Question

If customers arrive at an average rate of 12 customers per hour and can be served at a rate of 15 customers per hour, will any customers have to wait?

Answer 1

Explanation:

Given:

Rate of arrival of customers = 12 customers/hour

Rate of serving customers = 15 customers/hour

Using the conservation formula,

Rate in = Rate out + accumulation

Accumulation (customers waiting) = rate in - rate out

= 12 - 15

= - 3 customers/hour

Therefore, no customers have to wait.

Answer 2

No customer would have to wait

Explanation:

The average rate at which customers arrive is 12 customers per hour. This means that in an hour, 12 customers arrive.

The average rate of serving is 15 customers per hour. This means that in an hour, 15 customers are served.

Since the number of customers that are served is greater than the number of customers that arrive within the same time, no customer will have to wait.