Average Variable Costs and Marginal Costs
Question 1: Average variable costs are increasing when:
1. Marginal costs are increasing
2. Marginal costs are declining
3. Marginal costs exceed fixed costs
4. Marginal productivity is increasing.
Demand for Steel
Question 2: When calculating the own price elasticity for steel and the income elasticity for steel, an economist found that income has a greater impact on steel demand compared to steel’s own price. A possible explanation for this phenomenon might be that:
1. Steel is elastic good.
2. Steel is an intermediate good used in many final goods such as automobiles.
3. Steel is an inferior good.
4. None of the above
Law of diminishing returns and aphorisms
Question 3: Which of the following aphorisms best describes the law of diminishing returns?
1. a. Don’t cry over spilled milk.
2. b. Too many cooks spoil the soup.
3. c. You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.
4. d. A penny saved is a penny earned.
Marginal productivity and Costs
Question 4: In the short run, machinery is fixed and labor is variable for a business that uses only these two inputs. If, at the current level of output, marginal product of labor is declining
1. The marginal cost of producing output must be rising if output is increased.
2. average product of labor must also be rising.
3. average fixed cost must be greater than average variable cost.
4. None of the above.
Own Price Elasticity and Revenue
Question 5: Millie produces and sells 300 jars of honey per day at a price of $8 per jar. In order to increase total revenues, she plans to increase prices from $8 per jar to $10 per jar. Mollie’s strategy will work so long as:
1. a. The demand for honey is inelastic between $8 and $10.
2. b. The demand for honey is elastic between $8 and $10.
3. c. Honey is a normal good.
4. d. None of the above.
Own Price Elasticity of Demand
Question 6: All of the following factors affect the price elasticity of demand EXCEPT the:
1. Availability of substitutes.
2. Proportion of income spent on the product.
3. Time to adjust to a change in the price.
4. A CHANGE in consumer income.
Own Price Elasticity of Water
Question 7: Due to drought conditions, the local government wants to reduce the quantity demand of water by 10%. If it is estimated that the price elasticity of demand for water is -0.3, by how much (in percentage terms) must the price of water be increased to reach this goal?
1. a. 33.3%
2. b. 3.0 %
3. c. 0.3%
4. d. 0.003%
Trucking, Revenues and Own Price Elasticity
Question 8: Along Haul Trucking Inc., decided to increase its long haul rates by 5% in order to increase revenues. Revenues in April were $325,000 and revenues in May increased to $333,000. As a result, it is likely that:
1. The own price elasticity of demand for long haul trucking is inelastic.
2. The own price elasticity of demand for long haul trucking is elastic.
3. Long haul trucking is a normal good.
4. Long haul trucking is a luxury good.
Upward Sloping Supply Curves
Question 9: The supply curve for a business is upward sloping so long as:
1. Additional production increases the efficiency of production.
2. The producer understands the ‘Law of Demand’
3. It is more profitable to produce at higher levels of production
4. Production costs of additional units of output are increasing