Which formula best represents the calculation of FTE from total weekly hours if a full-time workweek is 40 hours?

Which formula best represents the calculation of FTE from total weekly hours if a full-time workweek is 40 hours?

• A. FTE = weekly hours / 40
• B. FTE = weekly hours * 40
• C. FTE = 40 / weekly hours
• D. FTE = weekly hours / 8

Answer: (A)

The main idea is to express how many full-time staff the total weekly hours equate to by comparing actual hours to a standard full-time week. Since a full-time workweek is 40 hours, you convert total weekly hours into FTE by dividing by 40. FTE = weekly hours / 40 For example, 60 weekly hours equals 60/40 = 1.5 FTE (one and a half full-time staff). 20 weekly hours equals 0.5 FTE. If you have 80 weekly hours, that’s 2.0 FTE. The other forms don’t measure how many full-time equivalents the workload represents: multiplying by 40 inflates the number, 40 divided by weekly hours is the inverse of what you want, and dividing by 8 would give a count of 8-hour days rather than full-time equivalents.

The main idea is to express how many full-time staff the total weekly hours equate to by comparing actual hours to a standard full-time week. Since a full-time workweek is 40 hours, you convert total weekly hours into FTE by dividing by 40.

FTE = weekly hours / 40

For example, 60 weekly hours equals 60/40 = 1.5 FTE (one and a half full-time staff). 20 weekly hours equals 0.5 FTE. If you have 80 weekly hours, that’s 2.0 FTE.

The other forms don’t measure how many full-time equivalents the workload represents: multiplying by 40 inflates the number, 40 divided by weekly hours is the inverse of what you want, and dividing by 8 would give a count of 8-hour days rather than full-time equivalents.