Explain the concepts of the short run and the long run.
Short Run: In short run, a firm cannot change all the inputs, which means that the output can be increased (decreased) only by employing more (less) of the variable factor (labour). It is generally assumed that in short run a firm does not have sufficient or enough time to vary its fixed factors such as, installing a new machine, etc. Hence, the output levels vary only because of varying employment levels of the variable factor. Algebraically, the short run production function is expressed as
Qx= f (L,K)
Where,
Qx = units of output x produced
L = labour input
K = constant units of capital
Long Run: In long run, a firm can change all its inputs, which means that the output can be increased (decreased) by employing more (less) of both the inputs − variable and fixed factors. In the long run, all inputs (including capital) are variable and can be changed according to the required levels of output. The law that explains this long run concept is called return to scale. The long run production function is expressed as
Qx= f (L,K)
Both L and K are variable and can be varied.
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 are the average fixed cost, average variable cost and average cost of a firm? How are they related?
What is the law of diminishing marginal product?
What do the long-run marginal cost and the average cost curves look like?
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?
Consider the demand for a good. At price Rs 4, the demand for the good is 25 units. Suppose the price of the good increases to Rs 5, and as a result, the demand for the good falls to 20 units. Calculate the price elasticity.
A monopoly firm has a total fixed cost of Rs 100 and has the following demand schedule:
Quantity |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
Marginal Revenue |
100 |
90 |
80 |
70 |
60 |
50 |
40 |
30 |
20 |
10 |
Find the short run equilibrium quantity, price and total profit. What would be the equilibrium in the long run? In case the total cost is Rs.1000, describe the equilibrium in the short run and in the long run.
When do we say that there is an excess supply for a commodity in the market?
A consumer wants to consume two goods. The prices of the two goods are Rs 4
and Rs 5 respectively. The consumer’s income is Rs 20.
(i) Write down the equation of the budget line.
(ii) How much of good 1 can the consumer consume if she spends her entire
income on that good?
(iii) How much of good 2 can she consume if she spends her entire income on
that good?
(iv) What is the slope of the budget line?
Questions 5, 6 and 7 are related to question 4.
List the three different ways in which oligopoly firms may have.
What do you mean by complements? Give examples of two goods which are complements of each other.
Suppose there are two consumers in the market for a good and their demand functions are as follows:
d1(p) = 20 – p for any price less than or equal to 20, and d1(p) = 0 at any price greater than 20.
d2(p) = 30 – 2p for any price less than or equal to 15 and d1(p) = 0 at any price greater than 15.
Find out the market demand function.
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.
Explain through a diagram the effect of a rightward shift of both the demand and supply curves on equilibrium price and quantity.
How does the imposition of a unit tax affect the supply curve of a firm?