How Do I Calculate Minutes Into a Fraction of an Hour?

There are 60 minutes in an hour. This is the simple, man-made concept to keep in mind when calculating minutes as a fraction of an hour. The best way to understand the calculation of minutes as fractions of an hour is to first visualize some common hour-fractions which we see every day.

Visualizing the Fraction

• Visualize the face of a clock as a pie, seeing the quarters that mark 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes, and 60 minutes in your mind's eye. When you imagine the 15 minute mark, what do you see? It is a quarter (or 1/4) of a pie! Thus, 15 minutes equate to 1/4 hour. Now, if you further halved the quarter pie, what would you get? Yes, one-eighth of a pie. Thus, seven-and-a-half minutes equate to one-eighth (1/8) of an hour.

Understanding the Unit

• To calculate fractions of hours for other numbers of minutes, we need to understand the unit of calculation. If 60 minutes make an hour, then each minute is one-sixtieth (1/60) of an hour. Therefore, this is the unit of calculation, and forms the basis of converting other numbers of minutes into fractions of an hour.

Applying the Unit to Calculations

• Now that we have established the unit of calculation as one minute, which equals one-sixtieth of an hour, we can apply this to other quantities. If one minute is one-sixtieth of an hour, then five minutes must be five times as much. Therefore, five minutes equals five times one-sixtieth (i.e., 5 x 1/60), which is one-twelfth (5/60 = 1/12) of an hour. Similarly, six minutes equals six times one-sixtieth (i.e., 6 x 1/60), which is one-tenth (6/60 = 1/10) of an hour. And twenty minutes equals twenty times one-sixtieth (i.e., 20 x 1/60), which is one-third (20/60 = 1/3) of an hour.

  We have now mastered the art of calculating minutes as fractions of the hour.

Read more »

How to Convert From Acreage to Square Feet

Originally, an acre was simply the amount of land one man could plow in a day with one ox. Modern-day machinery has made that definition obsolete, and governments have standardized the size. In land surveying, lot and parcel sizes typically are described in terms of acres. For smaller residential lots, it might be more beneficial to measure in terms of square feet instead, which can be determined by a simple calculation.

1. Determine the number of acres you need to convert into square feet.

2. Convert into decimal form the amount of acres you want to convert to square feet using the calculator or pencil and paper. For example, if you need to convert 2 1/2 acres into square feet, convert it to 2.5 acres.

3. Multiply the number of square feet in 1 acre, which is 43,560 square feet, by the acreage in decimal form to determine your acreage in square feet.

Read more »

How to Calculate Training Man Days

Training employees is a useful business management paradigm which helps optimize employee productivity by giving fresh insight, new skills or an opportunity to hone existing skills. Many companies mandate employee participation in a set number of "man days" of training every month or year. Other businesses mandate a certain number of man days be spent over the entirety of their company without stipulating any individual's participation. Knowing how to calculate man hours allows you to effectively address these training requirements.

Calculating Individual Man Days

• 1. Decide what constitutes a "man day." In most cases, a "man day" is eight hours, although that is up to a company to decide. A company may decide that a two-hour lecture counts as half a day or a quarter of a day. For a running example, say eight hours is considered a "man day" and any fraction thereof is an equivalent fraction of a man day. For example two hours would be a quarter of a man day.
• 2. Look up the employee's participation in training seminars and events over a given time frame. Assume the employee participated in eight seminars, each lasting four hours, and 12 two-hour lectures.
• 3. Calculate the total hours of training by multiplying the number of seminars by the hours per seminar. In the example:
  Total hours = (8 seminars * 4 hours/seminar) + (12 lectures * 2 hours/lecture)

  Total hours = 32 hours + 24 hours

  Total hours = 56 hours
• 4. Divide the total hours by the number of hours per man day. In the example:
  Total man days = 56 hours / 8 hours per man day

  Total man days = 7.5 man days

Calculating Group Man Days

• 1. Check the number of employees participating in an event and the number of hours in the event. As an example, say 30 employees participate in a training symposium lasting four hours each day for three days.
• 2. Calculate the total group hours by multiplying the number of employees, days and hours per day. In the example:
  Total group hours = 30 employees * 3 days/employee * 4 hours/day

  Total group hours = 30 * 3 * 4 hours

  Total group hours = 360 hours
• 3. Divide the total group hours by the number of hours per man day. In the example:
  Total group man days = 360 hours / 8 hours per man day

  Total group man days = 45 man days

Read more »

How to Calculate Man-Hours and Lost Productivity

Productivity is a company's output per unit of labor input. Man-hours measure labor input. It is the number of employees multiplied by the number of hours worked. Businesses may lose productivity due to several reasons, including equipment downtime and malfunction, information technology failures and employee sick days. Lost productivity leads to higher costs and lower profits. Calculate the cost of lost productivity to understand how and where to improve operating efficiencies.

1. Tabulate the average monthly man-hours of lost productivity by job classification. Keep a record of the number of hours lost on a monthly or even a daily basis due to scheduled maintenance downtime, recovery of IT failures or loss of data, and other reasons. Track the number of hours lost due to employee sick days.

Add these losses up over six to 12 months and divide by the number of months to get a monthly average of lost productivity for each job classification. For example, if the total productivity loss was 48 man-hours for each customer service representative over the last 12 months, then the average monthly man-hours of lost productivity is four hours---48 divided by 12.

2. Compute the average hourly labor cost, which usually includes salary and benefits. The costs will vary by job classification. For example, the labor costs of an assembly line worker and a shift supervisor will be different. According to the employment cost index report for March 2011---issued by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics---benefits make up about 30 percent of civilian labor compensation costs.

Continuing with the example, if your customer service representatives make $4,000 per month and benefit costs are 30 percent of salaries, or $1,200 ($4,000 x 0.30), then the total monthly labor cost is $5,200 ($4,000 + $1,200). If a customer service representative works 40 hours per week, or about 173 hours per month (40 x 52 / 12), then the hourly labor cost is about $30 ($5,200 / 173).

3. Calculate the cost of lost productivity. First, calculate the lost productivity for each job classification. Continuing with the example, if you employ 10 customer service representatives, the annual cost for 48 man-hours of lost productivity is $14,400 (10 x 48 x $30) and the average monthly cost is about $1,200 ($14,400 / 12).

Second, calculate the lost productivity costs for all other job classifications, such as administrative support staff and product managers.

Finally, add all these costs to get the total lost productivity costs, by month or by year.

Read more »

How to Calculate Man-Hour Cost

On flat-rate projects, the cost of labor and materials can diminish your profit margin. By predicting how many hours it will take to complete the project and how many workers to hire, you can create a more-accurate quote for the client. Whether you pay your workers on contract or by the hour, calculating the man-hour costs before hiring contract workers for a project will provide you with a better idea of how much to pay.

1. Find the total number of hours worked by multiplying the number of working hours in a day by the number of total working days. For example, if your men worked 20 days for eight hours a day, the total number of hours would be 160 hours (20 x 8 = 160).

2. Multiply the total number of hours by the number of workers to find the total man-hours. For example, if there are three workers who worked 160 hours each, the total man-hours would be 480 man-hours (160 x 3 = 480).

3. Find the total labor costs from wages and salary and divide that by the number of man-hours to find the man-hour costs. For example, if the labor cost is $50,000 and there are 480 man-hours split between the three workers, the man-hour cost would be approximately $104 per man-hour ($50,000 / 160 = $104).

Read more »

Learn How to Tie a Tie

Learn How to Tie a Tie

Welcome to my webpage on how to tie a tie! My name is Hendrik, and it's great to have you here. I have designed this site as a guide for both newbies just starting out with their first tie knot, as well as those more advanced students that would like to add some variety to their tie knots.

All I ask of you is an open mind and a few minutes of your time to practice today. The choice is yours:

Four in Hand Knot

Add to Facebook | Save to iGoogle | Permanent download + PDF

The Four in Hand Knot makes for a narrow, more discreet and slightly asymmetrical tie knot. It is best suited for a standard button-down dress shirt and works best with wide neckties made from heavy fabrics.

While this tie knot can be worn by anyone, it looks especially well on men with shorter necks as the knot's rather narrow and elongated form stretches the perceived height of the neck a tiny bit.

To tie the Four in Hand Knot, select a necktie of your choice and stand in front of a mirror. Then simply follow the steps below:

	1) Start with the wide end ("W") of your necktie on the right, extending about 12 inches below the narrow end ("N") on the left.
	2) Then cross the wide end over the narrow end.
	3) Turn the wide end back underneath the narrow end.
	4) Continue by bringing the wide end back over in front of the narrow end again.
	5) Then, pull the wide end up and through the loop around your neck.
	6) Hold the front of the knot loosely with your index finger and bring the wide end down through the front loop.
	7) At last, remove your finger and tighten the knot carefully to the collar by holding the narrow end and sliding the knot up.

That's it! That is all there is to the Four in Hand Knot. You will quickly learn to tie this necktie knot in less and less time every time you practice it. Just keep going, my friend!

Pratt Knot

Add to Facebook | Save to iGoogle | Permanent download + PDF

The Pratt Knot -- also known as the Shelby Knot -- is tidy and fairly wide, yet not as wide as the Windsor Knot. It is well suited for any dress shirt and somewhat wider neckties made from light to medium fabrics.

To tie the Pratt Knot, select a necktie of your choice and stand in front of a mirror. Then simply follow the steps below:

	1) Start with the necktie inside out, with the wide end ("W") on the right, extending about 12 inches below the narrow end ("N") on the left.
	2) Then cross the wide end under the narrow end.
	3) Take the wide end over and under the narrow end.
	4) Pull the loop down and tighten.
	5) Then, take the wide end over to the right.
	6) Pull the wide end up, behind the loop.
	7) And finally, bring the wide end through the knot and tighten gently.

Awesome, you did it! Always remember that with any necktie knot -- such as the Pratt Knot -- a little practice is all it takes to become a real expert at tying your tie in no time.

Half Windsor Knot

Add to Facebook | Save to iGoogle | Permanent download + PDF

The Half Windsor Knot, a modest version of the Windsor Knot, is a symmetrical and triangular tie knot that you can use with any dress shirt. It works best with somewhat wider neckties made from light to medium fabrics.

To tie the Half Windsor Knot, select a necktie of your choice and stand in front of a mirror. Then simply follow the steps below:

	1) Start with the wide end ("W") of your necktie on the right, extending about 12 inches below the narrow end ("N") on the left.
	2) Then cross the wide end over the narrow end.
	3) Bring the wide end around and behind the narrow end.
	4) Then bring the wide end up.
	5) Pull the wide end through the loop and to the right.
	6) Bring the wide end around front, over the narrow end from right to left.
	7) Again, bring the wide end up and through the loop.
	8) Then, bring the wide end down through the knot in front.
	9) And -- using both hands -- tighten the knot carefully and draw it up to the collar.

And there you are! Simply keep working on this necktie knot and be sure to practice a few times until you are really good at it.

Windsor Knot

Add to Facebook | Save to iGoogle | Permanent download + PDF

The Windsor Knot is a thick, wide and triangular tie knot that projects confidence. It would therefore be your knot of choice for presentations, job interviews, courtroom appearances etc. It is best suited for spread collar shirts and it's actually quite easy to do.

While just about everyone can use this tie knot to tie his tie, it looks especially well on men with longer necks as its wide form shortens the perceived height of the neck a little bit.

To tie the Windsor Knot, select a necktie of your choice and stand in front of a mirror. Then simply follow the steps below:

	1) Start with the wide end ("W") of your necktie on the right, extending about 12 inches below the narrow end ("N") on the left.
	2) Then cross the wide end over the narrow end.
	3) Bring the wide end up through the loop between the collar and your tie.
	4) Then bring the wide end back down.
	5) Pull the wide end underneath the narrow end and to the right, back through the loop and to the right again so that the wide end is inside out.
	6) Bring the wide end across the front from right to left.
	7) Then pull the wide end up through the loop again.
	8) Bring the wide end down through the knot in front.
	9) And -- using both hands -- tighten the knot carefully and draw it up to the collar.

Congratulations, you did it! You see, it is not rocket science after all. Simply keep practicing the Windsor Knot a few more times until you can tie this necktie knot within less than two minutes.

Step-by-step video instructions are available for all four necktie knots. That way, I hope you will learn how to tie a tie in short time. It would now be helpful if you had a tie at hand and a mirror nearby so that we can "dig right on in".

Read more »