Chapter14

WaitingLineModels

LearningObjectives

1. Beabletoidentifywherewaitinglineproblemsoccurandrealizewhyitisimportanttostudythese
problems.

2. Knowthedifferencebetweensinglechannelandmultiplechannelwaitinglines.

3. UnderstandhowthePoissondistributionisusedtodescribearrivalsandhowtheexponential
distributionisusedtodescribeservicestimes.

4. Learnhowtouseformulastoidentifyoperatingcharacteristicsofthefollowingwaitinglinemodels:

a.SinglechannelmodelwithPoissonarrivalsandexponentialservicetimes
b.MultiplechannelmodelwithPoissonarrivalsandexponentialservicetimes
c.SinglechannelmodelwithPoissonarrivalsandarbitraryservicetimes
d.MultiplechannelmodelwithPoissonarrivals,arbitraryservicetimes,andnowaiting
e.SinglechannelmodelwithPoissonarrivals,exponentialservicetimes,andafinitecalling
population

5. Knowhowtoincorporateeconomicconsiderationstoarriveatdecisionsconcerningtheoperationof
awaitingline.

6. Understandthefollowingterms:

queuingtheory steadystate
queue utilizationfactor
singlechannel operatingcharacteristics
multiplechannel blocking
arrivalrate infinitecallingpopulation
servicerate finitecallingpopulation
queuediscipline

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Chapter14

Solutions:

1. a. =5(0.4)=2perfiveminuteperiod
x - x -2
b. P (x) = e = 2 e
x! x!
x P(x)
0 0.1353
1 0.2707
2 0.2707
3 0.1804

c. P(DelayProblems)=P(x>3)=1P(x3)=10.8571=0.1429

2. a. =0.6customersperminute

P(servicetime1)=1e(0.6)1=0.4512

b. P(servicetime2)=1e(0.6)2=0.6988

c. P(servicetime>2)=10.6988=0.3012

3. a. P0 = 1 - = 1 - 0.4 = 0.3333
0.6
b. 2 (0.4)2
Lq = = = 1.3333
( - ) 0.6 (0.6 - 0.4)
c. L = L q + = 1.3333 + 0.4 = 2
0.6

Lq
d. Wq = = 1.3333 = 3.3333 min.
1 0.4
e. W = Wq + = 3.3333 + 1 = 5 min.
0.6
f. Pw = = 0.4 = 0.6667
0.6
n n
4. Pn = P0 = 0.4 (0.3333)
0.6

n Pn

0 0.3333
1 0.2222
2 0.1481
3 0.0988

P(n>3)=1P(n3)=10.8024=0.1976

5. a. P0 = 1 - = 1 - 10 = 0.1667
12

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 WaitingLineModels

b. Lq = 2 = 102 = 4.1667
( - ) 12 (12 - 10)
c. Lq
Wq = = 0.4167 hours (25 minutes)

d. W = W q + 1 = .5 hours (30 minutes)

10
e. Pw 0.8333
12

1.25
6. a. P0 1 1 0.375
2

2 1.252
b. Lq 1.0417
( ) 2(2 1.25)

Lq 1.0417
c. Wq 0.8333 minutes(50seconds)
1.25

1.25
d. Pw 0.625
2

e. Averageonecustomerinlinewitha50secondaveragewaitappearsreasonable.

2 (2.5) 2
7. a. Lq 0.5000
( ) 5(5 2.5)

2.5
L Lq 0.5000 1
5

Lq 0.5000
b. Wq 0.20 hours (12 minutes)
2.5

1 1
c. W Wq 0.20 0.40 hours (24 minutes)
5

2.5
d. Pw 0.50
5

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Chapter14

8. =1and=1.25

1
P0 1 1 0.20
1.25

2 1
Lq 3.2
( ) 1.25(0.25)

1
L Lq 3.2 4
1.25

Lq 3.2
Wq 3.2 minutes
1

1 1
W Wq 3.2 4 minutes
1.25

1
Pw 0.80
1.25

Eventhoughtheservicesrateisincreasedto=1.25,thissystemprovidesslightlypoorerservice
duetothefactthatarrivalsareoccurringatahigherrate.Theaveragewaitingtimesareidentical,
butthereisahigherprobabilityofwaitingandthenumberwaitingincreaseswiththenewsystem.

2.2
9. a. P0 1 1 0.56
5

2.2
b. P1 P0 (0.56) 0.2464
5

2 2
2.2
c. P2 P0 (0.56) 0.1084
5

3 3
2.2
d. P3 P0 (0.56) 0.0477

5

e. P(Morethan2waiting)=P(Morethan3areinsystem)
=1(P0+P1+P2+P3)=10.9625=0.0375

2 2.22
f. Lq 0.3457
( ) 5(5 2.2)

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 WaitingLineModels

Lq
Wq 0.157 hours(9.43minutes)

10. a.
=2 =3 =4
Averagenumberwaiting(Lq) 1.3333 0.5000
Averagenumberinsystem 2.0000 1.0000
(L)
Averagetimewaiting(Wq) 0.6667 0.2500
Averagetimeinsystem(W) 1.0000 0.5000
Probabilityofwaiting(Pw) 0.6667 0.5000

b. Newmechanic =$30(L)+$14
=30(2)+14=$74perhour

Experiencedmechanic =$30(L)+$20
=30(1)+20=$50perhour

Hiretheexperiencedmechanic

11. a. =2.5=60/10=6customersperhour

2 2.5 2
Lq = = = 0.2976
( - ) 6 (6 - 2.5)

L = L q + = 0.7143

Lq
Wq = = 0.1190 hours (7.14 minutes)

W = W q + 1 = 0.2857 hours

Pw = = 2.5 = 0.4167
6

b. No;Wq=7.14minutes.Firmshouldincreasethemeanservicerate()fortheconsultantorhire a
secondconsultant.

c. =60/8=7.5customersperhour

2 2.5 2
Lq = = = 0.1667
( - ) 7.5 (7.5 - 2.5)
Lq
Wq = = 0.0667 hours (4 minutes)

Theservicegoalisbeingmet.

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Chapter14

12.
P0 = 1 - = 1 - 15 = 0.25
20

Lq = 2 = 152 = 2.25
( - ) 20 (20 - 15)

L = L + = 3

Lq
Wq = = 0.15 hours (9 minutes)

W = W q + 1 = 0.20 hours (12 minutes)

Pw = = 15 = 0.75
20

WithWq=9minutes,thecheckoutserviceneedsimprovements.

13. Averagewaitingtimegoal:5minutesorless.

a. Onecheckoutcounterwith2employees

=15=30perhour

Lq = 2 = 152 = 0.50
( - ) 30 (30 - 15)
Lq
Wq = = 0.0333 hours (2 minutes)

b. Twochanneltwocountersystem

=15=20perhourforeach

FromTable,P0=0.4545

Lq = ( / )2 P = (15 / 20)2 (15) (20) (0.4545) = 0.1227

0
1! (2 (20) - 15)2 (40 - 15)2
Lq
Wq = = 0.0082 hours (0.492 minutes)

Recommendonecheckoutcounterwithtwopeople.ThismeetstheservicegoalwithWq=2

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 WaitingLineModels

minutes.Thetwocountersystemhasbetterservice,buthastheaddedcostofinstallinganew
counter.

60
14. a. 8 customers per hour
7.5

5
b. P0 1 1 0.3750
8

2 52
c. Lq 10417
.
( ) 8(8 5)

Lq 10417
.
d. Wq 0.2083 hours (12.5 minutes)
5

5
e. Pw 0.6250
8

f. 62.5%ofcustomershavetowaitandtheaveragewaitingtimeis12.5minutes.Ocalaneedstoadd
moreconsultantstomeetitsserviceguidelines.

15. k=2,=5,=8

UsingtheequationforP0,P0=0.5238

Lq
b / g P 0.0676
2

1!( k ) 2
0

Lq 0.0676
Wq 0.0135 hours (0.81 minutes)
5

P0 0.5238 P1
b / gP 5 (0.5238) 0.3274
1

0
1! 8

Pw=P(n2) = 1P(n1)
= 10.52380.3274=0.1488

Twoconsultantsmeetservicegoalswithonly14.88%ofcustomerswaitingwithanaveragewaiting
timeof0.81minutes(49seconds).

16. a. P0 = 1 - = 1 - 5 = 0.50
10
2 52
b. Lq 0.50
( ) 10(10 5)

Lq
c. Wq 0.1 hours(6minutes)

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Chapter14

1
d. W Wq 0.2 hours (12 minutes)

e. Yes,unlessWq=6minutesisconsideredtoolong.

17. a. FromTable,P0=0.60

2
b. L q = ( / ) P0 = 0.0333
1! (k - )2

c. Lq
Wq = = 0.0067 hours (24.12 seconds)

d. W = W q + 1 = 0.1067 (6.4 minutes)

e. Thisserviceisprobablymuchbetterthannecessarywithaveragewaitingtimeonly24seconds.
Bothchannelswillbeidle60%ofthetime.

18. Arrivalrate:=5.4perminute

Servicerate:=3perminuteforeachstation

a. UsingthetableofvaluesofP0,/=1.8,k=2,andP0=0.0526

( / )
k
(1.8) 2 (5.4)(3)
Lq P0 (0.0526) 7.67
(k 1)!(k ) 2 (2 1)!(6 5.4) 2

L Lq 7.67 1.8 9.47

Lq 7.67
Wq 1.42 minutes
5.4

1
W Wq 1.42 0.33 1.75 minutes

k 2
1 k 1 5.4 2(3)
Pw P0 0.0526 0.8526
k ! k 2! 3 2(3) 5.4

b. Theaveragenumberofpassengersinthewaitinglineis7.67.Twoscreeningstationswillbeableto
meetthemanagersgoal.

c. Theaveragetimeforapassengertomovethroughsecurityscreeningis1.75minutes.

19. a. Forthesystemtobeabletohandlethearrivals,wemusthavek>,wherekisthenumberof
channels.With=2and=5.4,wemusthaveatleastk=3channels.

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 WaitingLineModels

Toseeif3screeningstationsareadequate,wemustcomputeLq.

UsingthetableofvaluesofP0,/=2.7,k=3,andP0=0.02525(halfwaybetween/=2.6and
/=2.8)

( / )
k
(2.7)3 (5.4)(2)
Lq P0 (0.02525) 7.45
(k 1)!(k ) 2 2!(6 5.4) 2

Having3stationsopensatisfiesthemanagersgoaltolimittheaveragenumberofpassengersinthe
waitinglinetoatmost10.

b. Theaveragetimerequiredforapassengertopassthroughsecurityscreeningis

Lq 7.45
Wq 1.38
5.4

1
W Wq 1.38 0.5 1.88 minutes

Note:TheaboveresultsarebasedonusingthetablesofP0andanapproximatevalueforP0.Ifa
computerprogramisused,weobtainexactresultsasfollows:

P0=0.0249

Lq=7.35

W=1.86minutes

1.2
20. a. Note 1.60 1. Thus,onepostalclerkcannothandlethearrivalrate.
0.75

Tryk=2postalclerks

FromTablewith 1.60 andk=2,P0=0.1111

( / )2
Lq P0 2.8444
1!(2 ) 2

L Lq 4.4444

Lq
Wq 2.3704 minutes

1
W Wq 3.7037 minutes

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Chapter14

Pw=0.7111

Use2postalclerkswithaveragetimeinsystem3.7037minutes.Noneedtoconsiderk=3.

b. Tryk=3postalclerks.

2.1
FromTablewith 2.80 andk=3,P0=0.0160
.75

( / )3
Lq P0 12.2735
2(3 ) 2

L Lq 15.0735

Lq
Wq 5.8445 minutes

1
W Wq 7.1778 minutes

Pw=0.8767

Threepostalclerkswillnotbeenoughintwoyears.Averagetimeinsystemof7.1778minutesand
anaverageof15.0735customersinthesystemareunacceptablelevelsofservice.Postoffice
expansiontoallowatleastfourpostalclerksshouldbeconsidered.

21. Fromquestion11,aservicetimeof8minuteshas=60/8=7.5

2 (2.5)2
Lq = = = 0.1667
( - ) 7.5 (7.5 - 2.5)

L = L q + = 0.50

TotalCost =$25L+$16
=25(0.50)+16=$28.50

Twochannels:=2.5=60/10=6

Usingequation,P0=0.6552

2
L q = ( / ) P0 = 0.0189
1! (2 - )2

L = L q + = 0.4356

TotalCost=25(0.4356)+2(16)=$42.89

Usetheoneconsultantwithan8minuteservicetime.

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 WaitingLineModels

22. =24
SystemA SystemB SystemC
Characteristic (k=1,=30) (k=1,=48) (k=2,=30)

a.P0 0.2000 0.5000 0.4286

b.Lq 3.2000 0.5000 0.1524
c.Wq 0.1333 0.0200 0.0063
d.W 0.1667 0.0417 0.0397
e.L 4.0000 1.0000 0.9524
f.Pw 0.8000 0.5000 0.2286

SystemCprovidesthebestservice.
23. ServiceCostperChannel

SystemA: 6.50 + 20.00 = $26.50/hour

SystemB: 2(6.50) + 20.00 = $33.00/hour
SystemC: 6.50 + 20.00 = $26.50/hour

TotalCost=cwL+csk

SystemA: 25(4) + 26.50(1) = $126.50

SystemB: 25(1) + 33.00(1) = $58.00
SystemC: 25(0.9524) + 26.50(2) = $76.81

SystemBisthemosteconomical.

24. =2.8,=3.0,Wq=30minutes

a. =2.8/60=0.0466

=3/60=0.0500

b. Lq=Wq=(0.0466)(30)=1.4

c. W=Wq+1/=30+1/0.05=50minutes

11:00a.m.

25. =4,W=10minutes

a. =1/2=0.5

b. Wq=W1/=101/0.5=8minutes

c. L=W=4(10)=40

26. a. Expressandinmechanicsperminute

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Chapter14

=4/60=0.0667mechanicsperminute

=1/6=0.1667mechanicsperminute

Lq=Wq=0.0667(4)=0.2668

W=Wq+1/=4+1/0.1667=10minutes

L=W=(0.0667)(10)=0.6667

b. Lq=0.0667(1)=0.0667

W=1+1/0.1667=7minutes

L=W=(0.0667)(7)=0.4669
c. OneChannel

TotalCost=20(0.6667)+12(1)=$25.33

TwoChannel

TotalCost=20(0.4669)+12(2)=$33.34

OneChannelismoreeconomical.

27. a. 2/8hours=0.25perhour

b. 1/3.2hours=0.3125perhour

2 2 2 2 2 2
c. L q = + ( / ) = (0.25) (2) + (0.25 / 0.3125) = 2.225
2 (1 - / ) 2 (1 - 0.25 / 0.3125)

d. Lq
Wq = = 2.225 = 8.9 hours
0.25
e. W = Wq + 1 = 8.9 + 1 = 12.1 hours
1.3125

f. Same at Pw = = 0.25 = 0.80

0.3125
80%ofthetimethewelderisbusy.

28. =5

a.
Design
A 60/6=10
B 60/6.25=9.6

b. DesignAwith=10jobsperhour.

c. 3/60=0.05forA0.6/60=0.01forB

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 WaitingLineModels

d.
Characteristic DesignA DesignB
P0 0.5000 0.4792
Lq 0.3125 0.2857
L 0.8125 0.8065
Wq 0.0625 0.0571
W 0.1625 0.1613
Pw 0.5000 0.5208

e. DesignBisslightlybetterduetothelowervariabilityofservicetimes.

SystemA: W=0.1625hrs (9.75minutes)

SystemB: W=0.1613hrs (9.68minutes)

29. a. =3/8=.375

=1/2=.5

b.
L q = = (.375)2 (1.5) 2 + (.375 / .5)2 = 1.7578
2 2 + ( / )2

2 (1 - / ) 2 (1 - .375 / .5)

L=Lq+/=1.7578+.375/.5=2.5078

TC=cwL+csk=35(2.5078)+28(1)=$115.71

c.
CurrentSystem(=1.5) NewSystem(=0)
Lq = 1.7578 Lq = 1.125
L = 2.5078 L = 1.875
Wq = 4.6875 Wq = 3.00
W = 6.6875 W = 5.00
TC = $115.77

TC=cwL+csk=35(1.875)+32(1)=$97.63

d. Yes;Savings=40($115.77$97.63)=$725.60

Note:Evenwiththeadvantagesofthenewsystem,Wq=3showsanaveragewaitingtimeof3
hours.Thecompanyshouldconsiderasecondchannelorotherwaysofimprovingtheemergency
repairservice.

30. a. =42=20

i (/)i/i!
0 1.0000
1 2.1000
2 2.2050

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3 1.5435
6.8485

j Pj
0 1/6.8485 = 0.1460
1 2.1/6.8485 = 0.3066
2 2.2050/6.8485 = 0.3220
3 1.5435/6.8485 = 0.2254
1.0000

b. 0.2254

c. L=/(1Pk)=42/20(10.2254)=1.6267

d. Fourlineswillbenecessary.Theprobabilityofdeniedaccessis0.1499.

31. a. =20=12

i (/)i/i!
0 1.0000
1 1.6667
2 1.3889
4.0556

j Pj
0 1/4.0556 = 0.2466
1 1.6667/4.0556 = 0.4110
2 1.3889/4.0556 = 0.3425

P2=0.342534.25%

b. k=3 P3=0.1598

k=4 P4=0.0624 Mustgotok=4.

c. L=/(1P4)=20/12(10.0624)=1.5626

32. a. =40 = 30
i (/)i/i!
0 1.0000
1 1.3333
2 0.8888
3.2221

P0=1.0000/3.2221=0.3104 31.04%

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 WaitingLineModels

b. P2=0.8888/3.2221=0.2758 27.58%

c.
i (/)i/i!
3 0.3951
4 0.1317

P2=0.2758

P3=0.3951/(3.2221+0.3951)=0.1092

P4=0.1317/(3.2221+0.3951+0.1317)=0.0351

d. k=3with10.92%ofcallsreceivingabusysignal.

33. a. =0.05=0.50/=0.10N=8
n
N!
n (N - n) !
0 1.0000
1 0.8000
2 0.5600
3 0.3360
4 0.1680
5 0.0672
6 0.0202
7 0.0040
8 0.0004
2.9558

P0=1/2.9558=0.3383

F
G I F0.55IJ(1 0.3383) 0.7215
Lq N
H JK(1 P ) 8 G
0
H0.05K
L=Lq+(1P0)=0.7213+(10.3383)=1.3832

Lq 0.7215
Wq 2.1808 hours
( N L) (8 13832
. )(0.05)

1 1
W Wq 2.1808 4.1808 hours
0.50

b. P0=0.4566

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Lq=0.0646

L=0.7860

Wq=0.1791hours

W=2.1791hours

c. OneEmployee

Cost =80L+20
=80(1.3832)+20=$130.65

TwoEmployees

Cost =80L+20(2)
=80(0.7860)+40=$102.88

Usetwoemployees.

34. N=5=0.025=0.20/=0.125

a.
n
N!
n (N - n) !
0 1.0000
1 0.6250
2 0.3125
3 0.1172
4 0.0293
5 0.0037
2.0877

P0=1/2.0877=0.4790

0.225
b. Lq N (1 P0 ) 5 (1 0.4790) 0.3110
0.025

c. L=Lq+(1P0)=0.3110+(10.4790)=0.8321

Lq 0.3110
d. Wq 2.9854 min
( N L) (5 0.8321)(0.025)

1 1
e. W Wq 2.9854 7.9854 min
0.20

f. Trips/Days =(8hours)(60min/hour)()
=(8)(60)(0.025)=12trips

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 WaitingLineModels

TimeatCopier: 12x7.9854=95.8minutes/day
WaitTimeatCopier: 12x2.9854=35.8minutes/day

g. Yes.Fiveadministrativeassistantsx35.8=179min.(3hours/day)
3hoursperdayarelosttowaiting.

(35.8/480)(100)=7.5%ofeachadministrativeassistant'sdayisspentwaitingforthecopier.

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35. N=10=0.25=4/=0.0625

a.
n
N!
n (N - n) !
0 1.0000
1 0.6250
2 0.3516
3 0.1758
4 0.0769
5 0.0288
6 0.0090
7 0.0023
8 0.0004
9 0.0001
10 0.0000
2.2698

P0=1/2.2698=0.4406

F
G I F4.25IJ(1 0.4406) 0.4895
b. Lq N
H JK(1 P ) 10 G
0
H0.25K
c. L=Lq+(1P0)=0.4895+(10.4406)=1.0490

Lq 0.4895
d. Wq 0.2188
( N L) (10 10490
. )(0.25)
1 1
e. W Wq 0.2188 0.4688
4

f. TC = cwL+csk
= 50(1.0490)+30(1)=$82.45

g. k=2

TC = cwL+csk
= 50L+30(2)=$82.45
50L = 22.45
L = 0.4490orless.

h. UsingTheManagementScientistwithk=2,

L = 0.6237

TC = cwL+csk
= 50(1.6237)+30(2)=$91.18

Thecompanyshouldnotexpandtothetwochanneltruckdock.

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