EC 201 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Marginal Cost, Fixed Cost, Marginal Product

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bluebutterfly454

18 Nov 2016

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Agenda 11/16/16: behind the supply curve, exam 2 scores, extra credit, sapling learning homework due this saturday. Production function: relationship between the quantity of inputs a firm uses and the quantity of output it produces. Fixed input: input whose quantity is fixed for a particular period. Variable inputs: input whose quantity the firm can vary at any time. The production of goods is a function of fixed inputs and variable inputs. Short run: at least one input is fixed. Total product curve: shows how the quantity of output depends on the quantity of the variable input, for a given quantity of the fixed input. Marginal product of labor: captures the productivity for each individual worker, how productive is each individual worker. An increase in the quantity of that input, holding the levels of all other inputs fixed, leads to a decline in the marginal product of that input. Total cost of producing a given quantity of output:

Related Questions

1. The slope of the total product curve measures

a. the marginal rate of technical substitution.

b. marginal product.

c. average product.

d. the maximum average product.

e. minimum product.

2. The Law of Diminishing Returns to a variable input (such as labor) assumes that

a. there is at least one fixed input.

b. all inputs are changed by the same percentage.

c. the firm is operating in the short run.

d. all inputs are held constant.

e. a and c.

3. An isoquant curve identifies

a. the maximum output possible, given a fixed budget.

b. the different combinations of goods the can be produced, given fixed amounts of inputs.

c. the different combinations of inputs that can be used to produce a fixed rate of output.

d. none of the above.

4. The ratio of total productivity to the total quantity of a variable input being used in production is

a. equal to marginal physical productivity of the input.

b. constant as employment levels of the input vary.

c. equal to average physical productivity of the input.

d. equal to the marginal rate of technical substitution.

The following table summarizes the short-run production function for your firm. Your product sells for $10 per unit, labor costs $40per unit, and the rental price of capital is $10 per unit. Complete the following table, and then answer the accompanying questions.

L K Q MPL APL APK VMPL
0 5 0
1 5 20
2 5 60
3 5 120
4 5 160
5 5 180
6 5 190
7 5 190
8 5 180
9 5 160
10 5 120
11 5 60

(a) Which inputs are fixed inputs? Which are the variable inputs?

(b) How much are your fixed costs?

(c) What is the variable cost of producing 40 units of output?

(d) How many units of the variable input should be used to maximize profits?

(e) What are your maximum profits?

(f) Over what range of variable input usage does increase marginal returns exist?

(g) Over what range of variable input usage do decrease marginal returns exist?

(h) Over what range of variable input usage do negative marginal returns exist?

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The law of eventually diminishing marginal returns: (Points : 1)

a. states that each and every increase in the amount of the variable factor employed in the production process will yield diminishing marginal returns.
b. is a mathematical theorem that can be logically proved or disproved
c. is the rate at which one input may be substituted for another input in the production process
d. None of the above

The marginal product is defined as: (Points : 1)

a. the ratio of total output to the amount of the variable input used in producing the output
b. the incremental change in total output that can be produced by the use of one more unit of the variable input in the production process
c. the percentage change in output resulting from a given percentage change in the amount of the variable input X employed in the production process with Y
d. None of the above

The rate at which one input X may be substituted for another input Y in a production process, while total output remains constant, is: (Points : 1)

a. the slope of the isoquant curve
b. the marginal rate of technical substitution

c. equal to MPx/MPy

d. all of the above
e. none of the above

Marginal revenue product is: (Points : 1)

a. defined as the amount that an additional unit of the variable input adds to the total revenue
b. equal to the marginal factor cost of the variable factor times the marginal revenue resulting from the increase in output obtained
c. equal to the marginal product of the variable factor times the marginal product resulting from the increase in output obtained
d. a and b
e. a and c

Marginal factor cost is defined as the amount that an additional unit of the variable unit of the variable input adds to ____________. (Points : 1)

a. marginal cost
b. variable cost
c. marginal rate of technical substitution
d. total cost
e. none of the above

In the Cobb-Douglas production function Q=aL^?1.K^?2 ______________. (Points : 1)

a. the marginal product of labor (L) is equal to ?1
b. the average product of labor (L) is equal to ?2
c. if the amount of labor input (L) is increased by 1 percent, then output will increase by ?1 percent
d. a and b
e. a and c