1. Suppose the first unit of output required 800 labor hours, and the second required only 640.

How many hours will be reduced from the second unit to the fourth?

1st unit = 800 hrs, 2nd unit = 640 hrs

Learning rate from 1 to 2 units = L2/L1 = 640/800

Learning rate for labor hours = 0.8 = 80%

L4/L2 = 0.8

L4/640 = 0.8

L4 = 512 hrs

Labor hours for 4th unit = 512 hrs

Reduction of hours from 2nd uni to 4th unit = 640 – 512 = 128 hrs

2. Suppose the first unit of output required 900 labor hours, and the second unit
required only 810. At this rate, how many more units must be produced before labor
requirements are less than 700 hours?

1st unit = 900 hrs, 2nd unit = 810 hrs

Learning rate from 1 to 2 units = L2/L1 = 810/900

Learning rate for labor hours = 0.9 = 90%

T x Ln = Time required for the nth unit, n = number of times T is doubled

1st = 900

2nd = (0.9)(900) = 810

4th = (0.9)(810) = 648

8th = (0.9)(648) = 518.4

Thus, 4 units of output must be produced before labor requirements are less than 700 hours.

3. It took exactly 10 hours to perform the first kidney transplant on a 100 percent learning
curve. The second kidney transplant will take how many hours to perform?

At 100% learning curve, there will be no room for improvement at all as it assumes that the
process is already at its minimum time possible or the processor has no further improvement
at all. Since the learning curve is already at 100 percent, the number of hours taken for the
second kidney transplant will be the same which is at 10 hours.
4. A job is expected to have a 70 percent learning curve. The first unit has been completed in 20
hours. Accordingly, the second unit can be expected to take approximately how many hours?

Tn = T1 x C

where, Tn = number of labor-hours required to produce the Nth unit

T1 = number of labor-hours required to produce the first unit

C = learning-curve coefficient found in Coefficient Table (T3)

T2 = (20)(0.7)

T2 = 14 hours

Thus, second unit can be expected to take approximately of 14 hours

5. A job with a 70 percent learning curve required 20 hours for the initial unit. The fourth unit
should require approximately how many hours?

T4 = (20)(0.49)

T4 = 9.8 hours

Thus, fourth unit can be expected to take approximately of 9.8 hours

6. How long would a job with a 70 percent learning curve and a time of 20 hours for the first
unit require (approximately, in hours) for the third unit?

T3 = (20)(0.568)

T3 = 11.36 hours

T3 ≈ 11.4 hours

Thus, fourth unit can be expected to take approximately of 11.4 hours