What is the formula for fall factor?

What is the formula for fall factor?

• A. Distance person falls
• B. Distance person falls divided by length of rope
• C. Distance person falls multiplied by length of rope
• D. Length of rope divided by distance person falls

Answer: (B)

Fall factor is the ratio that tells you how severe a fall would be in a rope system. It is calculated as the distance fallen divided by the length of rope available to arrest the fall. In other words, how far you drop compared to how much rope can absorb that drop. The larger this ratio, the higher the potential impact on the system. So the form “distance fallen divided by length of rope” correctly captures the idea of comparing fall distance to the rope that can stop it. The other forms would mix or invert the quantities in ways that don’t reflect how fall severity scales with available rope.

Fall factor is the ratio that tells you how severe a fall would be in a rope system. It is calculated as the distance fallen divided by the length of rope available to arrest the fall. In other words, how far you drop compared to how much rope can absorb that drop. The larger this ratio, the higher the potential impact on the system. So the form “distance fallen divided by length of rope” correctly captures the idea of comparing fall distance to the rope that can stop it. The other forms would mix or invert the quantities in ways that don’t reflect how fall severity scales with available rope.