Why is the short-run marginal cost curve 'U'-shaped?
The long run marginal cost (LMC) and long run average cost (LAC) are U shaped curves. The reason behind them being U-shaped is due to the law of returns to scale. It is argued that a firm generallyn experiences IRS during the initial period of production followed by CRS, and lastly by DRS. Consequently, both LAC and LMC are U-shaped curves. Due to IRS, as the output increases, LAC falls due to economies of scale. Then falling LAC experiences CRS at Q1 level of output which is also called the optimum capacity. Beyond Q1 level of output, the firm
experiences diseconomies of scale and if the firm continues to produce
beyond Q1 level, the cost of production will rise.
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?
What does the average fixed cost curve look like? Why does it look so?
What are the average fixed cost, average variable cost and average cost of a firm? How are they related?
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.
List the three different ways in which oligopoly firms may have.
Explain through a diagram the effect of a rightward shift of both the demand and supply curves on equilibrium price and quantity.
Explain why the budget line is downward sloping.
Suppose a consumer’s preferences are monotonic. What can you say about her preference ranking over the bundles (10, 10), (10, 9) and (9, 9)?
How is the optimal amount of labor determined in a perfectly competitive 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.
Considering the same demand curve as in exercise 22, now let us understand for free entry and exit of the firms producing commodity X. Also assume the market consists of identical firms producing commodity X. Let the supply curve of a single firm be explained?
q*= 8+3p for p ≥ 20
= 0 for 0 ≤ p ≤ Rs 20
(a) What is the significance of p =20?
(b) At what price will the market for X be in equilibrium? State the reason for your answer.
(c) Calculate the equilibrium quantity and number of firms.
What is budget line?
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?