(a) The average number of customers waiting for service if 5 clerks are used.   (b) The minimum number of clerks needed to keep the average waiting time in the system to under 5 minutes.   (c) If clerk cost is $40 per hour and customer waiting time represents a “cost” of $30 per hour, how many clerks can be justified on a cost basis? Please show work.

Practical Management Science
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ISBN:9781337406659
Author:WINSTON, Wayne L.
Publisher:WINSTON, Wayne L.
Chapter2: Introduction To Spreadsheet Modeling
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During the early morning hours, customers arrive at a branch post office at an average rate of 45 per hour (Poisson), while clerks can handle transactions in an average time (exponential) of 4 minutes each. Find:

(a) The average number of customers waiting for service if 5 clerks are used.
 
(b) The minimum number of clerks needed to keep the average waiting time in the system to under 5 minutes.
 
(c) If clerk cost is $40 per hour and customer waiting time represents a “cost” of $30 per hour, how many clerks can be justified on a cost basis? Please show work.
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