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thomas malthus
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invented the law of diminished productivity
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law of diminished productivity
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as increasing amounts of one good are added to fixed amounts of another, eventually increases in output occur at a decreasing rate
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production function
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shows the amount of output that can be produced with a given set of inputs and the given technology
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total product curve
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graphical depiction of the production function
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marginal product
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shows the additional output from using 1 more of a variable input (change in Q/change in L)
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average product
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shows the average amount produced by a certain type of input (Q/L)
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variable input
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an input whose use can be altered
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fixed input
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an input who use can not be altered in the short run
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implicit costs
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these are non-monetary costs
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explicit costs
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these are monetary costs (costs requiring a monetary transaction)
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short run
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the period of time when at least 1 input is fixed
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long run
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the period of time when all inputs use can be altered
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profits
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total revenue-total costs
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total variable costs
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the costs of all the variable inputs
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total fixed costs
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the costs of all the fixed inputs
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total costs
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tvc+tfc
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average variable costs
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what it costs on average in terms of the variable inputs used to produce each unit of output
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average fixed costs
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what it costs on average in terms of the fixed inputs used to produce each unit of output
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average total costs
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what is costs on average to produce each unit of output
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marginal costs
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the change in total cost from producing an additional unit
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marginal revenue
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the change in total revenue from selling an additional unit
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total revenue
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price x units sold (PxQ)
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perfect competition
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many sellers and many buyers producing a homogenous product with free entry and exit
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price taker
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buyers and sellers who have no ability through their actions to alter the market price
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shut-down point
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when the losses from producing are exactly equal to the losses from shutting down for a firm
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firm's supply curve
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marginal cost above the minimum of the AVC
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long-run average cost curve
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outside envelope of the ATC when all inputs usage is altered
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increasing returns to scale
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per unit costs are decreasing as the scale of operations increases
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constant returns to scale
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per unit costs are constant as scale of operations increases
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decreasing returns to scale
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per unit costs are increasing as scale of operations increases
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increasing cost competitive industry
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competitive industry when the long run supply is upwards sloping
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constant cost competitive industry
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competitive industry when the long run supply is horizontal
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decreasing cost competitive industry
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competitive industry when the long run supply is downward sloping
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monopoly
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a single producer of a unique product
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monopolistic competition
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multiple producers of slightly different products