Question: The number of calls that come into a small mail-order company follows a Poisson distribution. Currently, these calls are serviced by a single operator. The manager knows from past experience that an additional operator will be needed if the rate of calls exceeds 20 per hour. The manager observes that 9 calls came into the mail-order company during a randomly selected 15-minute period.
a. If the rate of calls is actually 20 per hour, what is the probability that 9 or more calls will come in during a given 15-minute period?
b. If the rate of calls is really 30 per hour, what is the probability that 9 or more calls will come in during a given 15-minute period?
c. Based on the calculations in parts a and b, do you think that the rate of incoming calls is more likely to be 20 or 30 per hour?
d. Would you advise the manager to hire a second operator? Explain.