--%>

What is the opportunity cost of your decision

Suppose you arrive at a store expecting to pay $100 for an item, but learn that a store two miles away is charging $50 for it.  Would you drive there and buy it?  How does your decision benefit you?  What is the opportunity cost of your decision?  Now suppose you arrive at a store expecting to pay $6000 for an item, but learn that it costs $5950 at the other store.  Do you make the same decision as before? Perhaps surprisingly, you should!  Explain why.

E

Expert

Verified

Driving to the other store to save $50 does involve some cost in terms of time and inconvenience.  However, for most of us the time it takes to drive two miles would be worth $50.  For example, if it takes about ten minutes extra time and a negligible amount of gasoline (unless your time is worth $300 an hour, or $50 per each ten-minute period), it would benefit you to drive to the other store.  While in the second case, $50 may seem like less compared to the $6000 total price, for you the $50 is still a $50 savings, exactly the same as in the first case.  Therefore, you should apply the same reasoning.  Is the $50 benefit from driving the extra two miles worth the cost?  The conclusion should be the same in both cases.

   Related Questions in Business Economics

  • Q : Explain the term leverages Briefly

    Briefly explain the term leverages?

  • Q : Explain the term Price Earnings Ratio

    Briefly explain the term Price Earnings Ratio (or P/E Ratio)?

  • Q : Relation of increased productivity by

    Discussion of a pin factory by Adam Smith focused upon the increased productivity related along with: (w) free international trade as per absolute advantage. (x) specialization and the division of labor. (y) free international trade as per comparative advantage. (z) certainty abo

  • Q : Heterodox perspective of business

    I am facing difficulty in this question. Help me in find out correct answer of this economy based question. From heterodox perspective, why do business enterprises choose administered prices as opposed to highly flexible prices?

  • Q : Illustrate the Goals of Mixed Economy

    Illustrate the Goals of Mixed Economy?

  • Q : If resources were unlimited and freely

    Explain this statement:  “If resources were unlimited and freely available, there would be no subject called economics.”

  • Q : Understates the economic cost of a

    Computing the cost of college education like the cost of books, tuition and materials, room as well as board, and spending money: (i) overstates the economic cost of a college education. (ii) accurately measures the economic cost of a college educatio

  • Q : Utility functions to calculate scores

    Question: 1. Nancy is taking a course in Fairy Tales from Professor Grimm and another in Philosophy from Professor Par. In each course there will be two exams, a midterm exam and a final exam. In Professor Grimm's

  • Q : Determine opportunity cost of making an

    The opportunity cost of making an exact alternative is: (i) useful primarily as an indicator of relative prices. (ii) its nominal costs into terms of all other goods. (iii) the information which guides your decision. (iv) measured through the subjecti

  • Q : What are the 2 definitions of economics

    What are the 2 definitions of economics growth?