Final Exam Flashcards

1
Q

profit

A

= total revenue - total cost

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2
Q

total revenue (TR)

A

-the amount of money a firm receives

= total quantity x price

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3
Q

total cost (TC)

A

the value of inputs to production

= fixed cost + variable cost

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4
Q

implicit cost

A
  • opportunity cost

- input costs that do not require an outlay of money by the firm

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5
Q

explicit cost

A

input costs that require an outlay of money by the firm

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6
Q

production function

A

the relationship between inputs (workers, equipment) used to make something and the quantity made
-tends to have an upward curve shape (both axises are quantities)

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7
Q

marginal product

A

the increase in output from one additional until of input

-marginal product of labor: the increase in output from one additional worker
= change in output (△Q)/change in labor
-> the slope of the production function is the marginal product of labor

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8
Q

diminishing marginal product

A

when the marginal product to declines as the number of inputs rises

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9
Q

fixed total cost

A

costs that do NOT vary with the quantity produced

-ex.) rent, contracts

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10
Q

variable fixed cost

A

costs that do vary with the quantity produced

-ex.) ingredients, hourly employees, electric bill

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11
Q

long run

A
  • more than a year
  • all costs are variable
  • there is only the ATC
  • choice between exiting and staying –> moves the profit towards zero
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12
Q

short run

A
  • one year or less
  • both fixed and variable costs
  • profit in the short run: entry
  • losses in the short run: exit
  • can’t exit
  • ATC is always above AVC
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13
Q

average total cost (ATC)

A

= average fixed cost (AFC) + average variable cost (AVC)

  • graph is U-SHAPED
  • each value is divided by the quantity produced
  • average fixed cost graph DECLINES
  • average variable cost graph INCREASES
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14
Q

marginal cost (MC)

A

the cost of producing 1 more quantity
= △TC/Q
-the graph INCREASES
-marginal cost and marginal product move in OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS
-for an individual firm, the supply curve is the MC curve

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15
Q

economies to scale

A

long-run average total costs FALLS as the quantity increases

-the downward piece of the average total cost curve

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16
Q

diseconomies of scale

A

long-run average total cost RISES as the quantity increases

-the upward piece of the average total cost curve

17
Q

constant returns to scale

A

long-run average total costs stays the SAME as quantity increases
-the middle piece of the average total cost curve

18
Q

competitive markets

A
  • many buyers and sellers
  • products are identical
  • firms are price takers - demand for an individual firm is perfectly elastic
  • > price taker: don’t decide what price to sell their product at
19
Q

average revenue (AR)

A

= TR/Q = (P x Q)/Q = P

20
Q

marginal revenue (MR)

A

revenue for each additional unit = P

= △TR / △ Q

21
Q

when demand is perfectly elastic (in a perfect competitive market)…

A

MR = P = AR = D

-this occurs when profit is maximized
MC = P or MC = MR

22
Q

in the short run, when might a firm choose NOT to produce at all?

A

when TR < TVC, which means that P < AVC

23
Q

in the short run, when might a firm choose to produce, but at a loss?

A

they will operate at negative profit if P > AVC, but P < ATC

24
Q

monopolies

A

entire market with only 1 seller - without any close substitutes

  • face a downward sloping demand curve
  • MR < P
  • MC > P
25
Q

3 reasons we have monopolies

A
  1. monopolies on resources (rare)
    - a key resource required for production is owned by a single firm
    - ex.) De Beers diamonds
  2. government created
    - government gives a single firm the exclusive right to produce some good or service
    - patents and copywriter
    - ex.) Disney
  3. natural monopolies: when a single from can supply a good at a smaller cost than multiple firms (production process)
    - ex.) PG&E
    - tend to have extremely high fixed cost and then tiny VC and MC
26
Q

oligopoly

A

a market with a few sellers with similar products

-ex.) cable, healthcare

27
Q

monopolistic competition

A

a market with many sellers, but similar (not identical) products, free entry and exit
-ex.) high-end fashion or food, coffee, universities

28
Q

advertising

A
  • more common in oligopolies and monopolistic competition than in monopolies or perfect competition
  • pros: more competition, more information
  • cons: lying, wasteful spending