Math question from CIP (really easy but can't wrap my head around it)

This is a question from Case-in-point:

Capacity is 12,000 pairs of flip-flops a month. Capacity equals 2 shifts a day, five days a week. Given a normal eight hour shift, what is the maximum production per shift?

The case in point explanation is "12,000 pairs a month/2 shifts a day=6,000 pairs per month. 6,000 pairs/20 work days in month=300 flip-flops per shift"

I initially did it my way, which was way more complex and arrived at the same answer. However, I think this solution is much simpler. I feel incredibly stupid for asking this, but for some reason I just can't wrap my head around it. How could you divide 12,000 pairs a month by 2 shifts per day? Anyone care to explain? Many thanks.

5 Comments
 

Clearly, you're not thinking about the "units" given in the problem correctly (note: "per" is the same as "/"):

Capacity = 2 shifts per day * 20 days per month = 40 shifts per month

Capacity = 40 shifts per month

Capacity = 12,000 pairs of flip flops per month

So, to determine the "pairs of flip flops per shift" you must solve:

12,000 pairs of flip flops per month = 40 shifts per month * X pairs of flip flops per shift

12,000 pairs of flip flops per month / 40 shifts per month = X pairs of flip flops per shift

X = 300 flip flops per shift

Just out of curiosity, how exactly did you arrive at the right answer in a more "complex" fashion?

"My caddie's chauffeur informs me that a bank is a place where people put money that isn't properly invested."
 

Mike, thanks a ton. Your way makes a lot more sense. But how is it that you can divide 12,000 flip-flops/month by 2 shifts/day (month/day)? Wouldn't you the units need to match so you would need to do the calculations like you did month divided by month (month/month)?

The way I did it involved some prior information given in the case. It said that 1 shift=8 hours long. So I essentially converted everything into hours..

2 shifts=16 hours, 16 hours x 5 days= 80 hrs/week. 80 hrs/week x 4= 320 hrs/month.

12,000 flip-flops/320=37.5 flip flops made each hour. Since each shift is 8 hours long, 37.5 x 8= 300 flip flops/shift.

Maybe I'm overthinking this, but its so frustrating!

 

The 8 hour normal shift is irrelevant to the question. Why would you need to know anything about a shift in order to figure out its capacity given the number of shifts per day, days per month, and capacity per month.

Its like asking what the foreman's middle name is... not useful.

I’m standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff—I mean if they’re running and they don’t look where they’re going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them.
 

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