Part-1

What is the difference between average total cost and average variable cost?

Part-2

Michelle Slatalla (New York Times, February 3, 2005) stated, "The conven- tional wisdom a few years back was that the Internet would erase price differ- ences among retailers by giving customers instant access to the best deals. Mer- chants who charged more would be driven out of business." She further quoted Professor Michael Baye, who noted, "The prediction was price-comparison sites would create perfectly competitive environments in which all firms would have to charge the same price." These forecasts for the Internet creating "perfectly competitive" markets were based on the competitive model we have presented in this chapter. Do you think the Internet has helped create more competitivemarkets or less? Why

Assume a competitive industry is in long-run equilibrium and firms in the indus- try are earning normal profits. Now assume that production technology improves such that average total costs decline by $5 a unit. Describe the process this industry will go through as it moves to a new long-run equilibrium.