AP Microeconomics : Perfectly Competitive Output Markets

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Microeconomics

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Example Questions

Example Question #31 : Perfectly Competitive Output Markets

Suppose the market for acoustic guitars is perfectly competitive and in equilibrium. What would happen to the equilibrium price and quantity if a number of acoustic guitars makers dropped out of the market to make other instruments instead?

Possible Answers:

Price decrease, Quantity increase

Cannot determine

Price increase, Quantity increase

Price decrease, Quantity decrease

Price increase, Quantity decrease

Correct answer:

Price increase, Quantity decrease

Explanation:

The cost structure of the remaining acoustic guitar producers would not change, but with fewer sellers, there would be fewer guitars available at any given price.

This is an inward shift of the supply curve, if you graph this, you can see it results in a higher equilibrium price and lower quantity.

Example Question #32 : Perfectly Competitive Output Markets

There are no toll charges for driving on many urban freeways during rush hour. The resulting congestion is very much like an economic shortage. What is the best explanation for how this shortage comes about?

Possible Answers:

A price ceiling

Imperfect information

High transaction costs

A price floor

Correct answer:

A price ceiling

Explanation:

Especially during rush hour, the market for space on a freeway is comparable to many other competitive markets for goods and services., with a downward sloping demand curve. While more space can be built in the long-run, in the short-run we have a vertical supply curve that indicates fixed supply.

If you draw this out, you can see that the market clearing price is above zero. By not charging a toll, the authority on this road has effectively set a price of zero, or a price ceiling. The quantity of space demanded on the peak hour roadway is thus limited only by the number of drivers in the area (who are able and willing to pay other costs of driving, including time wasted in traffic). The difference in the quantities demanded and supplied is the shortage.

Example Question #33 : Perfectly Competitive Output Markets

The city council passes an ordinance requiring apartment buildings in a dense urban area to provide one off-street parking space per unit. All else equal, what is the likely effect on the level of rents in the area and the rate of occupancy?

Possible Answers:

Cannot determine

Rents decrease, Occupancy decreases

Rents increase, Occupancy increases

Rents increase, Occupancy decreases

Rents decrease, Occupancy increases

Correct answer:

Rents increase, Occupancy decreases

Explanation:

The provision of an off-street parking space for every unit would be an added cost (a significant cost in a dense urban area) for landlords. This is effectively an inward shift in supply.

The result would be generally higher rents and a lower occupancy rate.

Example Question #34 : Perfectly Competitive Output Markets

Assume the firm operates in the short-run. Use the following chart for questions 1-5:

 

Units

Total Revenue

Total cost

0

0

15

1

11

18

2

20

23

3

27

30

4

32

39

5

36

50

6

39

62

7

39

75

What is the fixed cost of the firm?

Possible Answers:

18

62

0

3

15

Correct answer:

15

Explanation:

The fixed costs can be determined by looking at the costs for the firm when no units are being produced. These costs always remain with or without production. This is true only in the short run, as in the long run there are no fixed costs. 

Example Question #35 : Perfectly Competitive Output Markets

Assume the firm operates in the short-run. Use the following chart for questions 1-5:

 

Units

Total Revenue

Total cost

0

0

15

1

11

18

2

20

23

3

27

30

4

32

39

5

36

50

6

39

62

7

39

75

The profit maximizing level of output for this firm is:

Possible Answers:

1

2

4

Firm would shut down

3

Correct answer:

3

Explanation:

The profit maximizing point is where marginal revenue equals marginal cost (MR=MC). At 3 units of production, the marginal revenue is 7 (27-20 = 7) and the marginal cost is 7 (30-23 = 7). Therefore, 3 units is the profit maximizing level. 

 

Note that the profit maximizing point does not have to be a point where the firm makes a positive profit. Since the firm in this example never has TR exceed TC, it will not generate a positive profit. However, the profit maximizing point can also be the point where the firm makes the least negative profit.   A firm will produce goods in the short run as long as the marginal revenue exceeds the average variable cost, which it does in this scenario. This means that the firm will produce goods until it's obligations are up and it can leave the market in the long run.

Example Question #36 : Perfectly Competitive Output Markets

Assume the firm operates in the short-run. Use the following chart for questions 1-5:

 

Units

Total Revenue

Total cost

0

0

15

1

11

18

2

20

23

3

27

30

4

32

39

5

36

50

6

39

62

7

39

75

      Assuming the firm is perfectly competitive, what is the price that the firm would charge for widgets at the profit maximizing point?

 

Possible Answers:

7

5

11

The firm would not produce any goods

9

Correct answer:

7

Explanation:

In a perfectly competitive market, the firm would price the good equal to marginal cost (P=MC). Since the marginal cost at the profit maximizing point is 7, price would equal 7.

 

In this example, we again note that this question operates in the short run. Despite losing money, firms cannot leave the market in the short run due to fixed cost obligations (rent, contracts, etc.) Not producing any goods is not the same as leaving the market (which the firm would do in the long run). Not producing any good would result in a net profit of -15 whereas producing 3 units of goods at a price of 7 would result in a net profit of -3. Therefore, production would be the best option for this firm.

Example Question #71 : Ap Microeconomics

Assume the firm operates in the short-run. Use the following chart for questions 1-5:

 

Units

Total Revenue

Total cost

0

0

15

1

11

18

2

20

23

3

27

30

4

32

39

5

36

50

6

39

62

7

39

75

      Given the trend of total revenue schedule, which of the following statements best describes the behavior of the total revenue curve for this firm:

Possible Answers:

Cannot tell the shape of the total revenue curve

The total revenue curve will increase initially, become flat, then decrease

The total revenue curve will increase indefinitely and constantly

The total revenue curve will always increase but at a decreasing rate

The total revenue curve will initially increase, become flat, then increase

Correct answer:

The total revenue curve will increase initially, become flat, then decrease

Explanation:

The schedule shows that the marginal revenue is positive, but decreasing. As long as marginal revenue is greater than zero (MR>0) the total revenue will increase. When marginal revenue becomes zero (MR=0), total revenue will remain constant. When margina, revenue becomes less than zero (MR<0), total revenue will decrease. Diminishing returns, as well as the total revenue schedule, shows a continuous decrease of MR. We would expect, then, that TR would increase, become flat, then decrease.

Example Question #72 : Ap Microeconomics

Assume the firm operates in the short-run. Use the following chart for questions 1-5:

 

Units

Total Revenue

Total cost

0

0

15

1

11

18

2

20

23

3

27

30

4

32

39

5

36

50

6

39

62

7

39

75

Suppose market factors have caused the firm to become the only supplier of widgets in the area, effectively giving the firm monopoly power. The most likely effect of this would be:

  1. The price of the good would rise
  2. The monopoly would price the good equal to marginal cost
  3. The quantity of the good would rise.

 

Possible Answers:

1 only

1, 2, and 3

3 only

1 and 2

2 only

Correct answer:

1 only

Explanation:

The monopolist would produce at the point where MR = MC. However, price is now derived from the consumer demand curve rather than being equal to MC. This is because a monopolist’s marginal revenue curve is steeper than the consumer demand curve. The resulting intersection causes monopolists to product a lower quantity of goods at a higher price. This price would exceed the marginal cost of production, allowing the monopolist to generate economic profit.

Example Question #37 : Perfectly Competitive Output Markets

Suppose that the market for oranges exists at equilibrium such that the price of oranges is $3 and the quantity of oranges is 5. Orange growers lobby the government to impose a price floor of $5. Which of the following effects would occur?

Possible Answers:

Dead weight loss would decrease

Producer surplus would decrease

There would be a shortage of oranges

There would be a surplus of oranges

Consumer surplus would increase

Correct answer:

There would be a surplus of oranges

Explanation:

If the government imposes a price floor above the equilibrium price, the quantity of goods supplied would exceed the quantity of goods demanded (Qs > Qd) leading to a surplus. Consumer surplus would decrease and producer surplus would increase. We would also generate a dead weight loss (DWL) whereas before there was none, so DWL increases.

Example Question #38 : Perfectly Competitive Output Markets

Assume a market exists for Plobs, Clobs and Globs. When the price of Plobs increases, the price of Clobs increases. When the price of Plobs increases, the price of Globs decreases. Which of the following statements would support this behavior?

Possible Answers:

Plobs and Clobs are complements

Plobs and Globs are complements

Plobs and Clobs are substitutes

The demand for Plobs is inelastic

 Clobs and Globs and complements

Correct answer:

Plobs and Clobs are complements

Explanation:

f the price of Plobs increases and the price of Clobs increase, they must be complements. If the price of Plobs increases and the price of Globs decreases, they must be substitutes. We are not told anything about relative changes in quantity given a change in price, so we cannot determine elasticity. Clobs and Globs are not given a definitive relationship.

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