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Chapter 9
Maximizing Profit
TRUE/FALSE
Answer: T 1. If the total cost curve is greater than the total revenue curve at every level of output, the
Diff: 1 firm incurs a loss.
Answer: F 2. There are situations in which average revenue and price are different.
Diff: 3
Answer: T 3. If marginal cost equals marginal revenue on the downward-sloping segment of the
Diff: 4 marginal cost curve, then increasing production until marginal cost again equals marginal
revenue, this time on the upward-sloping segment of the marginal cost curve, is a profit-
maximizing decision.
Answer: T 4. If a firm faces a price of $12 regardless of how many units it produces and the marginal
Diff: 1 cost is constant at $10 regardless of how many units it produces, then theoretically, the
firm should never stop producing.
Answer: F 5. If at 4,000 units, the price the firm can charge is higher than its AVC and lower than its
Diff: 4 ATC, then the firm will earn a profit.
Answer: F 6. Profit maximization can occur at some output level where marginal cost and marginal
Diff: 5 revenue are not equal.
Answer: F 7. If a firm’s marginal revenue is equal to marginal cost at an output level where average
Diff: 5 variable cost is rising, the firm should shut down.
Answer: T 8. Once profit is maximized at the output level where MR = MC, profit can be calculated by
Diff: 2 subtracting the ATC from price and multiplying the result by the quantity produced.
Answer: F 9. If: (1) you produce 1,000 units, (2) your total revenue is $7,500, (3) the
Diff: 4 wage rate you pay each of the 10 workers you hired is $9.50 per hour, and (4) they each
work 8 hours to produce that 1,000 units, then you should not shut down.
Answer: F 10. If TR > TC, the firm should produce more of whatever it is producing.
Diff: 4
Answer: T 11. Picture the curve. The total revenue curve originates at the origin.
Diff: 5
Answer: F 12. Following the MC = MR rule to profit maximization tells us how much profit can be
Diff: 3 made.
Answer: T 14. If, at its profit-maximizing output level, the price of the good is less than average variable
Diff: 3 cost, the firm should shut down immediately.
Answer: F 15. Corporate managers and stockholders usually have the same goal of maximizing profit.
Diff: 2
Answer: T 16. According to William Baumol, many corporate managers engage in empire-building.
Diff: 1
Answer: T 17. Adam Smith believed that the rich derive the most enjoyment from their wealth by
Diff: 3 knowing that others observe their consumption.
Answer: F 18. The Marshall Kiwanis Club noticed the organizer of their bratwurst booth, at the
Diff: 2 Celebrate Marshall Festival, seemed more interested in the size and flair of their booth
than the cost of achieving it. This excessive interest in prestige of the booth rather than
profits made for charity is an example of stakeholder rights.
Answer: F 19. The profit outcome achieved by setting MC = MR is the same as that achieved by setting
Diff: 2 TR = TC.
Answer: F 20. For the level of output, Q, firm profit is the same whether measured by TR – TC or
Diff: 3 (AR – AVC) * Q.
Answer: F 21. The goals of charitable organizations are inevitably inconsistent with the principles
Diff: 2 associated with profit maximization.
Answer: F 22. The MR = MC rule is no longer accepted by most economists as representing the
Diff: 1 behavior of firms.
Answer: F 23. All economists agree that the firm’s only goal is to maximize profit.
Diff: 1
Answer: T 25. Marginal cost is always greater than zero, regardless of the output level.
Diff: 4
Answer: F 26. A firm would be maximizing profit if MR > MC and TR > TC.
Diff: 3
Answer: F 28. Each firm knows where its MR = MC output level is located.
Diff: 2
Answer: T 29. If MR = MC, then TR and TC differ by a maximum if positive profits are earned.
Diff: 5
Answer: F 31. Producing where MR = MC guarantees that the firm earns a profit.
Diff: 3
MULTIPLE CHOICE
Answer: D 1. At the last board meeting a member proposed that the Marshall Lions Club lower its
Diff: 4 hamburger price at the Celebrate Marshall Festival. He argued this would sell more
hamburgers for charity.
a. He is wrong.
b. Revenues would decrease.
c. Revenues would rise.
d. Revenues are not what matters.
e. Profits would increase.
Answer: B 2. The Marshall Lions Club increased the price of hamburgers at their Celebrate Marshall
Diff: 4 Festival and found that revenues increased. This is likely because, ceteris paribus,
a. the quality of the hamburgers was different
b. the demand for their hamburgers was inelastic
c. the demand for their hamburgers was elastic
d. the quality of the hamburgers was lower
e. more people came to the festival
Answer: B 3. The town of Marshall’s Boy Scout Troop 1099 decreased car parking prices at the
Diff: 3 Celebrate Marshall Festival and found they made higher profits. This likely occurred
because
a. marginal cost was equal to marginal revenue
b. marginal revenue was higher than marginal cost
c. marginal revenue was less than marginal cost
d. demand was inelastic
e. marginal revenue was increasing
Answer: D 4. The Skandusky Downtown Development Corporation (SDDC), a nonprofit entity, was
Diff: 3 accused by local taxpayers of being overstaffed and too lavishly accommodated for its
purpose of achieving its community development goals. This accusation is an argument
that the SDDC
a. is managed by stakeholders
b. staff is following the MC = MR rule
c. is an example of the Lester-Machlup controversy
d. is engaged in empire building
e. is minimizing community losses
Answer: D 5. Which of the following is not possible when a firm is maximizing its profits?
Diff: 4 a. MC = MR
b. AVC is at its minimum point
c. AFC < AVC
d. MC = MR and MC is decreasing
e. MC = MR and MC is increasing
Answer: B 6. Suppose you were working for Richstone’s bakery and calculating whether the bakery
Diff: 3 was making a profit, considering the recent increase in rent. You have data for price (P),
MR, ATC, MC, AVC, at the quantity of 1,000 breads a day. Among the other
relationships you consider is (P – ATC) which measures the firm’s
a. total profit
b. profit per unit of output
c. marginal profit
d. total revenue
e. average variable cost
Answer: D 7. Suppose you were working for Richstone’s bakery and calculating whether the bakery
Diff: 3 was making a profit, considering the recent increase in rent. You have data for price (P),
MR, ATC, MC, AVC, at the quantity of 1,000 breads a day. The firm’s total profit is
calculated by
a. P – AVC
b. P – ATC
c. P – MC
d. (P – ATC)Q
e. TR – TVC
Answer: E 8. Suppose you were working for Richstone’s bakery and calculating whether the bakery
Diff: 2 was making a profit, considering the recent increase in rent. You have the following data:
P = $20, AVC = $10, AFC = $12, and quantity of birthday cakes produced a day is 20.
You conclude that the bakery ends up at the end of the day with a
a. loss of $10
b. profit of $10
c. loss of $20
d. profit of $40
e. loss of $40
Answer: D 9. Suppose you were working for Richstone’s bakery and calculating whether the bakery
Diff: 2 was making a profit, considering the recent increase in rent. You have the following data:
P = $20, AVC = $10, AFC = $10, and quantity of birthday cakes produced a day is 20.
You conclude that the bakery ends up at the end of the day with a
a. loss of $10
b. profit of $10
c. loss of $20
d. no loss, no profit
e. loss of $40
Answer: D 10. Suppose you were working for Richstone’s bakery and calculating whether the bakery
Diff: 2 was making a profit, considering the recent increase in rent. You have the following data:
P = $20, AVC = $10, AFC = $8 and quantity of birthday cakes produced a day is 20.
a. loss of $10
b. profit of $10
c. profit of $20
d. profit of $40
e. loss of $40
Answer: D 11. It is clear from the text that most economists assume the primary goal of all firms is to
Diff: 1 a. maximize sales
b. minimize cost
c. maximize efficiency
d. maximize profit
e. minimize loss
Answer: C 12. At the end of the day, Gracia’s Pizza looks into the cash register to count up the day’s
Diff: 3 total revenue. Another way of calculating its total revenue would be to find
a. price × average revenue
b. price × marginal revenue
c. price × quantity
d. marginal revenue × average revenue
e. marginal revenue × marginal cost
Exhibit I-1
$20 10
19 11
18 12
17 13
16 14
Answer: D 15. In Exhibit I-1, if the firm charges $18, total revenue will equal
Diff: 1 a. $12
b. $18
c. $108
d. $216
e. $324
Answer: A 16. In Exhibit I-1, the marginal revenue of the twelfth unit equals
Diff: 3 a. $7
b. $18
c. $216
d. $1
e. $19
Answer: C 17. J. J. Joubert, of the Joubert Dairy, tells his friend Jacques that the average revenue he gets
Diff: 3 for a liter of milk is $1. We know then that $1 is the dairy’s
a. marginal profit
b. marginal cost
c. price
d. total revenue
e. total profit
Answer: B 18. Technically speaking, average revenue is
Diff: 2 a. price × marginal revenue
b. total revenue/quantity
c. total revenue/total cost
d. marginal revenue/marginal cost
e. price × marginal cost
Answer: C 19. If you know what marginal cost is, then you should know what marginal revenue is. It’s
Diff: 2 the change in
a. total profit generated by a change in quantity
b. price generated by a change in quantity
c. total revenue generated by a change in quantity
d. output generated by a $1 change in price
e. average revenue generated by a change in quantity
Answer: D 20. Peter Schran plays no favorites. It’s one price for all customers. Under this circumstance,
Diff: 4 we know that
a. MR = MC
b. P = MC
c. TR = TC
d. P = AR
e. P = TR
Answer: A 21. If price is unchanging across the firm’s entire production range, then for the firm selling
Diff: 4 bagels at $0.40 each,
a. P = MR = AR
b. MR = MC = AC
c. TR = TC = 0
d. TR – TC = 0
e. AC = MC = TC
Exhibit I-2
Answer: D 22. In Exhibit I-2, the firm is currently producing 14 units. What would you advise this firm
Diff: 4 to do?
a. decrease quantity to 13
b. increase quantity to 15
c. remain at 14 units
d. increase quantity to 16
e. increase quantity to 17
Answer: C 23. In Exhibit I-2, this firm is currently producing 16 units. What would you advise this firm
Diff: 3 to do?
a. decrease quantity to 13
b. increase quantity to 15
c. remain at 16 units
d. decrease quantity to 14
e. increase quantity to 17
Answer: D 24. In Exhibit I-2, at what quantity does the firm maximize profit?
Diff: 3 a. 13 units
b. 14 units
c. 15 units
d. 16 units
e. 17 units
Answer: E 25. Suppose, in Exhibit I-2, that the firm is maximizing profit. How much profit is it
Diff: 5 earning?
a. zero
b. $1
c. $16
d. –$16
e. insufficient data to determine profit
Exhibit I-3
$
MC
MR
40 45 50 Quantity
Answer: B 26. In Exhibit I-3, the firm is currently producing 40 units. What would you advise the firm
Diff: 3 to do?
a. shut down
b. increase quantity
c. stay at 40 units
d. decrease quantity
e. decrease price
Answer: D 27. In Exhibit I-3, the firm is producing 50 units. What would you advise this firm to do?
Diff: 3 a. shut down
b. increase quantity
c. stay at 50 units
d. decrease quantity
e. decrease price
Answer: B 28. In Exhibit I-3, a firm is currently producing 45 units. What would you advise this firm to
Diff: 3 do?
a. shut down
b. increase quantity
c. stay at 45 units
d. decrease quantity
e. decrease price
Answer: D 29. Raiman’s Shoe Repair also produces custom-made shoes. When Mr. Raiman produces 12
Diff: 3 pair a week, the MC of the twelfth pair is $84, and the MR of that unit is $70. What
would you advise Mr. Raiman to do?
a. shut down
b. produce more custom-made shoes
c. stay at 12 pairs a week
d. produce fewer custom-made shoes
e. decrease price
Answer: B 30. Raiman’s Shoe Repair also produces custom-made shoes. When Mr. Raiman produces 12
Diff: 3 pair a week, the MC of the twelfth pair is $64, and the MR of that unit is $70. What
would you advise Mr. Raiman to do?
a. shut down
b. produce more custom-made shoes
c. stay at 12 pairs a week
d. produce fewer custom-made shoes
e. decrease price
Answer: D 31. Whatever else you learned about profit-maximization, you should have learned this:
Diff: 2 Maximum profit is obtained at the production level where
a. P = AC
b. TR = TC
c. MR = AR
d. MR = MC
e. TR = MR
Answer: B 32. It’s logical, it’s a rule of thumb, it’s an economic guideline: As long as MR > MC,
Diff: 4 and the firm responds by increasing the quantity it produces,
a. profit will eventually fall to zero
b. profit will increase
c. profit will decrease
d. profit will remain unchanged
e. the firm will minimize loss
Answer: C 33. It’s logical, it’s a rule of thumb, it’s an economic guideline: As long as MR > MC,
Diff: 4 and the firm responds by decreasing the quantity it produces,
a. profit will increase to infinity
b. profit will increase
c. profit will decrease
d. profit will remain unchanged
e. loss will be minimized
Answer: C 34. It’s logical, it’s a rule of thumb, it’s an economic guideline: As long as MR < MC,
Diff: 4 and the firm responds by increasing the quantity it produces,
a. profit will equal zero
b. profit will increase
c. profit will decrease
d. profit will remain unchanged
e. the firm will minimize loss
Answer: B 35. It’s logical, it’s a rule of thumb, it’s an economic guideline: As long as MR < MC,
Diff: 4 and the firm responds by decreasing the quantity it produces,
a. profit will equal zero
b. profit will increase
c. profit will decrease
d. profit will remain unchanged
e. the firm will minimize loss
Answer: D 36. It’s logical, it’s a rule of thumb, it’s an economic guideline: By producing at a quantity
Diff: 3 where MR = MC,
a. profit is guaranteed
b. profit becomes zero
c. the firm incurs a loss
d. profit is maximized (or loss minimized)
e. the firm should increase quantity
Answer: A 37. Technically speaking, maximizing profit means finding the maximum difference between
Diff: 5 a. TR and TC
b. MR and MC
c. price and ATC
d. price and AR
e. ATC and MC
Answer: E 38. If Claeys, a candy-making firm that specializes in old-fashioned hard candies, chooses
Diff: 4 not to produce at a production level where its MR = MC, then it
a. is making as much profit as possible
b. will incur losses
c. cannot be earning a profit
d. should really shut down before it loses everything
e. is not earning maximum profit
Answer: D 39. If SnuggleTight, a pillow-making firm in Long Island, NY, incurs losses by producing
Diff: 5 where its MR = MC, then at least in the short run, it should
a. shut down
b. increase output
c. decrease output
d. remain at that output level only if P > AVC
e. remain at that output level only if P > ATC
Answer: D 40. There may be a different criterion used for the long run, but for the short run, a firm
Diff: 4 should shut down production if price is less than
a. ATC
b. AR
c. MC
d. AVC
e. AFC
Answer: C 41. Considering production decisions for only the short run, a firm producing where
Diff: 5 MC = MR should stop producing if
a. its losses are less than TFC
b. its losses equal TFC
c. its losses are greater than TFC
d. TR is less than TC
e. TR exceeds TVC
Answer: D 42. You’re called in as a consultant: Price is $24. At a production level of 200 units,
Diff: 3 MC = MR, AFC = $6, and AVC = $16. What do you advise this firm to do?
a. Increase output.
b. Decrease output.
c. Shut down operations.
d. Stay at 200 units; the firm is earning $400 profit.
e. Stay at 200 units; the firm is minimizing losses of $200.
Answer: C 43. You’re called in as a consultant: Price is $24. At a production level of 200 units,
Diff: 4 MC = MR, AFC = $6, and AVC = $25. What do you advise this firm to do?
a. Increase output.
b. Decrease output.
c. Shut down operations.
d. Stay at the current output; the firm is earning a profit of $1,400.
e. Stay at the current output; the firm is losing $1,400.
Exhibit I-4
$
ATC MC
4.00 MR
3.50
20 Quantity
Answer: A 44. In Exhibit I-4, if this firm is currently producing 20 units of output, this firm
Diff: 4 a. is at its profit-maximizing point
b. could increase profits by increasing output
c. could increase profits by decreasing output
d. should shut down
e. should decrease price
Answer: A 45. In Exhibit I-4, if this firm is currently producing 20 units of output, this firm
Diff: 3 a. is earning a profit of $10
b. is earning a profit of $.50
c. is losing $10
d. should shut down
e. is losing $.50
Answer: A 46. In Exhibit I-5 (on the following page), if this firm is currently producing 20 units of
Diff: 4 output, this firm
a. is at its profit-maximizing point
b. could increase profits by increasing output
c. could increase profits by decreasing output
d. should shut down
e. should decrease price
Answer: C 47. In Exhibit I-5, if this firm is currently producing 20 units of output, this firm
Diff: 3 a. is at its profit-maximizing point
b. is losing $20
c. is earning a total profit of $60
d. should shut down
e. is earning a total profit of $3
Exhibit I-5
$
MC ATC
25 MR
22
20 Quantity
Answer: B 48. In Exhibit I-5, if this firm is currently producing 20 units of output, this firm
Diff: 4 a. is at its profit-maximizing point
b. is earning a $3 profit on each item sold
c. is losing $3 on each item sold
d. should shut down
e. is earning a total profit of $3
Exhibit I-6
$
ATC
MC
AVC
35 MR
Quantity
Answer: D 49. In Exhibit I-6 (on the previous page), the price is fixed at $35. The firm is producing
Diff: 3 where MR = MC. What do you advise this firm to do in the short run?
a. Shut down.
b. Increase output.
c. Decrease output.
d. Stay at its current output.
e. Decrease price.
Answer: E 50. In Exhibit I-6, the price is fixed at $35. This firm is currently operating where MR = MC.
Diff: 4 Which of the following is true in the short run?
a. Price < AVC and this firm should shut down.
b. This firm is earning a profit of zero.
c. This firm could increase profits by increasing output.
d. Price > ATC and the firm is earning a positive profit.
e. Price > AVC, and the firm should stay at its current output.
Exhibit I-7
$
ATC
MC
AVC
14 MR
Quantity
Answer: D 51. In Exhibit I-7, the price is fixed at $14. This firm is currently operating where MR = MC.
Diff: 3 What do you advise this firm to do?
a. It should shut down.
b. It could increase profit by increasing output.
c. It could increase profit by decreasing output.
d. It should continue to operate at its current output.
e. It should decrease price.
Answer: A 52. It may be advisable for a firm to stay in business, even if it’s losing money,
Diff: 1 a. but only in the short run
b. but only if its profit covers the loss
c. but only in the long run
d. because “things may change”
e. when the owner has lots of money
Answer: C 60. Economists believe that entrepreneurs, whether they can articulate their behavior or not,
Diff: 3 always think about ________, which explains their MC = MR profit-maximizing activity.
a. minimizing ATC
b. maximizing revenue
c. the consequences of producing the next unit
d. maximizing output
e. doing better than breaking even
Answer: A 61. If the price doesn’t change, no matter how much output is produced, the total revenue
Diff: 4 curve is a(n)
a. upward-sloping straight line
b. downward-sloping straight line
c. horizontal straight line
d. U-shaped curve
e. hill-shaped curve
Answer: C 62. When the price of a good is constant, marginal revenue is the same as
Diff: 3 a. total revenue
b. average total cost
c. price
d. quantity of output
e. profit per unit
Answer: A 63. Average revenue is another way of describing
Diff: 2 a. price
b. output
c. total revenue
d. profit
e. marginal cost
Answer: C 64. When price is constant, the average revenue curve is a(n)
Diff: 4 a. upward-sloping straight line
b. downward-sloping straight line
c. horizontal line
d. vertical line
e. point on the total revenue curve
Answer: E 65. If the price of parsley is $1, and the price remains unchanged no matter how much
Diff: 5 parsley is produced, then the AR curve
a. is an upward-sloping straight line
b. is a downward-sloping straight line
c. lies above the MR curve
d. lies below the MR curve
e. is a horizontal line
Answer: E 66. When the price curve is a horizontal line, it always coincides with all of the following
Diff: 4 except
a. MR
b. TR/Q
c. AR
d. change in total revenue divided by change in output
e. TC
Answer: D 67. A portrait photographer produces packages of 100 photos. If sales increase from 600 to
Diff: 3 700 packages, total revenue increases from $1,200 to $1,400. The marginal revenue per
photo of the 700th package is
a. $200
b. $100
c. $20
d. $2
e. $1
Answer: B 68. Which two curves tell you whether or not you’ve achieved maximum profit?
Diff: 3 a. P and MR
b. MR and MC
c. MC and TC
d. P and AVC
e. AVC and ATC
Exhibit I-8
Q P AVC ATC MC
0 $12 — — —
1 12 3 5 5
2 12 5 6 7
3 12 7.3 8 12
4 12 9.5 10 16
Answer: C 69. In Exhibit I-8, when the firm produces a quantity of 2, its total revenue is
Diff: 1 a. $2
b. $12
c. $24
d. $10
e. $14
Answer: B 70. If you create an MR column for Exhibit I-8, it will be the same as which column?
Diff: 4 a. Q
b. P
c. AVC
d. ATC
e. MC
Answer: D 71. In Exhibit I-8, what quantity would you produce to maximize profit?
Diff: 4 a. 0
b. 1
c. 2
d. 3
e. 4
Answer: D 72. In Exhibit I-8, the maximum profit is
Diff: 4 a. $36
b. $24
c. $20
d. $12
e. $8
Answer: C 73. Suppose you’re producing designer clothes for Barbie dolls. You’re producing 100 units
Diff: 3 and discover that the MR for the 100th unit is $50 while the MC of the 100th unit is $45.
If you’re in the short run, it’s a signal for you to
a. shut down
b. stay where you are because you’re making profit on that unit
c. increase production beyond 100 units
d. produce less than 100 units
e. it’s no signal because price data is unknown
Answer: E 74. If ABC Printing produces 100 calendars, and the MR of the 100th is $5 and the MC is $3,
Diff: 4 then the firm is
a. maximizing profit
b. producing too many calendars
c. making a $200 profit
d. making a $200 loss
e. producing too few calendars
Answer: A 75. The fundamental rule of profit maximization is for the firm to produce where
Diff: 3 a. MR = MC
b. ATC is minimized
c. quantity of output is maximized
d. it is most efficient
e. total revenue is maximized
Answer: B 76. The MR = MC approach to profit maximization means that a firm should produce until
Diff: 4 a. marginal revenue equals zero
b. additional profit equals zero
c. marginal cost becomes negative
d. marginal revenue equals price
e. price equals average total cost
Answer: D 77. According to the text, Israelis living on a kibbutz in Israel
Diff: 3 a. leave the economic decisions to the economists on the kibbutz
b. are adverse to profit-maximizing behavior
c. shifted from manufacturing to farming in the 1960s
d. behave according to the MR = MC rule
e. act communally so do not let prices affect their decisions
Answer: C 78. According to the text, on a kibbutz in Israel
Diff: 3 a. farmers produce oranges no matter what the price
b. members are not profit maximizers
c. there is no link between an individual’s effort and reward
d. universal equality is seen as unrealistic
e. high-tech manufacturing is not feasible
Answer: C 79. A sandwich shop owner has the following information: P = MR = $4, ATC = $2,
Diff: 4 AVC = $1, MC = 4, and Q = 500. From this, she can determine
a. her profits are not being maximized
b. she has earned zero economic profits
c. she has earned economic profits of $1,000
d. she has earned economic profits of $1,500
e. she should sell fewer sandwiches
Answer: B 80. Jerome, the florist, sold 500 bridesmaid’s bouquets in June. He estimates his costs that
Diff: 4 month were ATC = $10, AVC = $6, and MC = $9. If he sold each bouquet at the constant
market price of $9, Jerome
a. made an economic profit of $500
b. made a loss of $500
c. made an economic profit of $1,500
d. made a loss of $1,500
e. should have shut down in June
Answer: B 81. Consider a firm with the following cost information: ATC = $15, AVC = $12, and
Diff: 4 MC = $14. If we know that this firm has decided to produce Q = 20 by following the rule
to maximize profits or minimize losses, then the price of the output is
a. $12
b. $14
c. $15
d. $20
e. indeterminate from the information given
Answer: D 82. Consider a firm with the following cost and revenue information: ATC = $8, AVC = $7,
Diff: 4 and MR = MC = $6. If the firm produces Q = 60 in the short run, it
a. is minimizing losses
b. makes a total loss of $60
c. should produce more output
d. is making a mistake and should shut down
e. is maximizing total profit
Answer: C 83. Consider a firm with the following cost and revenue information: ATC = $20,
Diff: 3 AVC = $10, and P = MR = $30. If the firm follows the rule to maximize profits, its
output level is 3. Therefore MC equals
a. $20
b. $10
c. $30
d. $90
e. $3
Answer: A 84. The entrepreneur will typically have the most difficulty controlling
Diff: 2 a. price
b. average total cost
c. average variable cost
d. marginal cost
e. total cost
Answer: C 85. If the price of a product falls below average total cost in the short run, the firm
Diff: 4 a. has an economic profit
b. cannot cover total fixed costs
c. experiences a loss
d. must always shut down
e. should expand output until MR = MC
Answer: E 86. In Exhibit I-9 (on the following page), the profit-maximizing output level at the price of
Diff: 3 $8 is
a. 0
b. 4
c. 7
d. 8
e. 10
Cost,
Exhibit I-9
Revenues MC
($)
8 P = MR = 8
ATC
7
5 P = MR = 5
4 AVC
2 P = MR = 2
0 4 7 8 10 Quantity
Answer: B 92. Suppose the price of a product is less than its average variable cost. When the firm’s
Diff: 3 fixed obligations are completely ended, it will now most likely
a. make an economic profit
b. go out of business
c. expand to a bigger operation
d. continue to be shut down
e. break even
Answer: A 93. If price equals average total cost, then total revenue
Diff: 3 a. equals total cost
b. equals total fixed cost
c. equals total variable cost
d. is greater than total cost
e. equals marginal revenue
Answer: E 94. If price is greater than average variable cost, then the firm
Diff: 4 a. should cease production
b. earns economic profits
c. just breaks even
d. makes an economic loss
e. may make either an economic profit or loss
Answer: A 95. When a business finds its obligations are ended,
Diff: 3 a. all costs are variable costs
b. this is the short run
c. the market price of the output rises
d. the marginal cost curve shifts up
e. it may have to continue operations to minimize losses
Answer: B 96. A doorknob manufacturer sells 400 doorknobs at a price of $10 each. It has total costs of
Diff: 4 $4,500, of which $700 are fixed costs. This means the firm
a. has an economic profit of $500
b. should produce in the short run at a loss
c. should shut down in the short run
d. has total variable costs of $500
e. has price less than average variable cost
Answer: E 97. A custom paper company finds that when the price of paper is $5, its total revenues are
Diff: 5 $60,000. Its total costs are $70,000, of which $57,000 are variable costs. From this we
can infer
a. the firm sells 14,000 units of paper
b. economic profit is $10,000
c. the firm should shut down in the short run
d. total fixed costs are $3,000
e. price is greater than average variable cost
Answer: C 98. The neighborhood ice cream shop finds that when it charges $3 per ice cream cone, its
Diff: 2 total revenues are $90,000. It has total variable costs of $30,000 and total fixed costs of
$40,000. From this we can infer the
a. shop should be moved because the rent is too high
b. price is less than average total cost
c. economic profits are $20,000
d. shop will be closed in the long run
e. shop sells 10,000 ice cream cones
Answer: A 99. If a firm is operating at a loss in the short run and finds that its price is greater than
Diff: 5 average variable cost, then in the short run
a. it should produce where MR = MC
b. it should produce zero output
c. it should go out of business
d. total revenue is less than total variable costs
e. total revenue is greater than total costs
Answer: D 100. Who conducted the study in the 1940s that surveyed entrepreneurs to determine whether
Diff: 3 they used marginal analysis in choosing their production levels?
a. Milton Friedman
b. Fritz Machlup
c. Michael Kalecki
d. Richard Lester
e. R. L. Hall
Answer: B 101. The Lester-Machlup controversy applies to whether or not firms
Diff: 4 a. choose the correct plant size
b. use marginal analysis to choose output levels
c. correctly calculate their economic profits and losses
d. engage in wasteful advertising campaigns
e. pollute the environment
Answer: C 102. The controversy about whether entrepreneurs should be judged according to what they do
Diff: 3 or say originated between
a. Friedman and Hopkins
b. Berle and Means
c. Lester and Machlup
d. Baumol and Galbraith
e. Smith and Thurow
Answer: C 103. Who believes that marginal analysis provides the best model of a firm’s behavior?
Diff: 3 a. William Baumol
b. John K. Galbraith
c. Milton Friedman
d. Richard Lester
e. Lester Thurow
Answer: B 104. The author of the New Industrial State, who believes that managerial bureaucracy
Diff: 2 controls corporate goals and behavior, is
a. William Baumol
b. John K. Galbraith
c. Milton Friedman
d. Richard Lester
e. Lester Thurow
Answer: D 105. John K. Galbraith and Lester Thurow both believe that the modern corporation
Diff: 2 a. follows the MR = MC rule
b. tries to minimize costs
c. hires too few managers
d. is run by managers for managers
e. serves the interests of stockholders
The despatch, dated June 18, was sent by the secretary on the
morning of that day in anticipation of the vote taken in Congress a
few hours later.[234] Hull had every reason to understand its
meaning, for he expected to lead his army against the enemy. “In the
event of hostilities,” he had written June 24,[235] “I feel a confidence
that the force under my command will be superior to any which can
be opposed to it. It now exceeds two thousand rank and file.” On
receiving the secretary’s pressing orders Hull left his heavy camp-
equipage behind, and hurried his troops to the Miami, or Maumee,
River thirty-five miles away. There he arrived June 30, and there, to
save transportation, loading a schooner with his personal baggage,
his hospital stores, entrenching tools, and even a trunk containing
his instructions and the muster-rolls of his army, he despatched it,
July 1, up the Lake toward Detroit. He took for granted that he
should receive from his own government the first notice of war; yet
he knew that the steamboat from New York to Albany and the road
from Albany to Buffalo, which carried news to the British forces at
Malden, was also the regular mode of conveyance for Detroit; and
he had every reason to suspect that as his distance in time from
Washington was greater, he might learn of war first from actual
hostilities. Hull considered “there was no hazard” in sending his most
valuable papers past Malden;[236] but within four-and-twenty hours
he received a despatch from Secretary Eustis announcing the
declaration of war, and the same day his schooner was seized by the
British in passing Malden to Detroit.
This first disaster told the story of the campaign. The declaration
made at Washington June 18 was published by General Bloomfield
at New York June 20, and reached Montreal by express June 24; the
same day it reached the British Fort George on the Niagara River
and was sent forward to Malden, where it arrived June 30. The
despatch to Hull reached Buffalo two days later than the British
express, for it went by ordinary mail; from Cleveland it was
forwarded by express, June 28, by way of Sandusky, to Hull, whom it
reached at last, July 2, at Frenchtown on the river Raisin, forty miles
below Detroit.
The slowness of transportation was made conspicuous by
another incident. John Jacob Astor, being engaged in extensive
trade with the Northwestern Indians, for political reasons had been
encouraged by government. Anxious to save the large amount of
property exposed to capture, he not only obtained the earliest
intelligence of war, and warned his agents by expresses, but he also
asked and received from the Treasury orders[237] addressed to the
Collectors on the Lakes, directing them to accept and hold such
goods as might be brought from Astor’s trading-posts. The business
of the Treasury as well as that of Astor was better conducted than
that of the War Department. Gallatin’s letters reached Detroit before
Eustis’s despatch reached Hull; and this incident gave rise to a
charge of misconduct and even of treason against Gallatin himself.
[238]
Hull reached Detroit July 5. At that time the town contained about
eight hundred inhabitants within gunshot of the British shore. The fort
was a square enclosure of about two acres, surrounded by an
embankment, a dry ditch, and a double row of pickets. Although
capable of standing a siege, it did not command the river; its
supplies were insufficient for many weeks; it was two hundred miles
distant from support, and its only road of communication ran for sixty
miles along the edge of Lake Erie, where a British fleet on one side
and a horde of savages on the other could always make it
impassable. The widely scattered people of the territory, numbering
four or five thousand, promised to become a serious burden in case
of siege or investment. Hull knew in advance that in a military sense
Detroit was a trap.
July 9, four days after his arrival, Hull received orders from
Washington authorizing him to invade Canada:—
“Should the force under your command be equal to the enterprise,
consistent with the safety of your own post, you will take possession
of Malden, and extend your conquests as circumstances may justify.”
With this official letter Eustis sent a private letter[248] of the same
date, explaining the reason for his order:—
“If ... we divide, distribute, and render inefficient the force
authorized by law, we play the game of the enemy within and without.
District among the field-officers the seaboard!... Go to Albany or the
Lake! The troops shall come to you as fast as the season will admit,
and the blow must be struck. Congress must not meet without a
victory to announce to them.”