The first unit took 10 hours and the eighth unit took 1.25 hours. What is the learning curve?
A) 50%
B) 90%
C) 80%
D) 12.5%
E) 25%

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The learning curve is 80%, which means there is a 20% reduction in time taken to produce each subsequent unit. However, to find the percentage that represents the learning curve directly from the given times, we use the formula for calculating the learning rate in the context of learning curves: Learning Rate = (Time for nth unit / Time for 1st unit)^(1/(n-1)). Plugging in the given values (1.25 / 10)^(1/(8-1)) gives us approximately 0.8 or 80%, indicating a 20% improvement or reduction in time. However, the learning curve percentage that is typically reported represents the percentage of time retained or used, not the percentage reduced, hence the correct answer is 80%. My initial explanation mistakenly suggested selecting an incorrect option based on a misunderstanding of the question's requirement for the learning curve percentage.

The First Unit Took 10 Hours and the Eighth Unit