RSM 1240

Term 3 2023

Tutorial Problems Set 4 (with answers)

Textbook Problems

Chapter 9: 9.2, 9.3, 9.4, 9.5 (shown as Chapter 8 below).

Chapter 10: 10.3, 10.4 (shown as Chapter 9 below).

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Answers: Chapter 9 Problems
NOTE: Problems 9.2-9.5 assume an infinite waiting room. Hence, average waiting
time can be estimated using either the formula or QMacros, although there typically
is a discrepancy.
The solutions show both answers.

9.2 My-Law.com
(a) inter-arrival time: 10 emails per hour = 1 email / 6 min
a = 6 min, CVa = 1
m=1 server; processing time: p = 5 min, CVp = 4 min / 5 min = 0.8

Using the wait time formula:

waiting time = 5 min x [(12 + 0.82)/2] x [5/6 / (1-5/6)] = 20.5 min
total response time = waiting time + processing time = 25.5 min
With QMacros (G/G/s model): see below.

(b) emails per day = 10 emails per hour x 10 hours = 100 emails per day

(c) idle time = (1- utilization) x 10 hours = (1- 0.833) x 10 hours = 1.66 hours

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(d) The average amount of time would not change, since utilization is not dependent on the
variance or standard deviation, but on the average processing and inter-arrival time.

(e) processing time: p = 5 min, CVp = 0.5 min / 5 min = 0.1

Using the formula: waiting time = 5 min x [(12 + 0.12)/2] x [5/6 / (1-5/6)] = 12.63 min
total response time = waiting time + processing time = 17.63 min
With QMacros(G/G/s model): see below.

G/G/s
Parameters
part a part e
Arrival Rate (1/min) 0.167 0.167
Var. Coef. Arrivals 1 1
Service Rate (1/min) 0.2 0.2
Var. Coef. Service 0.8 0.1
Nr of Servers 1 1
Results
Load Factor 0.8333 0.833
Fraction Not Served 0 0
Thruput (1/min) 0.1667 0.1667
Utilization 0.8333 0.833
Remaining Results for All Customers All Customers
Avg Nr in System 4.22 2.93
Avg Nr in Queue 3.39 2.10
Time in System (min) 25.35 17.62
Wait in Queue (min) 20.35 12.62
Pr{Wait=0} 0.1667 0.1667

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9.3 Car Rental Company

(a) We approach this problem as though the rental car is the “server”. We know that a =
2.4 hours, p = 72 hours, CVa = (2.4/2.4) = 1, CVp = (24/72) = 0.33, and m = 50 cars.
To determine the number of cars on the lot, we can look at the utilization rate of our
“servers” = (p) / (m a) = (72) / (50 x 2.4) = 60%. Therefore, on average 60% of the
cars are in use or 30 cars, so on average 20 cars are in the lot.

(b) We assume that the standard deviations DO NOT change. If the average demand is
increased to 12 rentals per day, then a = 2 hours. If the average rental duration
increases to 4 days, then p = 96 hours. These values raise the utilization rate to
(96) / (50 x 2) = 96%. This means that 48 cars are rented on average. With the initial
rate average revenue per day = $80*30 cars = $2400. With the proposed rate average
revenue per day = $55*48 = $2640. Therefore, the company should make the proposed
changes.

(c) p=72, m=50,a=2.4, CVa=1 CVp=0.333; Utilization = 60%

Using the wait time formula:
Prob(All 50 busy) = 0.6-1+√(2)(51) =0.0096
Wait time = (72 /50) x (1+0.3332)/2 x 0.0096/(1-0.6)=0.019
the average wait time = 0.019 hours or 1.15 minutes.
Note: Because we have so many servers (50) and they are not terribly busy (60%), the
formula to find the probability that all are busy, overestimates the probability greatly. In
fact, the waiting time is even less than 1 minute (using QMacros, G/G/s model: the
answer is 0.00135 hrs or 5 seconds.)
(d) Now, a=3, CVa = 3/3 = 1, p=4 x 24 = 96 hours, CVp = 0 (exactly 4 days implies
there is no variability). Number of servers, m=50.
Utilization = 96/(50 x 3) = 0.64
Using the wait time formula:
Probability all cars are busy = 0.64-1+ 2(50 +1) =0.01723
96 1" + 0" 0.01723
𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑄𝑢𝑒𝑢𝑒, 𝑇! = / 3 = 0.046 ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠 = 2.72 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑡𝑒𝑠.
50 2 (1 − 0.64)
Again, this overestimates the wait. With QMacros the answer is 0.0069 hours or 0.42
minutes.

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G/G/s
Parameters
part c part d
Arrival Rate (1/hour) 0.42 0.33
Var. Coef. Arrivals 1.00 1.00
Service Rate (1/hour) 0.01 0.01
Var. Coef. Service 0.33 0.00
Nr of Servers 50 50
Results
Load Factor 0.6 0.64
Fraction Not Served 0 0
Thruput (1/hour) 0.416666667 0.333333333
Utilization 0.6 0.64
Remaining Results for All Customers All Customers
Avg Nr in System 30.00056248 32.00230621
Avg Nr in Queue 0.000562482 0.002306208
Time in System (hour) 72.00134996 96.00691862
Wait in Queue (hour) 0.001349956 0.006918624
Pr{Wait=0} 0.999447822 0.997907674

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9.4 Tom Opim

(a) Utilization = 2 /3, so Tom is free 1/3 of the time:
idle time = 1 min / 3 min * 8 hours = 160 min
pages read = 160 min * 1 page/min = 160 pages

(b) Arrival rate = 1 call / 3 min

a = 3 min, CVa = 3 min / 3 min = 1
service time: p = 2 min, CVp = 1 min / 2 min = 0.5
Using the wait time formula: waiting time = 2 min x [(12 + 0.52)/2] x [2/3 / (1-2/3)]
= 2.5 min
Using QMacros G/G/s model:
G/G/s
Parameters
part a
Arrival Rate (1/min) 0.33
Var. Coef. Arrivals 1.00
Service Rate (1/min) 0.50
Var. Coef. Service 0.50
Nr of Servers 1
Results
Load Factor 0.666666667
Fraction Not Served 0
Thruput (1/min) 0.333333333
Utilization 0.666666667
Remaining Results for All Customers
Avg Nr in System 1.493057368
Avg Nr in Queue 0.826390701
Time in System (min) 4.479172103
Wait in Queue (min) 2.479172103
Pr{Wait=0} 0.333333333

(c) The average total time a line is used per customer = average wait time + average
processing time. In this case, the average total time per customer = 2.5 + 2 = 4.5
minutes per customer. There are an average of 20 customers per hour, so the average
number of minutes of line usage per hour = 20*4.5 = 90 minutes. Thus, the total per
hour charge = (90/60) * $5 = $7.50 per hour or $60 for 8 hours.

Another way to approach the same problem is to look at the average number of callers
at any given time. This equals the average number of callers on hold at any given time
(INVqueue ) plus the average number of callers talking to Tom at any given time. We
can calculate INVqueue = TH x Tq where the flow rate = 1 call / 3 minutes and Tq = 2.5
minutes. Thus, INVqueue = 0.83 calls. The average number of callers talking to Tom
must be a number between 0 and 1, and is equal to Tom’s utilization = 0.67. So, the
average number of callers at any given time = 0.83 + 0.67 = 1.5 callers or on average
1.5 lines are used. The line charge for 8 hours = $5*8 = $40 per line. Therefore the total
cost over an 8-hour shift = 1.5*40 = $60.

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9.5 Atlantic Video

(a) Arrival rate = 30 customers per hour = 1 customer / 2 min
a = 2 min, CVa = 1
process time: p = 1.7 min, CVp = 3 min / 1.7 min = 1.765
Utilization = 1.7/2 = 0.85
Using the wait time formula:
waiting time = 1.7 min x [(12 + 1.7652)/2] x [(0.85)/(1-0.85)] = 19.82 min
Using QMacros G/G/s model: see below.

(b) utilization = 1.7 min / 2 min = 0.85

idle time = 0.15 * 8 hrs = 72 min / 1.5 min per sort = 48 sorts

(c) Total Flow time in system = 19.82 minutes + 1.7 minutes = 21.51 minutes
Throughput of system = 1 customer / 2 min.
Number of people in system = Inventory = Throughput x Flow Time
= 21.51 x 0.5 = 10.75 customers

(d) Because only 90% of customers go through checkout, the arrival rate of
paying customers changes: 27 customers per hour = 1 customer / 2.22 min
The utilization is now 1.7/2.22 = 0.765
Using the wait time formula:
waiting time = 1.7 min x [(12 + 1.7652)/2] x [(0.765)/(1-0.765)] = 11.4 min
Using QMacros G/G/s model: see below.

(e) The average person waits 19.81 minutes, and 30 customers arrive in one hour, so
there are approximately 19.82 x 30=594.6 minutes of wait time per hour. This costs
the store .75 x 594.6 = $445.95 for wait time per hour. If 2 servers are used, we can
apply the formula with m=2 servers and find that the time in queue (the wait time) is
0.88 minutes, and using the same methodology, calculate a cost of .75*(0.88*30) =
$19.79. Finally, if 3 servers are used, the wait time is 0.162 minutes, and the cost is
0.75*(0.162*30) = $3.65. Adding any more employees would not be cost effective.
The most cost-effective number of employees is 3.
Using QMacros G/G/s model: see below.
G/G/s
Parameters
part a part d part e (2 servers) part e (3 servers)
Arrival Rate (1/min) 0.5 0.45 0.50 0.50
Var. Coef. Arrivals 1 1 1 1
Service Rate (1/min) 0.588 0.588 0.588 0.588
Var. Coef. Service 1.765 1.765 1.765 1.765
Nr of Servers 1 1 2 3
Results
Load Factor 0.85 0.765 0.425 0.283333333
Fraction Not Served 0 0 0 0
Thruput (1/min) 0.5 0.45 0.5 0.5
Utilization 0.85 0.765 0.425 0.283333333
Remaining Results for All Customers All Customers All Customers All Customers
Avg Nr in System 10.47577069 5.644070634 1.164762855 0.886756934
Avg Nr in Queue 9.625770694 4.879070634 0.314762855 0.036756934
Time in System (min) 20.95154139 12.54237919 2.32952571 1.773513867
Wait in Queue (min) 19.25154139 10.84237919 0.62952571 0.073513867
Pr{Wait=0} 0.15 0.235 0.746491228 0.939330699

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Answer: Chapter 10 Problems

NOTE: the following problems assume a finite waiting room. Hence, performance
cannot be estimated using the waiting time formula discussed in class. Use QMacros.

10.3. Video Store

We have the following inputs: arrival rate = 15/24 per hour, service rate = 1/36 per hour.
CVa =CVp =1 (by assumption; the problem statement is vague about this.) Number of
servers = 9. Since customers are not willing to wait, we have number of places in system =
number of servers = 9.

Choose the M/M/s/N model in QMacros and enter these inputs to get the results below.

(a) Fraction of customers not served = 62.44%. That means that there will be
a movie available with probability 37.56%.

(b) The throughput is 0.235 movies per hour. Over the course of a day (and at $5
per movie), this brings in $28.166/day revenue

(c) The loss rate is 0.39 customers per hour, because the arrival rate = 15/24 = 0.625 per
hour and throughput = 0.235 per hour. Since each customer who is not served gets $1,
which means a loss of $9.36 a day.

(d) We repeat all calculations with m=10. We find that we get new (higher)
revenues of 31.19 $/day and new (lower) losses of 8.76 $/day. Thus, we increase
profits by $3.62 per day. In less than 14 days, we have then recovered our
investment for the new copy of the movie.

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M/M/s/N
Parameters
Arrival Rate (1/hr) 0.625 0.625
Service Rate (1/hr) 0.02778 0.02778
Nr of Servers 9 10
Nr of Places in System 9 10
Results
Load Factor 2.5 2.25
Fraction Not Served 0.62444 0.58420
Thruput (1/hr) 0.23472 0.25988
Utilization 0.93889 0.93555
Remaining Results for Served Only Served Only
Avg Nr in System 8.4500 9.3555
Avg Nr in Queue 0 0
Time in System (hr) 36 36
Wait in Queue (hr) 0 0
Pr{Wait=0} 1 1

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10.4. Gas station

We have the following inputs: arrival rate = 20 per hour, service rate = 12 per hour. CVa
=CVp =1 (by assumption; the problem statement is vague about this.) Number of servers =
6. Since customers are not willing to wait, we have number of places in system = number
of servers = 6.

Choose the M/M/s/N model in QMacros and enter these inputs to get the
results below.

(a) All servers will be busy with a probability of 0.0056.

(b) The flow rate is 19.89 cars per hour.

M/M/s/N
Parameters
Arrival Rate (1/hour) 20
Service Rate (1/hour) 12
Nr of Servers 6
Nr of Places in System 6
Results
Load Factor 0.277777778
Fraction Not Served 0.005632041
Thruput (1/hour) 19.88735918
Utilization 0.276213322
Remaining Results for Served Only
Avg Nr in System 1.657279931
Avg Nr in Queue 0
Time in System (hour) 0.083333333
Wait in Queue (hour) 0
Pr{Wait=0} 1

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