Each guard post that is manned 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, requires:

To determine the number of guards required for a post that is manned 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, one must consider factors such as shift lengths, rest periods, and the necessity for coverage during off times due to absences or breaks.

Typically, security shifts are designed to ensure that guards have adequate rest and that there is a buffer for unforeseen circumstances, like illness or emergencies. A common practice could involve three shifts per day, such as an 8-hour shift schedule. For a guard to be continuously on post, you would calculate the number of guards necessary to fill those shifts while accounting for necessary breaks and time off.

If each guard works 8-hour shifts, you would need three guards to cover a single shift. However, to allow for days off and potential replacement for sick leave, additional guards are needed. This leads to a total of around 4-5 guards being required to ensure that at least one guard is always at the post while others could be resting or off duty.

Given this context, the answer indicating four and a half guards derives from an ideal calculation representing the average necessary coverage, where in practice, it would round to five guards to ensure continuous presence and coverage flexibility. This calculation underscores the importance