit, then tell me which one and I will check.

    (The formula is not y = axb, it is y = ax^b )

    Have you watched my free lectures on learning curves, which explain exactly how to do questions like this?

    The time for the 6th job is the time take to produce 6 jobs less the time taken to produce 5 jobs.

    December 16, 2021 at 2:10 am #644376
    letty23
    Participant
    • Topics: 10
    • Replies: 8
    • ☆

    The formula has been written as such. It is from BPP Revision Kit.

    I have understood the calculation afterwards, thank you though for your explanation.

    December 16, 2021 at 7:27 am #644386
    John Moffat
    Keymaster
    • Topics: 57
    • Replies: 54831
    • ☆☆☆☆☆

    I have looked at the BPP answer and although the answer is correct, they have made one small typing error.

    You probably remember from school that taking anything to a negative power is the same as taking 1 divided by the same number to the positive power.

    So……6^(-0.145) is the same as 1/(6^0.415). Depending on your calculator you can do it either way – the answer is the same!!

    The typing mistake in the BPP answer is that they should have typed it as 1/(6^0.415) (and not as 1/6^-0.415 )

    December 16, 2021 at 10:42 am #644394
    letty23
    Participant
    • Topics: 10
    • Replies: 8
    • ☆

    Yes indeed. Thank you for your explanation and time Sir. Greatly appreciated!

    December 16, 2021 at 3:52 pm #644420
    John Moffat
    Keymaster
    • Topics: 57
    • Replies: 54831
    • ☆☆☆☆☆

    You are welcome 🙂

  • Author
    Posts
Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
  • The topic ‘Learning curve theory question’ is closed to new replies.

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