A plant has a large number of similar machines. The machines breakdown randomly and the breakdowns are independent of each other. Once a machine breaksdown, it has to be taken out of production till the time it is repaired. On the basis of the past data, the following distributions have been constructed.

Each hour that a machine remains idle due to being, or waiting to be repaired, it costs the plant Rs 80 per hour by way of lost production. If a repairman is paid at Rs 8 per hour, how many repairmen should be hired by the company to service the machine breakdowns? For the purpose, simulate the system for a 50-hour period and use the following random numbers, reading row-wise starting with the NW corner.

Transcribed Image Text:

No. of Hours Required No. of Break- Probability downs per Hour for Repair per Breakdown Probability 0 0.900 1 0.100 1 0.085 23 0.012 0.003 23456 0.240 0.450 0.165 0.040 0.005