The better students at Baltimore Assessment Center (Problem E.l2) have an 80% learning curve and can do a task in 20 minutes after just six times. You would like to weed out the weak students sooner and decide to evaluate them after the third unit.

How long should the third unit take?

In Problem E.l2, Baltimore Assessment Center screens and trains employees for a computer assembly firm in Towson, Maryland. The progress of all trainees is tracked and those not showing the proper progress are moved to less demanding programs. By the tenth repetition trainees must be able to complete the assembly task in 1 hour or less. Toni Olson-Alves has just spent 5 hours on the fourth unit and 4 hours completing her eighth unit, while another trainee, Julie Burgmeier, took 4 hours on the third and 3 hours on the sixth unit. Should you encourage either or both of the trainees to continue? Why?