--%>

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 : Banking crisis on checkable deposits

    Question: Some developing countries have suffered banking crises in which depositors lost part or all of their deposits (in some countries there is no deposit insurance). This type of crisis decreases depositors' confidence in the banking syst

  • Q : Assertion to increase in the minimum

    Use the circular flow model to confirm this assertion for a $1 per hour increase in the minimum wage?

  • Q : Technology in production Drawing a

    Drawing a production possibilities frontier needs the supposition that: (1) Decision makers encompass discretion over resource accessibility. (2) Technology is constant. (3) Income is fairly distributed. (4) Resources are considerably diverse. (5) At least three goods

  • Q : Gains from Exchange- Practice and

    When a world famous concert pianist is as well the world's fastest short order cook, he would most likely gain the most financially through devoting: (i) Full time to frying burgers (ii) Full time to piano practice and concerts. (iii) Half-time cooking and half-time p

  • Q : Define the ability of goods by wealth

    According to Adam Smith nation's wealth is, not the gold this possesses, but somewhat it’s: (1) number of people. (2) capability to give goods for its people. (3) foreign investments. (4) domestic financial capital. (5) militar

  • Q : Introduction of the term Risk factor

    Give a brief introduction of the term Risk factor?

  • Q : Comparison between EVA and Ratio

    Comparison between EVA and Ratio Analysis: EVA helps in measuring the economic performance of the company. It is the profit earned by the firm less the cost of financing the firm’s capital. It shows that the shareholders gain when the return fro

  • Q : Ambrose’s budget constraint Question:

    Question: Ambrose consumes two goods, peanuts (x1 ) and a composite good (x2). He has a utility functionU = 4 √x1 + x2. This means his MU1 = 2/ √x1 an

  • Q : Individuals self-interests and broader

    A natural harmony among individuals serving their own self-interests and the broader interests of society was the main theme of the theories of __________, although this concept was not accepted through _________. Determine the correct answer from given options: (w) K

  • Q : Describe GDP gap and Okun’s Law

    Describe GDP gap and Okun’s Law?