A multiple-channel system has customers arriving at an average rate of 5 per hour and an average service time of 40 minutes. What minimum number of servers is required to ensure that the system is not overloaded?
A) 4
B) 5
C) 6
D) 3

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The minimum number of servers required is 4. This is because the average arrival rate is 5 per hour, and the average service time is 40 minutes. This means that each server can serve 5/60 = 1/12 customers per minute. Therefore, 4 servers can serve 4/12 = 1/3 customers per minute. This is equal to the average arrival rate, so the system will not be overloaded.

A Multiple-Channel System Has Customers Arriving at an Average Rate