Explain the concept of a production function
The production function of a firm depicts the relationship between the inputs used in the production process and the final output. It specifies how many units of different inputs are needed in order to produce the maximum possible output. Production function is written as:
Qx = f ( L,K )
Where, Qx represents units of output x produced.
L represents units of labour employed.
K represents units of capital employed.
The above equation explains that Qx units of output x are produced by employing L and K units of labour and capital respectively and by a given technology. As the given level of technology appreciates, the output will increase with the same level of capital and labour units.
What is the total product of input?
When does a production function satisfy decreasing returns to scale?
Why does the SMC curve cut the AVC curve at the minimum point of the AVC curve?
Explain the relationship between the marginal products and the total product of an input.
The following table gives the total product schedule of labour. Find the corresponding average product and marginal product schedules of labour.
What is the law of diminishing marginal product?
What do the long-run marginal cost and the average cost curves look like?
What are the average fixed cost, average variable cost and average cost of a firm? How are they related?
Why is the short-run marginal cost curve 'U'-shaped?
What does the average fixed cost curve look like? Why does it look so?
What would be the shape of the demand curve so that the total revenue curve is?
(a) A positively sloped straight line passing through the origin?
(b) A horizontal line?
Explain market equilibrium.
Discuss the central problems of an economy.
What are the characteristics of a perfectly competitive market?
What do you mean by the budget set of a consumer?
From the schedule provided below calculate the total revenue, demand curve and the price elasticity of demand:
Quantity |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
Marginal Revenue |
10 |
6 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
- |
When do we say that there is an excess demand for a commodity in the market?
What do you mean by the production possibilities of an economy?
How are the total revenue of a firm, market price, and the quantity sold by the firm related to each other?
What is budget line?
Suppose a consumer wants to consume two goods which are available only in
integer units. The two goods are equally priced at Rs 10 and the consumer’s
income is Rs 40.
(i) Write down all the bundles that are available to the consumer.
(ii) Among the bundles that are available to the consumer, identify those which cost her exactly Rs 40.
Can there be a positive level of output that a profit-maximising firm produces in a competitive market at which market price is not equal to marginal cost? Give an explanation.
What do you mean by the budget set of a consumer?
What do you mean by an ‘inferior good’? Give some examples
Will a profit-maximising firm in a competitive market produce a positive level of output in the long run if the market price is less than the minimum of AC? Give an explanation.
Consider a market with two firms. In the following table, columns labelled as SS1 and SS2 give the supply schedules of firm 1 and firm 2 respectively. Compute the market supply schedule.
Price (Rs.) | SS1 (kg) | SS2 (kg) |
---|---|---|
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 |
0 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 |
0 0 0 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 |
A firm earns a revenue of Rs 50 when the market price of a good is Rs 10. The market price increases to Rs 15 and the firm now earns a revenue of Rs 150. What is the price elasticity of the firm’s supply curve?
Suppose the demand and supply curves of salt are given by:
(a) Find the equilibrium price and quantity.
(b) Now, suppose that the price of an input that used to produce salt has increased so, that the new supply curve is qs = 400 + 3p
How does the equilibrium price and quantity change? Does the change conform to your expectation?
(a) Suppose the government has imposed at ax of Rs 3 per unit of sale on salt. How does it affect the equilibrium rice quantity?
When do we say that there is an excess supply for a commodity in the market?
The market price of a good changes from Rs 5 to Rs 20. As a result, the quantity supplied by a firm increases by 15 units. The price elasticity of the firm’s supply curve is 0.5. Find the initial and final output levels of the firm.