ECON 2G03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Average Variable Cost, Marginal Revenue, Profit Maximization

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limewolf4

16 Jan 2019

School

McMaster University

Department

Economics

Course

ECON 2G03

Professor

Krishnakali Sen Gupta

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Document Summary

For smaller firms managed by their owners, profit is likely to dominate almost all decisions. In large firms, however, managers who make day-to-day decisions usually have little contact with the owners (i. e stockholders) In any case firms that don"t come close to maximizing profit are not likely to survive: firms that do survive in competitive industries make long run profit maximization one of their highest priorities. Cooperative: association of businesses or people jointly opened and operated by members for mutual benefit. Profit: difference btwn total revenue and total cost ( (q) = r(q) c(q)) Marginal revenue: change in revenue resulting from a one-unit increase in output. Profit maximization in the sr: mr(q) = mc(q) Demand and marginal revenue for a competitive firm: a competitive firm supplies only a small portion of the total output of all the firms in an industry. Along this demand curve, marginal revenue, average revenue, and price are all equal.

Related Questions

1. In a market economy, the high salaries of some star baseball players such as Adrian Gonzalez, are determined by

		Team owners, based on the total number of star athletes they plan to hire.
	B	advertising companies, based on what they are willing to pay to advertise their products at baseball games.
	C	the interaction of the demand for star athletes and the supply of star athletes.
	D	consumers, based on their willingness to watch baseball games.

2. Demand in factor markets differs from demand in product markets in that

	A	the demand for a factor of production is difficult to determine.
B		the demand for a factor of production is influenced by workers' productivity and by the producers' expected sales revenues, not by tastes and preferences of consumers.
C		demand for a factor of production is based on the tastes and preferences of firms.
D		demand for a factor of production is based on the tastes and preferences of resource owners.

3. The demand for labor is described as a derived demand because

A		it is derived by workers seeking to earn income to fund the consumption of goods and services.
B		it is derived by producers seeking to make profits by starting new businesses.
C		it is derived from the demand for products that use labor in the production process.
D		it is derived from government institutions that rely on labor markets for the purpose of raising tax revenue.

4. Which of the following is not an example of a derived demand?

A		Several of the animated films released between 1999 and 2001 failed to earn a profit, which caused some companies to stop making these films, thereby decreasing the demand for animators.
B		Seth Bullock, a personal injury attorney, complains that he is earning far less now than a few years ago largely because personal injury cases have been undercut by state laws limiting class-action suits and payouts on damages.
C		Millicent Manning, the owner of a furniture store, is concerned that her sales have fallen for the past six months. She attributes this to the downturn in the real estate market.
D		As advancements in medical technology increase the safety and success of laser eye surgery, the demand for opticians has decreased.

5. Marginal revenue product for a perfectly competitive seller is equal to

A		the output price multiplied by the total product of labor.
B		the output price multiplied by the number of workers hired.
C		the change in total revenue that results from hiring another worker.
D		the marginal cost of production.

6. What is the difference between labor's marginal product and marginal revenue product?

A		The marginal product of labor is the increase in output as a result of hiring an additional worker while the marginal revenue product of labor is the increase in profit as a result of hiring an additional worker.
B		The marginal revenue product of labor is the dollar value of hiring an additional worker while the marginal product of labor is the increase in the firm's physical output as a result of hiring an additional worker.
C		The marginal product of labor is the additional labor's contribution to the firm's total output while the marginal revenue product is the additional labor's contribution to the firm's total sales revenue.
D		Labor's marginal product is a measure of labor's productivity while labor's marginal revenue product is a measure of labor's ability to sell the firm's products.

7. What is the difference between a firm's marginal revenue and its marginal revenue product?

A		Marginal revenue is the change in sales revenue from selling one more unit of output while marginal revenue product is the profit earned from hiring one more worker.
B		Marginal revenue is the change in sales revenue from selling one more unit of output while marginal revenue product is the change in total revenue from hiring one more worker.
C		Marginal revenue is the increase in revenue when a firm raises its output price while marginal revenue product is the increase in the marginal product when a firm hires an additional worker.
D		There is no difference between the two terms.

coffeecat509

1) Assume that two firms (Firm A and Firm B) operate in the U.S. steel industry. The owner of Firm A writes the following letter to the owner of Firm B:

Dear Owner of Firm B,

I have concluded that if we both restrict output such that we each produce only 3 million tons of steel per year, we can both charge a price that will allow us to effectively monopolize the steel market and to maximize our joint profits. If you would like to enter into this agreement with me, please draft a contract that specifies this agreement and I will be more than willing to meet with you and sign it.

Sincerely,

Owner of Firm A

If this letter were sent in the year 1944, the:

a) Owners of both Firm A and Firm B would not be guilty of violating antitrust laws because antitrust laws in 1944 contained exceptions for certain nationally important industries like the steel industry.

b) Owners of both Firm A and Firm B would not be guilty of anything because there were no antitrust laws in existence in 1944.

c) Owner of Firm A would be guilty of violating antitrust laws only if she met with the owner of Firm B and signed the contract, but she would not be guilty if the attempt to monopolize the market failed because the owner of Firm B never responded to the letter.

d) Owner of Firm A would be guilty of violating antitrust laws because she merely attempted to monopolize the steel industry.

e) Owners of both Firm A and Firm B would not be guilty of violating antitrust laws because antitrust laws in 1944 applied only to industries made up of three or more firms.

2) Entry of new firms will continue in a monopolistically competitive industry until:

a) Marginal cost = 0 (zero).

b) Economic profit is negative.

c) Marginal revenue = marginal cost.

d) Economic profit equals zero.

e) Marginal Revenue = 0 (zero).

3) A monopolistically competitive firm usually charges less than a monopoly firm because:

a) It is part of a group of firms that have formally agreed to control the price and the output of a product.

b) Its primary goal is to reap monopoly profits by replacing competition with cooperation.

c) It has a monopoly, but potential entrants exist in the form of contestable markets.

d) It faces some degree of competition due to low barriers to entry.

e) Producing homogenous output is more expensive than producing differentiated output.

4) An example of price discrimination is when:

a) A single box of Froot Loops costs $3.50, but when purchased in a case of six, it costs only $3.00 per box.

b) You can purchase a new PC for half the price of a new Mac, even though they are both computers.

c) Procter & Gamble charges $9 for a bottle of Tide laundry detergent, while the store brand costs the consumer significantly less, despite being somewhat similar products.

d) Out-of-state students pay more for the same education as in-state students.

e)Movie theaters do not allow children into R-rated movies without a parent or guardian.

5) The Varsity, located in downtown Atlanta, is the world's largest drive-in restaurant. Located near the Georgia Tech campus, the drive-in attracts two distinct types of customers: college students and visitors to Atlanta. The owners are considering offering a student discount of $1 off their combo meal, which is regularly priced at $9. There are 5,000 students interested in purchasing a combo meal, with a maximum willingness to pay of $8. There are 5,000 visiting customers interested in purchasing the combo meal, with a maximum willingness to pay of $9. Assume that each customer, at most, will purchase a single meal and the marginal cost is $5. What will be the amount of total revenue for the Varsity if the owners offer a single price of $8 per combo meal?

a) $65,000

b) $85,000

c) $40,000

d) $80,000

e) $90,000

6) A competitive firm would have:

a) More elastic demand than a monopolistically competitive firm.

b) More inelastic demand than a monopolistically competitive firm.

c) A horizontal demand curve.

d) Bowed-in or bowed-out demand.

e) An upward-sloping demand curve.

7) It is unrealistic to regulate a natural monopoly at marginal cost pricing because:

a) The government is not allowed to regulate markets.

b) With this type of regulation, the firm will want to shut down, and that outcome is not desirable for society.

c) Firms do not need to follow regulations from the government.

d) Regulating a market causes more deadweight loss.

e) Marginal cost pricing ends up having the natural monopoly firm earn zero economic profits.

8) Price discrimination allows businesses to make additional profits and allows markets to work more:

a) Efficiently

b) Unfairly

c) Realistically

d) Equitably

e) Independently

9) Antitrust laws are designed to:

a) Increase prices.

b) Promote monopoly practices.

c) Promote awareness of government programs.

d) Promote competition.

e) Decrease output.

10) Barriers to entry:

a) Do not exist for monopolies.

b) Exist for perfectly competitive firms.

c) Restrict the entry of new firms into the market.

d) Always lead to profits.

e) Measure the ability of firms to set the price for a good.

ultramarinemule185

Please circle the right answer. (two points each)

1. If the price of gasoline is $2.0, and the price elasticity of demand is 0.5, how much will a 10 % reduction in the quantity placed on the market increase the price?

a.There will be 22% increase in the price

b.There will be 5% increase in the price

c.There will be 10 % increase in price

d.There will be 20% increase in price

e. None of the above

2.The consumer's budget line

a. indicates the options from which the consumer can choose

b. identifies the optimal basket for the consumer.

c. identifies the tastes of the consumer

d. ranks the baskets of goods in the order the consumer prefers them

e. shows that the consumer prefers more better than less

3. In the long run, a profit-maximizing firm will choose to exit a market when
a. fixed costs exceed sunk costs.
b. average fixed cost is rising.
c. revenue from production is less than total costs.
d. marginal cost exceeds marginal revenue at the current level of production.

4. When a perfectly competitive firm makes a decision to shut down, it is most likely that
a. price is below the minimum of average variable cost.
b. fixed costs exceed variable costs.
c. average fixed costs are rising.
d. marginal cost is above average variable cost.

5. Which of the following will always cause the demand curve for a product to shift to the right?

a. an increase in income whether the good is a compliment or substitute

b. an increase in the price of the compliment

c. an increase in the price of a substitute

d. an increase in technology

e. a decrease in the price of the good

6. Consumers understandably like lower prices, but they should understand there is a great difference between a lower price produced by the government price ceiling and a lower price that comes about through normal market channels, one benefits the consumer, the other may not.

a. This statement is not true, Consumers are benefited when the government lowers the price and the consumers are benefited when businesses lower the price.

b. This is because when the government forces prices down, there is a shortage and reduction in total surplus. Lower prices through markets don't create shortage but they do benefit consumers.

c. this is because the government forces prices down, there is a surplus and reduction in total surplus. Lower prices through markets don't create surpluses but they do benefit consumers

d. This is because when markets force the prices down, there is a shortage and reduction in total surplus. Lower prices through government actions don't create shortages but they do benefit consumers

e. None of the above

7. How does an increase in the price of a variable input affect the AC and the MC curves?

a. MC shifts to the right and AC increases.

b. MC shifts to the left and AC increases

c. MC shifts to the right and AC does not change

d. MC does not change but AC increases

e. none of the above

8. Which of the following is a characteristic of a perfectly competitive market?
a. Firms are price setters.
b. There are few sellers in the market.
c. Firms can exit and enter the market freely.
d. All of the above are correct.

9. In a perfectly competitive market, the process of entry or exit ends when
a. firms are operating with excess capacity.
b. firms are making zero economic profit.
c. firms experience decreasing marginal revenue.
d. price is equal to marginal cost.

10. The relative price of two goods is shown by:

a. the slope of an indifference curve

b. the slope of the budget line

c. the diminishing marginal rate of substitution

d. the slope of the income-consumption curve

e. none of the above

11. When firms have an incentive to exit a competitive market, their exit will

a. drive down market prices.
b. drive down the profits of existing firms in the market.
c. decrease the number of goods supplied in the market.
d. All of the above are correct.

12. If a perfectly competitive firm currently produces where the price is greater than the marginal cost, it

a. will increase its profits by producing more.
b. will increase its profits by producing less.
c. is making positive economic profits.
d. is making negative economic profits.

13. Does a consumer well being vary along a demand curve?

a. Yes. When price increases, consumers move to a lower indifference curve.

b. Yes. When price increases, consumers move to a higher indifference curve.

c. No. When price increases, consumers stay on the same indifference curve.

d. No. When price increases, the higher price has no effect on budget constraints or indifference curves.

e. None of the above

14. If a competitive firm sets its output such that marginal revenue, marginal cost, and average total cost are equal, economic profit must be:

a. Negative

b. positive

c. Zero

d. Indeterminate from the given information

15. Which of the following is a characteristic of a perfectly competitive market?

a. Firms are price setters.

b. There are few sellers in the market.
c. Firms can exit and enter the market freely.
d. All of the above are correct.

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ECON 2G03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Average Variable Cost, Marginal Revenue, Profit Maximization

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