Assume the following cost data are for a purely competitive producer:
|
Total
Product
|
Average
fixed
cost
|
Average
variable
cost
|
Average
total
cost
|
Marginal
cost
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
$45
|
|
1
|
$60.00
|
$45.00
|
$105.00
|
40
|
|
2
|
30.00
|
42.50
|
72.50
|
35
|
|
3
|
20.00
|
40.00
|
60.00
|
30
|
|
4
|
15.00
|
37.50
|
52.50
|
35
|
|
5
|
12.00
|
37.00
|
49.00
|
40
|
|
6
|
10.00
|
37.50
|
47.50
|
45
|
|
7
|
8.57
|
38.57
|
47.14
|
55
|
|
8
|
7.50
|
40.63
|
48.13
|
65
|
|
9
|
6.67
|
43.33
|
50.00
|
75
|
|
10
|
6.00
|
46.50
|
52.50
|
|
a. At a product price of $56, will this firm produce in the short run? If it is preferable to produce, what will be the profit-maximizing or loss-minimizing output? What economic profit or loss will the firm realize per unit of output?
b. Answer the questions of 4a assuming product price is $41.
c. Answer the questions of 4a assuming product price is $32.
d. In the table below, complete the short-run supply schedule for the firm (columns 1 and 2) and indicate the profit or loss incurred at each output (column 3).
|
(1)
Price
|
(2)
Quantity
supplied,
single firm
|
(3)
Profit (+)
or loss (l)
|
(4)
Quantity
supplied,
1500 firms
|
|
$26
|
|
$
|
|
|
32
|
|
|
|
|
38
|
|
|
|
|
41
|
|
|
|
|
46
|
|
|
|
|
56
|
|
|
|
|
66
|
|
|
|
e. Now assume there are 1500 identical firms in this competitive industry; that is, there are 1500 firms, each of which has the same cost data shown in the table. Complete the industry supply schedule.
f. Suppose the market demand data for the product are as follows:
|
Price
|
Total
quantity
demanded
|
|
$26
|
17,000
|
|
38
|
15,000
|
|
38
|
13,500
|
|
41
|
12,000
|
|
46
|
10,500
|
|
56
|
9,500
|
|
66
|
8,000
|
What will be the equilibrium price? What will be the equilibrium output for the industry? For each firm? What will profit or loss be per unit? Per firm? Will this industry expand or contract in the long run?