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CHAPTER 7—PRODUCTION AND COST
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A firm's profit is
a. greater if it is a corporation rather than if it is a sole proprietorship
b. higher if it raises its price than if it does not
c. lower if it lowers its price than if it does not
d. never taxed by the government
e. its revenue minus its costs
ANS: E PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Easy
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Production KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge
6. Which of the following is most likely to be a fixed input in the short run for Joe's Garage?
a. the grease used to lubricate cars
b. the part-time labor employed to repair cars
c. the inventory of replacement parts
d. the electricity used to heat and light the garage
e. the garage used to repair cars
ANS: E PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Production KEY: Bloom's: Application
8. Consider a firm that needs one day to hire more labor, one week to increase its purchases of raw
materials, and three months to change the amount of its capital. This firm's long run is
a. three months
b. one week
c. one day
d. three months plus eight days
e. three months plus one week
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Production KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension
14. Marginal product is the change in output divided by the change in the amount of an input used.
a. True
b. False
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Production in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge
15. The law of diminishing marginal returns says that as more of a variable input is combined with a fixed
input, total output will increase; however, the increases in the firm's output will become ever smaller.
a. True
b. False
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Production in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge
16. Total product begins to decline when diminishing marginal returns are first experienced.
a. True
b. False
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Production in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension
Figure 7-1
Quantity Tons of Coal
of Labor Mined
1 80
2 180
3 300
4 480
5 555
17. Figure 7-1 shows the amounts of coal that a mining company could produce per week by changing the
number of workers while capital and technology remain constant. The marginal product of employing
the fourth worker is
a. 120 tons of coal
b. 480 tons of coal
c. 319 tons of coal
d. 180 tons of coal
e. 106.33 tons of coal
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Production in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension
18. Figure 7-1 shows the amounts of coal that a mining company could produce per week by changing the
number of workers while capital and technology remain constant. Which worker has a marginal
product of 120 tons of coal?
a. first
b. second
c. third
d. fourth
e. fifth
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Production in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension
19. Figure 7-1 shows the amounts of coal that a mining company could produce per week by changing the
number of workers while capital and technology remain constant.How many workers could the mine
hire before the marginal product of labor begins to decline?
a. 1 worker
b. 2 workers
c. 3 workers
d. 4 workers
e. 5 workers
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Production in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension
Figure 7-2
Quantity Total
of Labor Product
0 0
10 100
20 230
30 340
40 410
50 460
20. Figure 7-2 shows how much a firm could produce with various amounts of labor holding capital and
technology constant. What is the marginal product of labor between 20 and 30 units of labor?
a. 340 units
b. 220 units
c. 11 units
d. 110 units
e. 34 units
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Production in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Analysis
21. Figure 7-2 shows how much a firm could produce with various amounts of labor holding capital and
technology constant. What is the average product of labor when 20 units of labor are employed?
a. 230 units
b. 11.5 units
c. 130 units
d. 6.5 units
e. 110 units
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Production in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Analysis
23. When the marginal product of labor increases as the amount of labor employed increases,
a. the additional worker has made other workers more productive
b. the firm also must have increased the amount of capital
c. the firm is experiencing economies of scale
d. there has been an improvement in the available technology
e. the law of diminishing returns has been violated
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Challenging
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Production in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension
24. The marginal product of labor is the
a. additional output produced when one more worker is hired
b. amount of output associated with labor inputs
c. maximum amount of output produced by a given set of inputs
d. maximum profit "produced" by selling a firm's output
e. additional cost associated with an additional unit of labor
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Production in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge
28. For the total product curve shown in Figure 7-3, diminishing marginal returns to labor
a. do not occur over this range
b. begin with the third unit of labor
c. exist for every unit of labor
d. begin with the fourth unit of labor
e. begin with the first unit of labor
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Production in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension
29. For the total product curve shown in Figure 7-3, for which unit of labor is the marginal product 20
units of output?
a. first
b. second
c. third
d. fourth
e. fifth
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Production in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension
30. The law of diminishing marginal returns says that as additional units of a variable input are added to
a. fixed amounts of other inputs, total output will eventually remain constant
b. varying amounts of other inputs, total output will eventually decline
c. fixed amounts of other inputs, the resulting increases in total output will eventually
become smaller
d. varying amount of other inputs, the resulting increases in total output will eventually
become smaller
e. a declining amount of output, technology will eventually deteriorate
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Production in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge
32. If the marginal product of labor is positive and increasing, then the total product of labor curve is
a. constant
b. upward sloping and becoming steeper
c. downward sloping and becoming flatter
d. lies above the total cost curve
e. lies below the total cost curve
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Challenging
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Production in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension
33. In Figure 7-4, marginal product of labor is increasing for levels of employment
a. between 0 and 35 workers
b. equal to 35 workers
c. between 35 and 80 workers
d. greater than 80 workers
e. none of the above
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Easy
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Production in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Analysis
34. In Figure 7-4, marginal product of labor is diminishing for levels of employment
a. between 0 and 35 workers
b. equal to 35 workers
c. between 35 and 80 workers
d. greater than 80 workers
e. none of the above
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Easy
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Production in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Analysis
35. In Figure 7-4, marginal product of labor is positive for levels of employment
a. between 0 and 80 workers
b. equal to 35 workers
c. between 35 and 80 workers
d. greater than 80 workers
e. none of the above
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Easy
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Production in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Analysis
36. In Figure 7-4, marginal product of labor is negative for levels of employment
a. between 0 and 80 workers
b. equal to 35 workers
c. between 35 and 80 workers
d. greater than 80 workers
e. none of the above
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Easy
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Production in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Analysis
37. Consider the total product curve depicted in Figure 7-5. The firm experiences the greatest marginal
returns to labor
a. when employing more than 200 workers
b. when employing between 80 and 200 workers
c. when employing 80 workers
d. when employing between zero and 80 workers
e. at all levels of employment
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Production in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Analysis
38. The change in total output when one additional unit of labor is hired is known as the
a. capacity utilization rate
b. average product of labor
c. marginal product of labor
d. total product of labor
e. marginal output of labor
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Easy
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Production in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge
40. Last month, Sally spent $3,000 in repairing her old car. Now her car requires an additional $2,000 in
repairs. She could get a comparable car for $2,500. She should
a. repair her car because the money she has already spent repairing the car ($3,000) exceeds
the price of the new car ($2,500)
b. buy a new car because sunk costs should be ignored in decision making
c. buy a new car because the price of the new car ($2,500) is less than the total amount she
would spend on her current car ($5,000)
d. repair her car since the cost of repairing it is lower than the cost of buying another car
e. repair the car or buy a comparable one because the opportunity costs are the same
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Challenging
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Thinking about Costs KEY: Bloom's: Analysis
42. Which of the following is irrelevant when deciding whether to undertake an action?
a. opportunity costs
b. implicit costs
c. sunk costs
d. implicit costs and explicit costs
e. fixed costs and implicit costs
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Thinking about Costs KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge
43. A corporation has been steadily losing money on one of its product lines. The factory used to produce
that brand cost $20 million to build. The firm now is considering an offer to buy that factory for $15
million. Which of the following statements about the decision to sell or not is correct?
a. The firm should turn down the purchase offer because the factory cost more than $15
million to build.
b. The $20 million spent on the factory is a sunk cost that should not affect the decision.
c. The $20 million spent on the factory is an implicit cost that should be included in the
decision.
d. The firm should sell the factory only if it can reduce its costs elsewhere by $5 million.
e. The firm's opportunity cost would be $35 million if it decides to sell the factory.
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Thinking about Costs KEY: Bloom's: Analysis
46. Bob gives up his factory job in order to open a bait-and-tackle shop. The earnings from his factory job
represent
a. the hourly wage paid by the shop
b. the marginal cost of running the shop
c. the average cost of running the shop
d. a fixed cost that can vary in the long run
e. an implicit cost of opening the shop
ANS: E PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Thinking about Costs KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension
47. Samantha has been working for a law firm and earning an annual salary of $90,000. She decides to
open her own practice. Her annual expenses will include $15,000 for office rent, $3,000 for equipment
rental, $1,000 for supplies, $1,200 for utilities, and a $35,000 salary for a secretary/bookkeeper.
Samantha will cover her start-up expenses by cashing in a $20,000 certificate of deposit on which she
was earning annual interest of $1,000. Assuming that there are no additional expenses, Samantha's
total annual cost of production will equal
a. $55,200
b. $221,400
c. $91,000
d. $146,200
e. $145,200
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Thinking about Costs KEY: Bloom's: Analysis
48. Samantha has been working for a law firm and earning an annual salary of $90,000. She decides to
open her own practice. Her annual expenses will include $15,000 for office rent, $3,000 for equipment
rental, $1,000 for supplies, $1,200 for utilities, and a $35,000 salary for a secretary/bookkeeper.
Samantha will cover her start-up expenses by cashing in a $20,000 certificate of deposit on which she
was earning annual interest of $1,000. Assuming that there are no additional expenses, Samantha's
annual explicit costs will equal
a. $55,200
b. $221,400
c. $91,000
d. $146,200
e. $145,200
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Thinking about Costs KEY: Bloom's: Analysis
49. Samantha has been working for a law firm and earning an annual salary of $90,000. She decides to
open her own practice. Her annual expenses will include $15,000 for office rent, $3,000 for equipment
rental, $1,000 for supplies, $1,200 for utilities, and a $35,000 salary for a secretary/bookkeeper.
Samantha will cover her start-up expenses by cashing in a $20,000 certificate of deposit on which she
was earning annual interest of $1,000. Assuming that there are no additional expenses, Samantha's
annual implicit costs will equal
a. $55,200
b. $221,400
c. $91,000
d. $146,200
e. $145,200
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Thinking about Costs KEY: Bloom's: Analysis
55. The spreading of fixed costs over more output explains why the long-run average cost falls as output
rises.
a. True
b. False
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Costs in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension
56. Which of the following, necessarily, equals zero when the firm's short-run output level is zero?
a. sunk costs
b. fixed costs
c. implicit costs
d. variable costs
e. opportunity costs
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Costs in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension
64. In the short run, costs that arise from resources that cannot vary in quantity are known as
____________, whereas costs from inputs that can vary in quantity are known as ____________.
a. fixed costs; variable costs
b. explicit costs; implicit costs
c. opportunity costs; variable costs
d. fixed costs; opportunity costs
e. variable costs; fixed costs
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Costs in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge
68. The change in cost resulting from producing one additional unit of output is
a. average total cost
b. total variable cost
c. average variable cost
d. marginal cost
e. total cost
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Easy
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Costs in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge
Figure 7-6
Tons
Output (Q) Cost (TC)
0 $1,000
1 $1,400
2 $2,000
3 $2,400
4 $2,600
5 $2,700
69. Figure 7-6 shows the total cost for six different levels of output for a particular firm. What is the
average total cost (ATC) of producing four units of output?
a. $2,600
b. $200
c. $650
d. $50
e. $10,400
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Costs in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Analysis
70. Figure 7-6 shows the total cost for six different levels of output for a particular firm. What is the
marginal cost (MC) of the last unit of output listed in the table (i.e., the fifth unit of output)?
a. $2,700
b. $540
c. $100
d. $90
e. $500
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Costs in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Analysis
71. Figure 7-6 shows the total cost for six different levels of output for a particular firm. Total fixed cost
(TFC) if five units of output are produced is
a. $1,700
b. $540
c. $1,000
d. $100
e. $2,700
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Costs in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Analysis
72. If Babette's Bicycle shop can rebuild three bicycles for $200 and four bicycles for $240, then the
average variable cost of four bicycles
a. equals $40
b. cannot be determined without more information
c. equals $60
d. equals $240
e. equals $10
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Challenging
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Costs in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Analysis
74. If a firm increases its output level in the short run, then
a. variable cost rises but fixed cost remains unchanged
b. both variable cost and fixed cost rise
c. variable cost rises, but fixed cost fall
d. both variable cost and fixed cost fall
e. variable cost remains unchanged, but fixed cost rises
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Costs in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension
76. To produce a firm's current output level, total cost is $600, and the total variable cost is $450.
Therefore, the firm has
a. a marginal cost of $150
b. sunk costs of $150
c. a marginal cost of $1,450
d. total fixed cost of $1,450
e. total fixed cost of $150
ANS: E PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Costs in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension
77. At a firm's current output level of 200 units per week, it has 10 employees at a weekly wage of $500
each. Raw materials, which are ordered and delivered daily, cost $1,000 per week. The weekly cost of
the firm's capital is $1,250. Which of the following statements is correct?
a. Total variable cost is $5,000; total fixed cost is $2,250; total cost is $7,250.
b. Total variable cost is $6,000; total fixed cost is $1,250; total cost is $7,250.
c. Total variable cost is $1,250; total fixed cost is $6,000; total cost is $7,250.
d. Total variable cost is $2,250; total fixed cost is $500; total cost is $2,750.
e. Total variable cost is $1,500; total fixed cost is $1,250; total cost is $2,750.
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Costs in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Analysis
78. As a firm increases its output in the short run, average fixed cost
a. rises steadily
b. falls and then rises
c. falls steadily
d. rises and then falls
e. remains unchanged
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Costs in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension
Figure 7-7
Short-run Costs
Output TVC
0 $0
10 $200
20 $350
30 $575
40 $900
79. Figure 7-7 shows a firm's total variable cost for different daily output levels. In addition, the firm has
total fixed cost of $50 per day. If output increases from 20 to 30 units, average total cost rises from
a. $17.50 to $19.17, and marginal cost is $225.00
b. $400 to $625, and marginal cost is $225.00
c. $15.00 to $22.50, and marginal cost is $22.50
d. $20.00 to $20.83, and marginal cost is $22.50
e. $20.00 to $20.83, and marginal cost is $225.00
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Costs in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Analysis
80. Figure 7-7 shows a firm's total variable cost for different daily output levels. In addition, the firm has
total fixed cost of $50 per day. At an output level of 20 units, average variable cost is
a. $75.00, and average fixed cost is $2.50
b. $17.50, and average fixed cost is $50.00
c. $150.00, and average fixed cost is $2.50
d. $7.50, and average fixed cost is $50.00
e. $17.50, and average fixed cost is $2.50
ANS: E PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Costs in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Analysis
81. If the marginal product of labor rises, the marginal cost of output
a. rises
b. falls
c. remains constant
d. rises and then falls
e. dampens
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Challenging
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Costs in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension
82. If the marginal product of labor falls, the marginal cost of output
a. declines, then increases
b. becomes negative
c. rises
d. remains constant
e. falls
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Challenging
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Costs in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension
83. Figure 7-8 shows three different cost curves, labeled A, B, and C. Which of these curves is most likely
to represent marginal cost?
a. curve A
b. curve B
c. curve C
d. neither A, B, nor C
e. cannot be determined without more information
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Costs in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension
84. Figure 7-8 shows three different cost curves, labeled A, B, and C, for a firm. Which of these curves
could most likely represent average total cost?
a. curve A
b. curve B
c. curve C
d. curves A or B
e. none of the curves can represent total cost
ANS: E PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Costs in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension
85. Figure 7-8 shows three different cost curves, labeled A, B, and C for a firm. What does curve C most
likely represent?
a. average total cost
b. marginal cost
c. total cost
d. average fixed cost
e. total fixed cost
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Costs in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension
86. Whenever marginal cost is below average cost, average cost must fall as output increases.
a. True
b. False
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Costs in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension
87. The minimum points of the average variable cost and average total cost curves occur where
a. the marginal cost curve lies below the average variable cost and average total cost curves
b. the marginal cost curve intersects those curves
c. wages are the lowest
d. the slope of total cost is the smallest
e. the elasticity of demand is unitary
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Costs in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension
89. Figure 7-9 shows three different cost curves, labeled A, B, and C, for a firm. Which of these curves is
most likely to represent average fixed cost?
a. curve A
b. curve B
c. curve C
d. neither A, B, nor C
e. cannot be determined without more information
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Costs in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension
90. Which of the following is true about the relationships among various cost curves?
a. When MC exceeds ATC, ATC must be rising.
b. When MC exceeds ATC, ATC could be rising or falling.
c. When ATC is falling, MC must exceed ATC.
d. When TC is rising, MC must exceed TC.
e. TC falls when AFC falls.
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Costs in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension
91. If Papagna's Pizza Parlor knows that the marginal cost of the 500th pizza is $3.00 and that the average
total cost of making 499 pizzas is $3.30, then
a. average costs are rising at Q = 500
b. average costs are falling at Q = 500
c. total costs are falling at Q = 500
d. average variable costs must be falling
e. average variable costs must be rising
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Challenging
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Costs in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Analysis
92. The vertical distance between a firm's average total cost curve and its average variable cost curve is its
a. marginal cost
b. sunk cost
c. total variable cost
d. total fixed cost
e. average fixed cost
ANS: E PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Easy
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Costs in the Short Run KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension
98. The least-cost rule for firms states that in the long run, firms will
a. produce output at the point where ATC is minimized
b. produce output at the point where MC is minimized
c. minimize variable costs
d. choose the output level with the lowest TC
e. choose the lowest-cost input combination for any output level
ANS: E PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Production and Cost in the Long Run KEY: Bloom's: Knowledge
99. Along its long-run average total cost curve, a firm employs
a. a different amount of fixed inputs at each point
b. the same amount of fixed inputs at each point
c. a declining amount of fixed inputs at each point as it moves to higher output levels
d. an increasing amount of fixed inputs at each point as it moves to higher output levels
e. no fixed inputs
ANS: E PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Production and Cost in the Long Run KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension
100. For a given level of output, the short-run total cost of production
a. always falls below the long-run total cost of production
b. always exceeds the long-run total cost of production
c. always equals the long-run total cost of production
d. may exceed or equal the long-run total cost of production
e. may exceed or fall below the long-run total cost of production
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Challenging
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Production and Cost in the Long Run KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension
102. In comparing long-run and short-run costs, which of the following statements is true at each level of
output?
a. long-run total cost is always less than short-run total costs
b. long-run total cost cannot exceed short-run total cost
c. long-run and short-run total costs are equal when fixed costs are large
d. firms usually make decisions about production levels based on long-run costs rather than
short-run costs
e. short-run total cost cannot exceed long-run total cost
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Production and Cost in the Long Run KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension
103. The firm depicted in Figure 7-10 currently is producing 200 units of output per day. If it decides to
increase its output level to 375 units, then it will
a. adjust from point F to point G in the short run
b. be unable to adjust to point G in the short run because some inputs are fixed
c. be unable to adjust to point G in the long run because some are fixed
d. be unable to adjust to point H in the short run because some inputs are fixed
e. adjust from point F to point H in the long run
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Production and Cost in the Long Run KEY: Bloom's: Analysis
109. If a firm increases its output level by 50 percent and, as a result, long-run total cost rises by 40 percent,
the firm is experiencing
a. diseconomies of scale
b. constant returns to scale
c. economies of scale
d. increasing marginal returns
e. diminishing marginal returns
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Production and Cost in the Long Run KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension
110. Assume that an industry requires a very specialized technology that involves high start-up costs for
new firms no matter what level of output they produce. In the long run, at low levels of output, these
firms will tend to exhibit
a. diminishing marginal returns
b. increasing marginal returns
c. diseconomies of scale
d. constant returns to scale
e. economies of scale
ANS: E PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Production and Cost in the Long Run KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension
111. When long-run average total cost decreases as output increases, a firm experiences
a. increasing average fixed cost
b. decreasing total cost
c. economies of scale
d. diseconomies of scale
e. constant returns to scale
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Production and Cost in the Long Run KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension
113. When firms become so large that they have to add additional layers of management and decision
making becomes more cumbersome,
a. economies of scale are said to occur
b. marginal cost begins to fall in the short run
c. marginal cost begins to rise in the short run
d. the long-run average total cost curve is flat
e. the long-run average total cost curve slopes upward
ANS: E PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Production and Cost in the Long Run KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension
115. When long-run average total cost increases as output increases, a firm experiences
a. diseconomies of scale
b. economies of scale
c. constant returns to scale
d. decreasing marginal cost
e. greater total cost in the long run than in the short run
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Production and Cost in the Long Run KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension
116. If a firm experiences constant returns to scale at all output levels, then its long-run average total cost
curve would
a. slope downward
b. be horizontal
c. slope upward
d. slope downward for low output levels and upward for high output levels
e. slope upward for low output levels and downward for high output levels
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Production and Cost in the Long Run KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension
120. If minimum efficient scale is small relative to the maximum potential market,
a. relatively large firms will have a cost advantage over relatively small firms
b. the market price will be low
c. relatively small firms will have a cost advantage over relatively large firms
d. the market price will be high
e. only one firm will survive in the long run.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Using the Theory: The Urge to Merge KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension
121. In many markets for personal services (such as shoe repair or lawn care) with low start-up costs,
a. production exhibits constant returns to scale
b. economies of scale are exhausted rapidly
c. economies of scale are exhausted slowly
d. economies of scale are never exhausted
e. there are only short-run costs, no long-run costs
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Using the Theory: The Urge to Merge KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension
123. Suppose that minimum efficient scale is approximately 20 percent of maximum potential market
demand. In that case,
a. there will be approximately 20 firms in the market
b. we should expect to see a few large competitors
c. we should expect to see many small competitors
d. we should expect a natural monopoly to emerge
e. minimum efficient scale is too small for perfect competition to exist
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Using the Theory: The Urge to Merge KEY: Bloom's: Analysis
124. If minimum average cost is the same over a large range of output,
a. the market will evolve into a natural monopoly
b. minimum efficient scale is large as well
c. only a few large firms will survive in the long run
d. smaller firms have a cost advantage over larger firms
e. firms of varying sizes can coexist
ANS: E PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Challenging
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Using the Theory: The Urge to Merge KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension
125. Suppose that (1) LRATC is minimized at $60 when 30,000 units are being produced, (2) the quantity
demanded at a price of $60 is 150,000 units, and (3) there are currently 10 firms producing in the
market. Then,
a. we should expect competition to result in a decrease in the number of firms
b. we should expect a natural monopoly to emerge
c. we should expect some existing firms to divide up into smaller firms.
d. the LRATC curve will shift upward in the long run
e. the LRATC curve will shift downward in the long run.
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Using the Theory: The Urge to Merge KEY: Bloom's: Analysis
126. If firms in a market have been prohibited from reaching the minimum efficient scale,
a. the market is probably perfectly competitive.
b. the market is probably a monopoly.
c. mergers will result if the restrictions are eliminated.
d. the LRATC curve has been shifting upward.
e. the LRATC curve has been shifting downward.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Difficulty: Moderate
NAT: BUSPROG: Analytic STA: DISC: Costs of production
TOP: Using the Theory: The Urge to Merge KEY: Bloom's: Comprehension
· · · · ·
· · · · ·
(ll. 61–66.)
· · · · ·
Fletcher says:
“Their sight drinkes lovely fires in at their eyes,
Their braine sweet incense with fine breath accloyes,
That on God’s sweating altar burning lies;
Their hungrie eares feede on the heav’nly noyse,
That angels sing, to tell their untould joyes;
Their understanding, naked truth; their wills
The all, and selfe-sufficient Goodnesse, fills:
That nothing here is wanting, but the want of ills.”
(Stz. 3
Here the progression in the scale of pleasures is from those of the senses
to those of the mind.
But Fletcher presents this union as even a more intimate experience
of the soul. His is the most elaborate attempt in English poetry to
describe the nature of the participation of the soul in the beauty of the
ultimate reality, according to the Platonic notion of the participation of
an object in its idea. After three stanzas descriptive of the state of
absolute freedom from cares of life which reigns in heaven (stz. 35–37),
Fletcher passes on to a description of God—the “Idea Beatificall,” as he
names Him—in accordance with the Platonic notion of the highest
principle, The One:
“In midst of this citie cælestiall,
Whear the Eternall Temple should have rose,
Light’ned the Idea Beatificall:
End, and beginning of each thing that growes;
Whose selfe no end, nor yet beginning knowes;
That hath no eyes to see, nor ears to heare;
Yet sees, and heares, and is all-eye, all-eare;
That nowhear is contain’d, and yet is every whear:
· · · · ·
· · · · ·