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production function
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the way a firm combines inputs to make an output
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variable input
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can be changed in the short run to change production
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fixed input
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can't be changed in the short run to change production
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short run
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period of time that has fixed inputs, too short to alter plant capacity
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long run
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period of time long enough for all inputs to be changes and to alter plant capacity
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plant capacity
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a firms max potential level of production
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total product
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total output quantity from a certain amount of inputs
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marginal product
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additional output produced by one more unit of a variable input
(change in TP) / (change in input)
(change in TP) / (change in input)
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average product
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average output quantity produced by one unit of a variable input
(TP) / (input)
(TP) / (input)
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specialization
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division of labor
causes initial increase in marginal product
causes initial increase in marginal product
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diminishing returns
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more variable inputs are being added to a fixed amounts of fixed inputs
causes decrease in marginal product
causes decrease in marginal product
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efficiency
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the relationship between inputs and outputs
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fixed cost
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cost is the same at all output levels
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variable cost
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cost changes as output changes
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total cost
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sum of variable cost and fixed cost
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marginal cost
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additional cost of one more unit of output
depends on marginal product; decreases initially and then rises
(change in total cost) / (change in quantity)
depends on marginal product; decreases initially and then rises
(change in total cost) / (change in quantity)
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average fixed cost
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(fixed cost) / (quantity)
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average variable cost
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(variable cost) / (quantity)
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average total cost
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(total cost) / (quantity) or AFC + AVC
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short run production cost curve patterns
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marginal cost decreases then increases
average fixed cost always decreases
average variable cost and average total cost decrease then increase, u shaped, get closer
average fixed cost always decreases
average variable cost and average total cost decrease then increase, u shaped, get closer
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spreading effect
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average total cost falls as fixed cost is spread over a higher output quantity and then rises when diminishing returns outweigh
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increasing returns to scale
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output increases faster than input rate
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decreasing returns to scale
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output increases slower than input rate
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constant returns to scale
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output increases at input rate
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economies of scale
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LRATC decreases as output increases
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diseconomies of scale
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LRATC increases as output decreases
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minimum efficient scale
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helps determine the number of firms in a market
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long run average total cost curve graph patterns
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economies of scale shown to the left of LRATC minimum
diseconomies of scale shown to the right of LRATC minimum
diseconomies of scale shown to the right of LRATC minimum
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when is a scale efficient (LRATC)
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when there are constant returns to scale