question
The minimum price at which a producer will offer a product for sale is equal to the minimum of his __________________
answer
average total cost
question
the measures of firm cost, AFC, AVC, ATC, and MC are each computed by dividing by ______________ in the denominator
answer
output
question
T or F: the profit maximizing amount of output to produce is that amount where the cost of the last unit produced is equal to its market value
answer
true
question
T or F: when APP is increasing, MPP must be below APP, and "pushing up" the average
answer
false
question
the time period which is adequate for the firm to be able to vary all quantities of resources in use is:
answer
the long-run
question
T or F: the supply curve shows the amounts of a good the producer is willing to offer for sale at alternative prices
answer
true
question
T or F: if Py=MR=ATC=MC, the firm's economic profit=0
answer
true
question
define opportunity cost
answer
the value of alternative opportunities foregone or sacrificed
question
name two factors that can result in a change (shift) in the market supply curve for a agricultural commodity
answer
growing conditions, improvements in technology
question
T or F: in the short-run, total fixed cost is constant for all levels of output
answer
true
question
T or F: the behavior of the competitive firm's MC curve is determined by the marginal physical product (MPP) curve derived from the production function
answer
true
question
a competitive firm's short-run supply decision should be to stop production if:
answer
price < AVC
question
T or F: in the short-run, firms must be able to pay variable cost to stay in business
answer
true
question
T or F: when a commodity price is above the market clearing equilibrium price, a surplus occurs, and the market is referred to as a "buyers" market
answer
true
question
total revenue (TR)=
answer
output X Py
question
the material in chapter 6 would be considered microeconomics or macroeconomics?
answer
microeconomics
question
why is the supply elasticity of live beef inelastic in the short-run?
answer
beef will always adjust slower, this is because its harder to make fast adjustments to them
question
Define implicit costs
answer
a cost for which there is no cash outlay at the time a resource is being used, or for which no cash outlay is required.
question
define explicit costs
answer
an expenditure made for the use of a resource
question
T or F: the market price of a good must be above minimum ATC if the firm is to earn an economic profit
answer
true
question
T or F: the equilibrium price will increase when the demand curve shifts to the right and the supply curve is stable
answer
true
question
T or F: average fixed cost will always decrease as the firm's output is increased, ceteris paribus
answer
true
question
How are equilibrium prices determined in the market place?
answer
when the market demand curve intersects with the market supply curve
question
prices are signals. what information do these signals carry?
answer
it tells a producer how much to produce and sell his product for
question
the two basic types of information required to develop analysis for determining economic optimum is ________ data and ___________ data
answer
price, output
question
why is it important for a producer to compute his costs of production on a per unit basis?
answer
so that he can compare how much he is putting into making the product compared to what he can receive per unit
question
if quantity supplied changes by 5 percent in response to a 10 percent change in the price of the good, the measured supply elasticity is equal to:
answer
0.5
question
what did dr. thompson say was the overall lesson in chapter 6 about cost concepts?
answer
prices are signals
question
what are the components of annual fixed costs referred to as the "DIRTI-5"
answer
depreciation, insurance, repairs, taxes, interest
question
as production output increases in the short-run, total fixed cost will __________________
answer
stay constant
question
T or F: Marginal cost, by definition, is the additional cost incurred in using another unit of input
answer
false
question
T or F: The shapes of a competitive firm's cost curves are determined by that firm's production function
answer
true
question
T or F: A firm's supply curve lies within the area we have called stage II of the production function
answer
true
question
T or F: The problem of scarcity could be solved if the government would fix the price of any scarce good high enough above its market equilibrium price that a surplus of that good would be produced
answer
false
question
T or F: where diesel fuel is an input in producing corn, a change in the price of diesel fuel will not cause a change in the quantity of corn produced
answer
false
question
T or F: the competitive firms AVC curve is the reciprocal of its APP curve and will rise as APP falls
answer
true
question
T or F: In determining equilibrium prices, demand is more important than supply
answer
false
question
T or F: the supply curve for peanuts slopes downward to the right because large farms can increase their output so much easier than small farms can
answer
false
question
T or F: If the ATC at a given output is $10, and AFC at that output is $4, AVC must therefore be $6
answer
true
question
T or F: In the case where MR - Py - ATC = MC, economic profit must be zero
answer
true
question
T or F: A competitive firm's MC curve is the reciprocal of that firm's MPP curve and must rise when MPP falls
answer
true
question
T or F: Fixed cost, by definition, is the cost of producing one more unit of output
answer
false
question
T or F: Total variable cost must always increase as the firm's output is increased, ceteris paribus
answer
true
question
T or F: A simultaneous increase in demand and a decrease in supply will cause the equilibrium price of a good to rise
answer
true
question
T or F: The increase in MC that accompanies increased output occurs because of diminishing marginal productivity of the firm's variable resources
answer
true
question
for an owner-operated firm, its total cost of production for any given output is.....
answer
equal to its explicit costs plus implicit costs
question
If producers increase the quantity supplied in response to an increase in the price of their product, they will experience.....
answer
an increase in total revenue
question
A firm may choose to produce at a loss in the short run, and wisely so, if it is at least....
answer
covering its variable costs
question
Which of the following refers to the cost curve which remains at a constant level regardless of the amount of output produced?
answer
total fixed cost
question
Equilibrium price is...
answer
none of the above
question
If quantity supplied changes by 10 percent when price changes by 20 percent, the price elasticity of supply is....
answer
0.5 (change in quantity/change in price)
question
For a market economy in which the individual producer is unable to influence price, the price that exists is.....
answer
determined by the interaction of the forces of supply and demand
question
The competitive firm's short run supply curve is also its....
answer
MC curve above minimum AVC
question
An increase in the supply of an item, demand remaining unchanged, will result in.....
answer
none of the above