What is the minimum and maximum allowable length of the hose if the maximum distance between end fittings is 30 inches?

Steps to Solve

1. Identify Maximum Distance Between Fittings The maximum distance given between the end fittings is 30 inches.

2. Determine Allowable Lengths Typically, the minimum allowable length of a hose should be slightly longer than the distance between the fittings to account for any bends and fittings.

3. Calculate Minimum Length The minimum allowable length can be taken to be approximately equal to the distance between fittings. For best practices, you may add a small margin, for example: $$ \text{Minimum Length} = 30 \text{ inches} + X $$ where ( X ) is a small amount for flexibility. For example, if we choose 2 inches, then: $$ \text{Minimum Length} = 30 + 2 = 32 \text{ inches} $$

4. Calculate Maximum Length The maximum allowable length of a hose is generally determined by the maximum operational conditions or specifications from the manufacturer, which can be significantly longer than the distance between fittings. However, a common engineering practice is to allow about 10% more than the maximum distance, thus: $$ \text{Maximum Length} = 30 \text{ inches} \times 1.1 = 33 \text{ inches} $$

5. Conclusion of Lengths So, the minimum allowable length based on example and standard practices could be 32 inches, and the maximum could be construed to be approximately 33 inches for this scenario.