question
The measure of output per unit of input is called _____.
answer
average product
question
A firm that always employs two workers for each unit of capital follows which type of production function?
answer
Leontief
question
Marginal Product of Capital (MPk) is given by:
answer
MPk = ΔQ/ΔK
question
Marginal Product of Labor (MPl) is given by:
answer
MPl = ΔQ/ΔL
question
What is the marginal product of labor (MPL) and marginal product of capital (MPK) for the following linear production function?
Q = F(K,L) = αK + βL
Q = F(K,L) = αK + βL
answer
MPL = β
MPK = α
MPK = α
question
In the production process, the manager must do which of the following?
answer
Establish the correct level of inputs
Ensure the firm operates on the production function
Ensure the firm operates on the production function
question
What is the analytical tool that defines a combination of inputs that yields the same output?
answer
Isoquant
question
The value of the output produced by the last unit of a particular input is called
answer
value marginal product.
question
What is the term given to the ratio of the marginal products of labor and capital?
answer
Marginal rate of technical substitution (MRTS)
The MRTS of capital and labor is the absolute value of the slope of the isoquant and is simply the ratio of the marginal products:
MRTSkl = MPL / MPK
The MRTS of capital and labor is the absolute value of the slope of the isoquant and is simply the ratio of the marginal products:
MRTSkl = MPL / MPK
question
Suppose the linear production function of a firm is given by
Q = F(K, L) = aK + bL, where a and b are constants. Suppose it takes workers (L) 4 hours to produce what a machine (K) can make in 1 hour. Which of the following equations correctly states the production function of the firm?
Q = F(K, L) = aK + bL, where a and b are constants. Suppose it takes workers (L) 4 hours to produce what a machine (K) can make in 1 hour. Which of the following equations correctly states the production function of the firm?
answer
Q = 4K +L
question
What is another name for the Leontief production function?
answer
Fixed proportions production function
question
For a linear production function, Q = αK + βL, what is the marginal rate of technical substitution (MRTS)?
answer
β/α
question
What must be true about combinations of labor and capital along a given isoquant?
answer
They all must produce the same amount of output
question
If MPLw > MPKr, the firm should use (less/more) capital and (less/more) labor to minimize costs.
If MPLw < MPKr, the firm should use (less/more) capital and (less/more) labor to minimize costs.
If MPLw < MPKr, the firm should use (less/more) capital and (less/more) labor to minimize costs.
answer
less capital and more labor
more capital and less labor
more capital and less labor
question
Insert one word OR the mathematical operator into the following expression to demonstrate the cost-minimizing input rule.
MPL/MPK ___________ w/r (ratio of input prices).
MPL/MPK ___________ w/r (ratio of input prices).
answer
=
question
Which of the following describes the rate at which labor and capital can be substituted for each other?
answer
Marginal rate of technical substitution
question
When the price of labor rises, firms have a tendency to use
answer
less labor and more capital.
question
Suppose the linear production function for a firm is given by:
Q = F(K,L,) = 3K + 2L. If the firm employs 3 machines and 5 workers, output is equal to
Q = F(K,L,) = 3K + 2L. If the firm employs 3 machines and 5 workers, output is equal to
answer
19
(33) + (25)
(33) + (25)
question
Costs that do not change when output changes are called ____________ costs.
answer
fixed
question
The Leontief production function implies that isoquants are what shape?
answer
L-shaped
question
The minimum possible cost of producing each output level with fixed and variable factors is given by
answer
the short-run cost function
question
Which of the following statements is correct?
answer
Average fixed costs decline continuously as output expands.
question
To minimize the cost of producing a given level of output, the marginal product per dollar spent should be _______ for all inputs.
answer
=
question
Suppose a firm produces 1000 units of a good. If fixed costs (FC) equal $2500 and variable costs (VC) equal $3700 at that output level, average total cost (ATC) of each unit is equal to $_____________.
answer
$6.20
ATC = TC / Q = ($2500 + $3700) / 1000
ATC = TC / Q = ($2500 + $3700) / 1000
question
Suppose capital, K, is on the vertical axis and labor, L, is on the horizontal axis in a graph. Which of the following would be true if the price of labor, w, increased?
answer
the isocost line rotates clockwise
question
Where does the marginal cost (MC) curve intersect the average variable cost (AVC) curve?
answer
At minimum AVC.
question
Costs that change when output changes are called ____________ costs.
answer
variable
question
The sum of all variable and fixed costs is the firm's ___________.
answer
cost function
question
As output increases, what happens to the difference between ATC and AVC?
answer
decreases
question
The expression, FC/Q , defines
answer
average fixed cost
question
A cost that is incurred and unrecoverable is called a _________ cost.
answer
sunk
question
C(Q)/Q , defines
answer
average total cost
question
Given the cost function, C(Q) = f + aQ + bQ^2 + cQ^3, which of the following equations defines the Marginal Cost (MC) function?
Multiple choice question.
Multiple choice question.
answer
C(Q) = a + 2bQ + 3cQ^2
question
When average total cost (ATC) is at its minimum, marginal cost (MC) __________ average total cost (ATC).
answer
equals
question
With respect to the short-run average cost curves, what is true of the long-run average cost curve?
Multiple select question.
Multiple select question.
answer
It lies above no point of the short-run average cost curves.
It equals short-run average cost when short-run curves use fixed inputs optimally.
It equals short-run average cost when short-run curves use fixed inputs optimally.
question
Suppose a firm expands its output and experiences higher long-run average cost. What is this condition called?
answer
Diseconomies of scale
question
What happens to average fixed cost (AFC) as output declines?
answer
AFC increases
AFC and output move in opposite directions -- as one increases the other decreases and vice-versa.
AFC and output move in opposite directions -- as one increases the other decreases and vice-versa.
question
If a cost function is given by, C(Q) = f + aQ + bQ^2 + cQ^3, then the marginal cost is given by which of the following?
answer
MC(Q) = dC/dQ
question
The multiproduct cost function assumes that all inputs are utilized _______________-.
answer
efficiently
question
When a firm experiences economies of scale, increasing the size of the operation ______________ the minimum average cost.
answer
decreases
question
When C(Qv1,0) + C(Qv2, 0) > C(Qv1, Qv2), we say that _____________________ exists.
answer
economies of scope
total cost of producing Q1 and Q2 together is less than producing them separately.
total cost of producing Q1 and Q2 together is less than producing them separately.
question
ΔMC1(Q1,Q2)/ΔQ2 < 0 describes cost
answer
complementarity
question
The following Quadratic Multiproduct Cost Function:
C(Qv1, Qv2) = f + aQv1Qv2 + (Qv1)^2 + (Qv2)^2
exhibits Economies of Scope when
C(Qv1, Qv2) = f + aQv1Qv2 + (Qv1)^2 + (Qv2)^2
exhibits Economies of Scope when
answer
f - aQ1Q2 > 0
question
Which function defines the cost of producing at least two types of output?
answer
Multiproduct cost function
question
Suppose it is cheaper for an auto maker to produce hybrid vehicles and diesel SUVs in the same factory than it is to have two separate facilities for each vehicle. What condition exists?
answer
Economies of scope
question
What exists when an increase in the output of one product reduces the marginal cost of a second product?
answer
Cost complementarity
question
The following Quadratic Multiproduct Cost Function:
C(Qv1, Qv2) = f + aQv1Qv2 + (Qv1)^2 + (Qv2)^2
exhibits cost complementarity when
C(Qv1, Qv2) = f + aQv1Qv2 + (Qv1)^2 + (Qv2)^2
exhibits cost complementarity when
answer
a < 0
question
Managerial economics is best defined as
answer
the study of how to allocate scarce resources to achieve managerial goals.
question
Firms that earn the business of scarce customers with a high-quality, lower-price product engage in
answer
Producer-producer rivalry
question
If a new canning technology costs $300,000 in the last 6 years, and generates year-end, cost savings of $50,000 in each of the first 3 years and $60,000 in each of the last 3 years, should the firm buy the technology if the interest rate of 5.0%?
answer
No. The manager would do better to invest the $300,000 at 5%.
No. The net present value of the technology is negative.
No. The net present value of the technology is negative.
question
True or false: If the growth rate in profits is less than the interest rate and both are constant, maximizing short-term profits is the same as maximizing long-term profits.
answer
True
question
Net benefits are maximized at a level of output, (Q), where MB = MC. What is one reason why?
answer
If MB > MC, increasing (Q) adds more to total benefit than total cost.