Question: The structural engineering design section within the engineering department of a regional electrical utility corporation has developed several standard designs for a group of similar transmission line towers. The detailed design for each tower is based on one of the standard designs. A transmission line project involving 50 towers has been approved. The estimated number of engineering hours needed to accomplish the first detailed tower design is 126. Assuming a 95% learning curve,
a. What is your estimate of the number of engineering hours needed to design the eighth tower and to design the last tower in the project?
b. What is your estimate of the cumulative average hours required for the first five designs?