Production possibility frontier and opportunity cost.
Atlantis is a small, isolated island in the South Atlantic. The inhabitants grow potatoes and catch fresh fish. The accompanying table shows the maximum annual output combinations of potatoes and fish that can be produced. Obviously, given their limited resources and available technology, as they use more of their resources for potato production, there are fewer resources available for catching fish.
Maximum annual Output options
|
Quantity of potatoes (pounds)
|
Quantity of fish (pounds)
|
A
|
1000
|
0
|
B
|
800
|
300
|
C
|
600
|
500
|
D
|
400
|
600
|
E
|
200
|
650
|
F
|
0
|
675
|
a) Draw a production possibility frontier with potatoes on the horizontal axis and fish on the vertical axis illustrating these options, showing points A-F.
b) Can Atlantis produce 500 pounds of fish and 800 pounds of potatoes? describe. Where would this point lie relative to the production possibility frontier?
c) Illustrate what is the opportunity cost of increasing the yearly output of potatoes from 600 to 800 pounds?
d) What is the opportunity cost of increasing the annual output of potatoes from 200 to 400 pounds?
e) Can you describe why the answers to parts c and d are not the same? What does this imply about the slope of the production possibility frontier?