A factory produces 500 widgets per hour. If production runs continuously for 18 hours, and then 12% of the total widgets are found to be defective and discarded, how many non-defective widgets are left?

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 21:40:57 +0000

A factory produces 500 widgets per hour. If production runs continuously for 18 hours, the total output reaches 9,000 widgets. This steady production reflects modern manufacturing efficiency, where machines operate round the clock to meet growing demand across industries. Yet quality control remains a critical checkpoint, especially when even a small defect rate can significantly impact usable output. Currently, quality errors are reported at 12% of total output. This defect rate highlights ongoing challenges in production consistency, driving increased focus on precision metrics across logistics and manufacturing. The resulting number of non-defective widgets offers tangible insight into real-world efficiency—revealing what users might not immediately realize: efficiency alone doesn’t guarantee quality. To calculate the remaining non-defective widgets, start with the total production: 500 widgets/hour × 18 hours = 9,000. A 12% defect rate means 12% of 9,000, or 1,080 widgets, are discarded. Subtracting this from the total yields 9,000 – 1,080 = 7,920 non-defective widgets. This figure underscores how even moderate defect rates affect usable output, a key data point for planners and analysts tracking factory performance. For businesses and researchers, this math offers insight into cost implications, resource planning, and quality benchmarks. It also sparks important questions about automation, inspection standards, and supply chain resilience—topics gaining traction in US manufacturing circles amid evolving industrial standards.