Tasco Oil owns a pipeline booster unit that operates continuously. The time between breakdowns for each booster is exponential with a mean of 20 hrs. The repair time is exponential with mean 3 hrs. In a particular station, two repairpersons attend 10 boosters. The hourly wage for each repairperson is $18. Pipeline losses are estimated to be $30 per broken booster per hour. Tasco is studying the possibility of hiring an additional repairperson.

(a) Will there be any cost savings in hiring a third repairperson?

(b) What is the schedule loss in dollars per breakdown when the number of repairpersons on duty is two? Three?