question
The four-firm concentration ration is the percentage of the value of _____ accounted for by the four largest firms in an industry
answer
sales
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The Herfindahl-Hirschman Index is the _____ of the percentage market share of each firm summed across the largest _____ firms (or summed across all the firms if there are fewer than _____) in a market
answer
square; 50; 50
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Distinguish between the short run and the long run. In the short run, _____. In the long run, ______
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a firm's plant is fixed; a firm can change its plant
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Which of the following are examples of short run and long run decisions
answer
Starbucks has hired more labor to meet the increasing demand; Starbucks has opened another store to meet the increasing demand
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Total Product is the total ______ of a good produced in a given period.
Marginal Product is the change in _____ product that results from a one-unit increase in the ______.
Average Product is the total product divided by the _____.
Marginal Product is the change in _____ product that results from a one-unit increase in the ______.
Average Product is the total product divided by the _____.
answer
quantity; total; quantity of labor employed; quantity of a factor of production
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The law of diminishing returns says that as the firm uses more of _____, with a given quantity of ______, marginal product of the variable factor eventually diminishes.
answer
a variable factor of production; the fixed factor of production
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Most production processes experience _____ marginal returns initially, but all production processes eventually reach a point of ______ marginal returns.
answer
increasing; diminishing
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When your marginal grade exceeds your GPA, your GPA ______.
answer
rises
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True or false: When marginal product exceeds average product, average product is rising
answer
TRUE
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Total cost is the cost of _____ by a firm
answer
all the factors of production used
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Total fixed cost is the cost of the _____. Specifically, the cost of _______, _________, and _______.
answer
firm's fixed factors of production; land, capital, entrpreneurship
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Total variable cost is the cost of the _______. Specifically, the cost of ______.
answer
firm's variable factor of production; labor
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True or False: Total variable cost and total cost both increase as output increases
answer
TRUE
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True or False: The marginal cost curve intersects the average variable cost curve at its minimum
answer
True
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True or False: When marginal cost is greater than average variable cost, average variable cost is increasing
answer
True
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True or False: The marginal cost curve intersects the average fixed curve at its minimum
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False
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True or False: When marginal cost is less than average total cost, average total cost is decreasing
answer
True
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The AFC has a downward slope because
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when output increases, the firms spreads its total fixed cost over a larger output
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The shape of the AVC curve arises because of:
answer
increasing returns initially and eventually diminishing returns
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The shape of the ATC curve arises because of ________
answer
The influence of two opposing forces----spreading total fixed cost over a larger output and eventually diminishing returns
question
When Sam increases smoothie production from 4 to 5 gallons, his total cost of production increases from $32.50 to $36.85. Calculate Sam's marginal cost of producing smoothies.
answer
$4.35
question
Sue's Surfboards rents a factory. If the rent rises by $200 a week and other things remain the same, how do Sue's Surfboards short-run average cost curves and marginal cost curve change?
If other things remain the same, the average fixed cost curve _______ and the average variable cost curve _______
If other things remain the same, the average fixed cost curve _______ and the average variable cost curve _______
answer
shifts upward; does not change
question
Sue's Surfboards rents a factory. If the rent rises by $200 a week and other things remain the same, how do Sue's Surfboards short-run average cost curves and marginal cost curve change?
If other things remain the same, the average total cost curve _____ and the marginal cost curve _______
If other things remain the same, the average total cost curve _____ and the marginal cost curve _______
answer
shifts upward, does not change
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Long-run average cost curve is a curve that shows the _____ average total cost at which it is _______ to produce each output when the firm has had sufficient time to change both its plant size and labor employed
answer
lowest; possible
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When a firm is producing a given output at the least possible cost,
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it is operating on its long-run average cost curve
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Perfect Competition is a market in which there are _____ firms, each selling _____ product; many buyers; ______ to the entry of new firms into the industry; no advantage to established firms; and buyers and sellers _____ about prices.
answer
many; identical; no barriers; are well informed
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In perfect competition, each firm _______
answer
Is a price taker
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A firm in perfect competition is a price taker because _______.
answer
It produces a tiny proportion of the total output of a particular good, and buyers are well informed about the prices and products of other firms
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To maximize profit, a firm in perfect competition must decide ______.
answer
how to produce at minimum cost, what quantity to produce, and whether to enter or exit a market
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In perfect competition, a firm maximizes its economic profit if it produces the output at which _______.
answer
price equals marginal cost
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Why does a firm in perfect competition produce the quantity at which marginal cost equals price?
A firm produces the quantity at which marginal cost equals price because when marginal cost is greater the price, the firm ______.
A firm produces the quantity at which marginal cost equals price because when marginal cost is greater the price, the firm ______.
answer
can increase economic profit by producing 1 less unit of output
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In perfect competition, firms will be able to earn economic profits in:
answer
The short run only
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The lowest price at which a firm will produce is the price at minimum _____ because at this price its loss equals ______
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average variable cost; total fixed cost
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The short-run market supply curve is ______
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horizontal at the shutdown price
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Entry is triggered in a competitive market when existing firms are _____.
answer
making an economic profit
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Describe the process that ends further entry:
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New firms enter, supply increases, and the price falls until in the long run all firms are making normal profit. Market output increases and the output of each individual firm increases
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Exit is triggered in a competitive market when existing firms are
answer
incurring an economic loss
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Describe the process that ends further exit
answer
Some firms exit, supply decreases, and the price rises until in the long run all firms are making normal profit. Market output decreases and the output of each remaining firm increases
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The market for pizza is perfectly competitive and has 1,000 firms. Each firm is identical. Describe each firm in long-run equilibrium.
In long run equilibrium, each firm is:
In long run equilibrium, each firm is:
answer
making zero economic profit
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The smartphone market is in long-run equilibrium. Then the demand for smartphones increases. Describe what happens in the market for smartphones.
in the short run, firms will _____.
in the short run, firms will _____.
answer
make an economic profit
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The smartphone market is in long-run equilibrium. Then the demand for smartphones increases. Describe what happens in the market for smartphones.
Some firms will ______ the market, and the market supply curve will shift ________
Some firms will ______ the market, and the market supply curve will shift ________
answer
enter; rightward
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A firm producing where price equals marginal cost that has variable costs equaling $60 million; fixed costs equaling $40 million; and revenues equaling $50 million should:
answer
shut down and leave the industry in the long run
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Given the following facts, what should the firm do in the short run? In the long run? Fixed costs are $50,000. Total costs are $90,000. Total revenues are $45,000.
answer
Continue to produce in the short run; leave the industry in the long run