Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez

Instituto de Ciencias Sociales y Administrativas

Departamento de Ciencias Sociales
Licenciatura en economía

Capítulos 7, 8, 9, 11 y 12

Sebastián Zúñiga García

Matrícula: 177405

Economía de la Empresa
Problemas
17 de mayo de 2021
Capitulo 7
1. The Hamilton Company is a member of a perfectly competitive industry. Like all
members of the industry, its total cost function is

TC=25,000+150 Q+3 Q2
where TC is the firm’s monthly total cost (in dollars) and Q is the firm’s monthly output.
a. If the industry is in long-run equilibrium, what is the price of the Hamilton Company’s
product?
Para obtener los costos promedios, la función de costos total se divide entre Q:

25,000+150 Q+3 Q2
AC=
Q
25,000
AC= +150+3 Q
Q
Esta función se deriva porque a largo plazo los costos promedios deben de ser un
mínimo:
dAC −25,000
= + 3=0
dQ Q
2

2 25,000
Q=
3

Q=
√ 25,000
3
Q=91.28
25,000
AC= +150+3(91.28)
91.28
AC=273.86 +150+273.84
AC=697.7
El precio debe ser 697.7, porque a largo plazo el precio debe ser igual a los costos
promedios mínimos.

b. What is the firm’s monthly output?

La cantidad es 91.28.

1
3. The Burr Corporation’s total cost function (where TC is the total cost in dollars and Q
is quantity) is
TC = 200 + 4Q + 2Q2

TC =200+ 4 Q+2Q2
a. If the firm is perfectly competitive and the price of its product is $24, what is its
optimal output rate?
b. At this output rate, what is its profit?

5. The White Company is a member of the lamp industry, which is perfectly competitive.
The price of a lamp is $50. The fi rm’s total cost function is

TC=1,000+20 Q+5 Q2
where TC is total cost (in dollars) and Q is hourly output.
a. What output maximizes profit?
b. What is the fi rm’s economic profit at this output?
c. What is the fi rm’s average cost at this output?
d. If other fi rms in the lamp industry have the same cost function as this firm, is the
industry in equilibrium? Why or why not?

2
Capítulo 8
1. Harry Smith owns a metal-producing firm that is an unregulated monopoly. After
considerable experimentation and research, he finds that the firm’s marginal cost curve
can be approximated by a straight line, MC=60+ 2Q , where MC is marginal cost (in
dollars) and Q is output. The demand curve for the product is P=100−Q , where P is the
product price (in dollars) and Q is output.
a. If Smith wants to maximize profit, what output should he choose?
Si tomamos en cuenta que el Ingreso Marginal es dos veces la cantidad en la función
del precio obtenemos que:
IMg=100−2Q
Ahora igualamos al costo marginal para obtener la cantidad que maximizará los
beneficios.
MC=IMg
60+2 Q=100−2Q
2 Q+ 2Q=100−60
4 Q=40
Q=10
b. What price should he charge?
P=100−10
P=90

3. The Coolidge Corporation is the only producer of a particular type of laser. The
demand curve for its product is
Q=8,300−2.1 P
and its total cost function is TC =2,200+ 480Q+20 Q2 where P is price (in dollars), TC is
total cost (in dollars), and Q is monthly output.
a. Derive an expression for the firm’s marginal revenue curve.
Obtenemos la función del precio a partir de la ecuación de cantidad y obtenemos lo
siguiente:
2.1 P=8,300−Q

3
 8,300−Q
P=
2.1
8,300−Q
P=
2.1
P=3,952−.4761Q
Y ahora con la función del precio podemos obtener la función del ingreso marginal al
multiplicar por dos la cantidad.
IMg=3,952−.9523Q
b. To maximize profit, how many lasers should the firm produce and sell per month?
Se deriva la función de costo total para obtener la función de costo marginal y se
obtiene lo siguiente:

TC=2,200+ 480Q+20 Q2
MC=480+40 Q
Se realiza el mismo procedimiento que en el ejercicio 1.
MC=IMg
480+ 40 Q=3,952−.9523Q
40 Q+.9523 Q=3,952−480
40 .9523 Q=3,472
Q=84.78 por mes
P=3,952−.4761 ( 84.78 )
P=3,911.63
c. If this number were produced and sold, what would be the firm’s monthly profit?
El beneficio de la empresa es IT-CT, el ingreso total es multiplicar P*Q, y ya se tiene la
función de costo total, entonces se procede a calcular:
¿=3,912 ( 84.8 )=$ 331,737
2
TC =2,200+ 480 ( 84.8 )+ 20 ( 84.8 ) =2,200+ 40,704+143,820
TC =$ 186,725
π=331,737−186,725
π=145,012

4
9. The demand for diamonds is given by
PZ =980−2QZ

where QZ is the number of diamonds demanded if the price is PZ per diamond. The
total cost (TCZ) of the De Beers Company (a monopolist) is given by

T C Z =100+ 50Q Z + 0.5 Q2z

where QZ is the number of diamonds produced and put on the market by the De Beers
Company. Suppose the government could force De Beers to behave as if it were a
perfect competitor—that is, via regulation, force the firm to price diamonds at marginal
cost.
a. What is social welfare when De Beers acts as a single-price monopolist?
El ingreso total queda definido al multiplicar PZ ∗Qz y queda de la siguiente manera:
2
¿=QZ∗( 980−2Q Z ) =980 QZ −2Q Z

El ingreso marginal se obtiene derivando la función de ingreso total:

2
¿=980 Q Z −2 Q Z

ℑ g Z =980−4 QZ

El costo marginal se obtiene derivando la función de costo total:

2
T C Z =100+ 50Q Z + 0.5 Qz
CMg Z =50+QZ

Para que el monopolista maximice sus beneficios se debe igualar el costo marginal con
el ingreso marginal.
ℑ g Z =CMg Z
980−4 Q Z =50+Q Z

−4 QZ −Q Z =50−980

−5 QZ =−930

QZ =186

Sustituyendo en la función de demanda:

PZ =980−2(186)
PZ =608

5
Entonces el excedente del consumidor queda como:
Ex . C Z =.5 ( 980−608 )∗186

Exc . C Z =34,596

El ingreso total es:

I T Z =P Z∗Q Z =608∗186

I T Z =113,088

El costo variable queda como:

C V Z =50∗186+.5∗186∗186

C V Z =9,300+17,298

C V Z =26,598

El excedente del productor queda de la siguiente manera:

Exc . PZ =I T Z −C V Z

Exc . PZ =113,088−26,598

Exc . PZ =86,490

El bienestar social queda definido de la siguiente manera:

B S Z =Exc .C Z + Exc . PZ

B S Z =34,596+ 86,490

B S Z =121,086

b. What is social welfare when De Beers acts as a perfect competitor?

En este caso, el precio queda definido cuando PZ =CM gZ , desarrollando lo siguiente
obtenemos:
980−2Q Z =50+Q Z

980−50=Q Z + 2Q Z

930=3 QZ

QZ =310

PZ =980−2 ( 310 )

6
 PZ =360

El excedente del consumidor se define:

Ex . C Z =.5 ( 980−360 )∗310

Ex . C Z =96,100

El ingreso total es:

I T Z =310∗360

I T Z =111,600

Y un costo variable:
C V Z =50∗310+.5∗310∗310

C V Z =15,500+48,050

C V Z =63,550

Ahora se puede calcular el excedente del productor:

Exc . PZ =I T Z −C V Z

Exc . PZ =111,600−63,550

Exc . PZ =48,050

Con esto se puede calcular el beneficio social:

B S Z =96,100+ 48,050

B S Z =144,150

c. How much does social welfare increase when De Beers moves from monopoly to
competition?
144,150−121,086=23,064

13. The Backus Corporation makes two products, X and Y. For every unit of good X that
the firm produces, it produces two units of good Y. Backus’s total cost function is
2
TC=500+3 Q+9 Q
where Q is the number of units of output (where each unit contains one unit of good X
and two units of good Y) and TC is total cost (in dollars). The demand curves for the fi
rm’s two products are

P x =400−Q X P y =300−3 QY

7
where PX and QX are the price and output of product X and PY and QY are the price
and output of product Y.

a. How much of each product should the Backus Corporation produce and sell per
period?
¿=P∗Q
¿=( 400−Q X )∗Q X + ( 300−3 QY )∗Q Y

QY =2 Q X

¿=( 400−Q X )∗Q X + ( 300−6 Q X )∗2Q X

2 2
¿=400 Q X −Q X +600 Q X −12 QX
2
¿=1,000Q X −13 Q X
2 2
π=1,000 Q X −13 QX −500−3 Q X −9 Q X
2
π=997Q X −22 Q X −500

Derivando esta función vamos a encontrar la cantidad maximizadora de los beneficios:

dπ
=997−44 Q X =0
d QX

997=44 QX

Q X =22.65

QY =2(22.65)
QY =45.3

b. What price should it charge for each product?

P X =400−22.65P X =377.35 PY =300−3(45.3)

PY =164.1

8
Capítulo 9
3. The Lone Star Transportation Company hauls coal and manufactured goods. The
demand curve for its services by the coal producers is
PC =495−5QC
where PC is the price (in dollars) per ton-mile of coal hauled and QC is the number of
ton-miles of coal hauled (in thousands). The demand curve for its services by the
producers of manufactured goods is
PM =750−10 QM
where PM is the price (in dollars) per ton-mile of manufactured goods hauled, and QM
is the number of ton-miles of manufactured goods hauled (in thousands). The fi rm’s
total cost function is
TC =410+ 8(QC +QM )
where TC is total cost (in thousands of dollars).
π=¿−CT

π=( ( 495−5 QC )∗QC + ( 750−10 QM )∗QM ) −( 410−8 ( QC +QM ) )

π=( 495 QC−5 Q C2 +750 QM−10 Q M 2 )−( 410−8 QC +8 QM )

dπ
=495−10 QC−8=0
dQC
dπ
=750−20 QM−8=0
dQM
495−8=10 QC
487=10 QC
QC=48.7
750−8=20 QM
20 QM =742
QM =37.1
a. What price should managers charge to haul coal?
PC =495−5(48.7)
PC =251.5

9
b. What price should managers charge to haul manufactured goods?
PM =750−10 (37.1)
PM =379
c. If a regulatory agency were to require managers to charge the same price to haul
both coal and manufactured goods, would this reduce the firm’s profit? If so, by how
much?
Para analizar que sucede se calcula los beneficios con estas condiciones:
495−P
QC=
5
750−P
QM =
10
990−2 P 750−P
Q=QC + QM= +
10 10
1,740−3 P
Q=
10
Q=174−.3 P
.3 P=174−Q
174−Q
P=
.3
10
P=580− Q
3
Con la función de costos podemos calcular los beneficios:

(
π= 580−
10
3 )
Q ∗Q−410−8 Q

10 2
¿ 572Q− Q −410
3
Para maximizar se tiene que derivar:
dπ 20
=572− Q=0
dQ 3
20
572= Q
3
85.8=Q
10
 10
π=572( 85.8)− (85.8)2−410
3
π=49,077.6−24,538.8−410
π=24,128.8
Ahora calculamos los beneficios del ejercicio anterior para compararlos y saber el
impacto que tuvo:

π=( ( 495−5( 48.7))∗48.7 + ( 750−10 ( 37.1 ) )∗37.1 )−( 410−8 ( 48.7+37.1 ) )

π=12,248.05+14,060.9−1,096.4
π=25,212.55
25,212.55−24,128.8=1,083.75
Con estas condiciones los beneficios disminuyen en $1,083.75.

Capitulo 11
1. The Bergen Company and the Gutenberg Company are the only two firms that
produce and sell a particular kind of machinery. The demand curve for their product is
P=580−3 Q
where P is the price (in dollars) of the product, and Q is the total amount demanded.
The total cost function of the Bergen Company is
T C B =410 QB

where TCB is its total cost (in dollars) and QB is its output. The total cost function of the
Gutenberg Company is
T C G=460 QG

where TCG is its total cost (in dollars) and QG is its output.
a. If these two firms collude and they want to maximize their combined profit, how much
will the Bergen Company produce?
Primero se necesita obtener los costos marginales de las dos compañías:
CM g B=410

CM gG =460

Entonces toda la producción será por parte de Bergen, porque cuenta con un costo
marginal menor, y se agrega en la función del ingreso marginal para lograr la
maximización, ya que, se debe cumplir la condición CMg=IMg :

11
 IMg=580−6 Q=410
580−410=6 Q
170=6 Q
Q=28.3
Que la cantidad que maximiza los beneficios es 28.3.

b. How much will the Gutenberg Company produce?

Nada, todo lo va a producir la compañía Bergen, al tener un costo marginal menor.

c. Will the Gutenberg Company agree to such an arrangement? Why or why not?
No, sin embargo, esto puede cambiar, si Bergen comparte parte de los beneficios de lo
que produce.

7. Two firms, the Alliance Company and the Bangor Corporation, produce vision
systems. The demand curve for vision systems is
P=200,000−6( Q1+Q2 )

where P is the price (in dollars) of a vision system, Q1 is the number of vision systems
produced and sold per month by Alliance, and Q2 is the number of vision systems
produced and sold per month by Bangor. Alliance’s total cost (in dollars) is
T C 1=8,000 Q1

Bangor’s total cost (in dollars) is

T C 2=12,000 Q 2

a. If managers at these two firms set their own output levels to maximize profit,
assuming that managers at the other firm hold constant their output, what is the
equilibrium price?

π 1=( 200,000−6 ( Q1 +Q2 ) )∗Q1−8,000 Q1

π 1=200,000 Q1−6 Q21−6Q 1 Q2−8,000 Q 1

2
π 1=192,000 Q1−6 Q1 +6 Q1 Q2

π 2=( 200,000−6 ( Q1 +Q2 ) )∗Q2−12,000 Q2

12
 2
π 2=200,000 Q2−6 Q1 Q2−6 Q2−12,000 Q2
2
π 2=188,000 Q2−6 Q1 Q2−6 Q2

Suponiendo que la empresa 2 va a mantener constante su producción, el beneficio

máximo de la empresa 1 será:
d π1
=192,000−12Q1−6 Q 2=0
d Q1

Ahora suponiendo que la empresa 1 va a mantener constante su producción el

beneficio máximo de la empresa 2 será:
d π2
=188,000−12Q 2−6 Q1=0
d Q2

Y se obtienen las cantidades:

Q1=10,888.89

Y se obtiene la cantidad 2:
196,000
188,000−
3
Q 2=
12
Q2=10,222.22

P=200,000−6 ( 10,888.89+10,222.22 )
P=$ 73,333.33
b. What is the output of each firm?
La cantidad de la empresa 1 es de 10,888.89 y de la empresa 2 es de 10,222.22

c. How much profit do managers at each firm earn?

π 1=10,888.89(73,333.33−8,000)
π 1=$ 711,407,443

π 2=10 , 222.22(73,333.33−12,000)
π 2=626,962,792

13
11. The West Chester Corporation believes that the demand curve for its product is
P=28−0.14 Q
where P is price (in dollars) and Q is output (in thousands of units). The firm’s board of
directors, after a lengthy meeting, concludes that the firm should attempt, at least for a
while, to increase its total revenue, even if this means lower profit.
a. Why might managers adopt such a policy?
b. What price should managers set if they want to maximize total revenue?
c. If the fi rm’s marginal cost equals $14, do managers produce a larger or smaller
output than they would to maximize profit? How much larger or smaller?

14
Capitulo 12
1. Two soap producers, the Fortnum Company and the Maison Company, can stress
either newspapers or magazines in their forthcoming advertising campaigns. The payoff
matrix is as follows:

a. Is there a dominant strategy for each firm? If so, what is it?

b. What will be the profit of each firm?
c. Is this game an example of the prisoner’s dilemma?

3. The New York Times reports that Wal-Mart has decided to challenge Netflix and
enter the online DVD-by-mail market. Because of economies of scale, Wal-Mart has a
slight cost advantage relative to Netflix. Wal-Mart is considering the use of a limit pricing
strategy. It can enter the market by matching Netflix on price. If it does, and Netflix
maintains its price, then both firms would earn $5 million. But if Netflix drops its price in
response, Wal-Mart will have to follow and would earn $2 million; Netflix would earn $3
million. Or Wal-Mart could enter the market with a price that is below Netflix’s current
price but above its marginal cost. If it does, Netflix would make one of two moves. It
could reduce its price to below that of Wal-Mart. If it does, Wal-Mart will earn a profit of
$0, and Netflix will earn a profit of $2 million. Or Netflix could keep its present price. If
Netflix keeps its present price, Wal-Mart can keep its present price and earn $6 million
(while Netflix earns $4 million). Or Wal-Mart can increase its price and earn $2 million
while Netflix earns $6 million.
a. Draw the extensive form of this game and solve it.
b. Draw the game’s matrix form and identify any Nash equilibria

15
5. Two soft drink producers, York Cola and Reno Cola, secretly collude to fix prices.
Each firm must decide whether to abide by the agreement or to cheat on it. The payoff
matrix is as follows:

a. What strategy will each fi rm choose, and what will be each firm’s profit?
b. Does it matter whether this agreement is for one period or for three periods?
c. Is this game an example of the prisoner’s dilemma?

16