Assignment
Assignment
Q. 4. Consider the demand equation Q = 25 – 3P, where Q represents quantity demanded and P
the selling price.
(a) Calculate the arc-price elasticity of demand when P1 = $4 and P2 = $3.
(b) Calculate the point-price elasticity of demand at these prices. Is the demand for this good
elastic or inelastic at these prices?
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(c) What, if anything, can you say about the relationship between the price elasticity of demand
and total revenue at these prices?
(d) What is the price elasticity of demand at the price that maximizes total revenue?
(e) Determine the price elasticity of demand for each of the following demand equations when P
= 4:
(i) QD = 98 – P2/2
(ii) QD = 14P-5
(II): Production
Q. 5. (a) Using graphical and numerical illustration, show the relationship between TP L, APL
and MPL. Also, state the law of diminishing returns and show that the rational producer will
produce in the relevant stage of the TPL curve and why?
(b) Given the production function Q = 100K0.6 L0.4, determine the marginal product of capital
and the marginal product of labor when K = 25 and L = 100.
(c) A&A firm produces output that can be sold at a price of $10. The firm’s production function
is given by the equation: Q = F(K, L) = K1/2 L1/2. If capital is fixed at 1 unit in the short-run, how
much labor should the firm employ to maximize profits if the wage rate is $2?
Q. 6. (a) What is output elasticity of labour and capital? Calculate output elasticity of capital
when output increases from 0 to 5 units and total product rises from 0 to 8 units.
(b) Describe the conditions for the optimal use of the two factor inputs in production - labour and
capital.
Q. 7. (a) What do you mean by returns to scale? Describe the various returns to scale graphically.
(b) Using the following production functions determine the various returns to scale of
production, when both labour and capital increases from 1 to 2 units.
(i) Q = 25K0.5 L0.5
(ii) Q = 100 + 3K + 2L
(iii) Q = 0.5Kα Lβ
(III): Costs
Q. 8. (a) A book publishing house’s total cost function is determined of the form:
TC = 12 + 60Q – 15Q2 + Q3
This firm produces Q = 10. Calculate TFC, TVC, AFC, AVC, AC, and MC.
(b) Now suppose, the total cost changed to TC = 1,000 + 10Q2.
(i) Determine the output level that minimizes average total cost (ATC). At this output level,
what is TC, ATC, and MC? Verify that at this output level MC = ATC and that ATC intersects
MC from below.
(ii) Determine the output level that minimizes average variable cost (AVC). At this output level,
what is TC, AVC, and MC?
(iii) Also graphically illustrate your answers to parts (i) and (ii).
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