If a bottleneck process has a processing rate of 20 units per hour, what is the processing rate of the system?
A) Less than 20 units per hour
B) 20 units per hour
C) More than 20 units per hour
D) The processing rate cannot be determined from the information given

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The bottleneck process sets the maximum processing rate for the entire system, therefore the processing rate of the system cannot be more than 20 units per hour. It could be less than 20 units per hour only if there are other non-bottleneck processes that are slower than the bottleneck. It cannot be more than 20 units per hour because the bottleneck limits the overall rate of output. Therefore, the system processing rate is limited to 20 units per hour, making choice B the correct answer.

If a Bottleneck Process Has a Processing Rate of 20