A cable is made up of several parallel strands of wire. The strength of the cable can be estimated from the strengths of the individual wires by either of two methods. In the ductile wire method, the strength of the cable is estimated to be the sum of the strengths of the wires. In the brittle wire method, the strength of the cable is estimated to be the strength of the weakest wire multiplied by the number of wires. A particular cable is composed of 12 wires. Four of them have strength 6000 ± 20 lb, four have strength 5700 ± 30 lb, and four have strength 6200 ± 40 lb.

a. Estimate the strength of the cable, and find the uncertainty in the estimate, using the ductile wire method.

b. Estimate the strength of the cable, and find the uncertainty in the estimate, using the brittle wire method.