Thompson Photo Works purchased several new, highly sophisticated processing mach
ID: 3024121 • Letter: T
Question
Thompson Photo Works purchased several new, highly sophisticated processing machines. The production department needed some guidance with respect to qualifications needed by an operator. Is age a factor? Is the length of service as an operator (in years) important? In order to explore further the factors needed to estimate performance on the new processing machines, four variables were listed:
X1 = Length of time an employee was in the industry
X2 = Mechanical aptitude test score
X3 = Prior on-the-job rating
X4 = Age
Performance on the new machine is designated y.
Thirty employees were selected at random. Data were collected for each, and their performances on the new machines were recorded. A few results are:
Name
Performance
on New
Machine,
Y
Length of
Time in
Industry,
X1
Mechanical
Aptitude
Score,
X2
Prior
On-the-Job
Performance,
X3
Age,
X4
Mike Miraglia
112
12
312
121
52
Sue Trythall
113
2
380
123
27
The equation is:
= 11.6 + 0.4X1 + 0.286X2 + 0.112X3 + 0.002X4
Thompson Photo Works purchased several new, highly sophisticated processing machines. The production department needed some guidance with respect to qualifications needed by an operator. Is age a factor? Is the length of service as an operator (in years) important? In order to explore further the factors needed to estimate performance on the new processing machines, four variables were listed:
X1 = Length of time an employee was in the industry
X2 = Mechanical aptitude test score
X3 = Prior on-the-job rating
X4 = Age
Performance on the new machine is designated y.
Thirty employees were selected at random. Data were collected for each, and their performances on the new machines were recorded. A few results are:
Name
Performance
on New
Machine,
Y
Length of
Time in
Industry,
X1
Mechanical
Aptitude
Score,
X2
Prior
On-the-Job
Performance,
X3
Age,
X4
Mike Miraglia
112
12
312
121
52
Sue Trythall
113
2
380
123
27
The equation is:
= 11.6 + 0.4X1 + 0.286X2 + 0.112X3 + 0.002X4
Explanation / Answer
Considering X1, X2 and X3 to be 0; and X4 to be 1, the performance on new machine is 11.602 units. This implies that at age 1 one can have a machine exxperience, which is meaningless. Therefore, age is not a factor.
Similarly, keep X2, X3 and X4 to be to be 0 and X1 to be 1, the performance on machine is 12 units. This implies that for staying 1 year in the factory one can attain a machin eexperience of 12 units. This in turn verifies that with increase in years of staying, the performance will increase. Thus, it is an important factor.