If the productivity of variable factors is decreasing in the short-run: a. Marginal cost must...
Question:
If the productivity of variable factors is decreasing in the short-run:
a. Marginal cost must increase as output increases.
b. Average cost must decrease as output increases.
c. Average cost must increase as output increases.
d. Marginal cost must be decrease as output increases.
What Is The Marginal Cost:
The concept of Marginal Cost is central to Economic decision-making, especially in the short-run. A firm's Marginal Cost can be thought of as the additional cost incurred in order to produce one additional unit of the good or service produced.
Answer and Explanation: 1
Become a Study.com member to unlock this answer! Create your account
View this answerThe correct answer is a. Marginal cost must increase as output increases.
- If productivity rates fall for variable factors, this means that it takes m...
See full answer below.
Ask a question
Our experts can answer your tough homework and study questions.
Ask a question Ask a questionSearch Answers
Learn more about this topic:

from
Chapter 3 / Lesson 12What is marginal cost? Learn how to calculate marginal cost with the marginal cost formula. See the definition, behavior, and marginal cost examples.
Related to this Question
- Marginal cost eventually increases as output increases due to the effect of [{Blank}]. a. economies of scale, b. increasing average cost, c. increasing total cost, d. diminishing marginal product of inputs, e. constant fixed cost.
- Average total cost a. increases as output increases. b. decreases as output increases. c. increases if marginal cost is increasing. d. increases if marginal cost is greater than average total cost. e. Both c and d.
- Average fixed cost a. increases as output increases. b. decreases as output increases. c. increases if marginal cost is increasing. d. increases if marginal cost is greater than average fixed cost.
- Decreasing returns to scale means that ___________ as ______________. A) short-run marginal costs rises, output rises. B) long-run marginal cost rises, output rises. C) short-run average cost rises, output rises. D) long-run average cost rises, output ris
- When marginal cost is greater than average total cost, A. average total cost must be increasing with output. B. average variable cost must be decreasing with output. C. average fixed cost must be increasing with output. D. marginal cost must be increas
- Diminishing marginal returns implies: a) increasing marginal costs. b) decreasing marginal costs. c) decreasing average fixed costs. d) decreasing average variable costs.
- If the average variable cost curve is above the marginal cost curve, then: a) marginal costs must be decreasing. b) average variable costs must be increasing. c) marginal costs must be increasing. d) marginal costs can be either increasing or decreasing.
- When production increases over the short run: a) Average Fixed cost will remain the same. b) Average Variable cost will increase faster than Average Total cost. c) Average Variable Cost will eventually increase faster than Marginal cost. d) Marginal C
- The decrease(s) as the firm increases production. a. explicit costs b. implicit costs c. fixed cost d. variable cost e. average fixed cost f. average total cost g. marginal cost h. diminishing marginal product of labor i. increasing marginal product of la
- At the level of output where marginal cost equals average variable cost: a. average total cost is minimum b. average variable cost is decreasing c. average variable cost is increasing d. average total cost is decreasing
- If, in the short run, there are increasing returns to labor, then: A. marginal cost will fall as production increases (until diminishing returns occur) B. average variable cost will increase C. average total cost will increase D. none of the above
- With one variable input, marginal cost is increasing when: 1) marginal product is rising. 2) the firm experiences diminishing marginal returns to the variable input. 3) total cost is increasing at decreasing rate. 4) average cost above marginal cost. 5)
- Which always increase(s) as output increases? a) Marginal cost only. b) Fixed cost only. c) Total Cost only. d) Variable Cost only. e) Total cost and Variable cost.
- When a firm is experiencing decreasing marginal costs, it implies a. There are increasing average costs b. There is constant marginal productivity c. There are increasing marginal productivity d. The
- If the marginal cost curve is below the average variable cost curve, then A. average variable costs are increasing. B. average variable costs are decreasing. C. marginal cost must be decreasing. D. average variable costs could either be increasing or decr
- Diminishing marginal returns implies: a. decreasing average variable costs. b. decreasing marginal costs. c. increasing marginal costs. d. decreasing average fixed costs. e. none of the above
- If marginal cost is above average variable cost, then: a) Average variable cost is increasing, b) Marginal cost must be decreasing, c) Average variable cost is constant, d) Average variable cost is decreasing, e) There are fixed costs.
- 1. The output range over which average product increases is the output range over which A. average variable cost decreases B. average total cost decreases C. marginal cost increases D. marginal cos
- When price is greater than average variable cost but less than average total cost at the profit-maximizing level of output, a firm should: a. continue to produce the level of output at which marginal revenue equals marginal cost. b. shutdown to minimize i
- The cost of producing an extra unit of output is the: a. explicit costs b. implicit costs c. fixed cost d. variable cost e. average fixed cost f. average total cost g. marginal cost h. diminishing marginal product of labor i. increasing marginal product o
- Economies of scale exist when: a) Total cost decreases as output increases. b) Long-run average cost decreases as output increases. c) Marginal cost decreases as output increases. d) Fixed cost decreases as output increases.
- When the output elasticity of total cost is less than one, _____. A. Marginal cost is less than average cost, and average cost decreases as quantity increases. B. Marginal cost is less than average cost, and average cost increases as quantity increases.
- is increasing when marginal cost is above it. a. explicit costs b. implicit costs c. fixed cost d. variable cost e. average fixed cost f. average total cost g. marginal cost h. diminishing marginal product of labor i. increasing marginal product of labor
- If marginal revenue exceeds marginal cost, a competitive firm can increase profit by: A. Increasing output. B. Decreasing output. C. Making no change in output. D. Raising its price
- If marginal cost is less than average cost, at current levels of production, a. average cost is increasing with output. b. average cost is decreasing with output. c. total cost is decreasing. d. average cost is at a minimum.
- In the short run, if the marginal product of labor is decreasing, then: a. Marginal cost must be increasing, b. The marginal revenue of the firm must be decreasing, c. Average total cost must be increasing, d. Average variable cost must be decreasing,
- Under decreasing returns to scale, average cost (increases/decreases) as quantity produced increases. Over this range of output, the marginal cost curve is (higher than/lower than/equivalent to) the average cost curve.
- Which cost always increases as output increases? A. Total cost B. Average total cost C. Marginal cost D. Average fixed cost
- When diminishing marginal returns set in, a. average product is increasing. b. average variable cost is decreasing. c. average cost is decreasing. d. none of above.
- With one variable input, marginal cost is increasing when: 1) marginal product is rising. 2) the firm experiences diminishing marginal returns to the variable input. 3) total cost is increasing at decreasing rate. 4) average cost above marginal cos
- When price is greater than average variable cost but less than average total cost at the profit-maximizing level of output, a firm should _____. a. continue to produce the level of output at which marginal revenue equals marginal cost b. shutdown to minim
- Marginal cost increases as the quantity of output increases. This reflects the property of: a. Increasing total cost, b. Diminishing total cost, c. Increasing marginal product, d. Diminishing marginal product.
- Diminishing marginal returns to the variable inputs causes the total cost curve to: a) get steeper as output increases. b) have a negative slop. c) get flatter as output increase. d) be horizontal.
- As production of food increases, marginal benefit from food A) decreases and marginal cost increases. B) increases and marginal cost decreases. C) decreases and marginal cost is zero. D) increases and marginal cost increases. E) decreases and margina
- As the production of food increases, the marginal benefit from food: A) increases and marginal cost increases. B) decreases and marginal cost is zero. C) decreases and marginal cost increases. D) decreases and marginal cost decreases. E) increases an
- A monopolist is producing a level of output at which price is $8, marginal revenue is $5, average variable cost is $6, and marginal cost is $10. In order to maximize profit, the firm should: a. decrease price b. increase price c. keep price the same d. in
- If a profit-maximizing firm finds that price exceeds average variable cost and marginal cost is greater than marginal revenue, it should: a. reduce output, but continue producing in the short run. b.
- If marginal cost is greater than average variable cost, a. average variable cost is decreasing. b. average variable cost is increasing. c. marginal cost is less than average variable cost. d. average variable cost is negative.
- Output Marginal Revenue Marginal Cost 0 1$16$10 216 9 3 1613 4 1617 516 21 Refer to the above data. If the firm's minimum average variable cost is $10, the firm's profit-maximizing level of output would be a. 2 b. 3 c. 4 d. 5
- A rule for profit maximization is: A. Increase output if marginal revenue is greater than marginal cost B. Decrease output if marginal costs exceeds marginal revenue C. That profit is maximized at MC=
- If short-run marginal cost is U-shaped, then a. total cost increases at an increasing rate and then increases at a decreasing rate. b. total variable cost increases at a decreasing rate and then increases at an increasing rate. c. total variable cost must
- A perfectly competitive firm's marginal revenue exceeds its marginal cost at its current output. To increase its profit, the firm will A. lower its price. B. raise its price. C. decrease its output. D. increase its output.
- An increase in marginal cost causes a profit-maximizing, monopolistically competitive firm to: a. keep price and output the same. b. raise price and decrease output. c. lower price and increase output. d. raise price and raise output.
- As a firm increases its output, which of the following costs should decrease? A. Average total cost B. Average variable cost C. Marginal cost D. Average fixed cost
- Marginal cost ________ as the quantity produced increases. a. always increases. b. initially decreases and then increases. c. becomes negative. d. always decreases. e. initially increases and then decreases.
- If average costs and marginal costs are constant then: (a) average variable costs must be increasing. (b) there are decreasing returns to scale. (c) there are no fixed costs of production. (d) None of the above.
- Short-run cost curves are eventually upward-sloping because of the effects of: a. the increasing price of variable inputs. b. diminishing marginal product. c. increasing fixed costs. d. increasing marginal productivity of the variable inputs. e. decreasin
- Suppose, at its present rate of output, a perfectly competitive firm's marginal revenue exceeds both its marginal cost and its average variable cost. To maximize profit, the firm should a. lower the price b. raise the price c. increase output d. reduc
- Marginal costs will begin to rise at the point where: a. fixed costs increase. b. variable costs increase. c. average variable costs increase. d. diminishing marginal product begins.
- The marginal cost curve slopes downward at low outputs because of _____. The marginal cost curve eventually slopes upward because of _____. A) the law of diminishing returns; increasing average fixed cost. B) the law of diminishing returns; greater specia
- If the marginal cost of production exceeds the average cost of production, then: 1) the marginal cost is falling. 2) the marginal cost is rising. 3) the average cost is falling. 4) the average cost is rising. 5) the firm should shut down.
- Economies of scale occur: A. when a firm's long-run average costs decrease with output. B. when a firm's long-run average costs increase with output. C. when the marginal cost of production decreases with output. D. when the marginal product of labor i
- When a firm can increase its output with a less than proportional increase in total costs, which of the following is true? 1) The firm has economies of scale. 2) The firm's average cost is decreasing with output. 3) The firm's marginal cost is less th
- When a firm can increase its output with a less than proportional increase in total costs, which of the following is true? 1) The firm has economies of scale. 2) The firm's average cost is decreasing with output. 3) The firm's marginal cost is less tha
- If, at the current level of output, a firm's price exceeds its marginal revenue, and its marginal revenue exceeds its marginal cost, then to maximize profits, it should: a) reduce price and raise output. b) raise the price and raise the output. c) keep pr
- If a perfectly competitive firm finds that it is producing an output level where price is above average variable cost but less than marginal cost, it should [{Blank}] A. increase its output B. shut down. C. decrease its price. D. increase its price. E
- If price is greater than marginal, a perfectly competitive firm should increase output because: 1. marginal cost are increasing 2. additional units of output will add to the firm's profits (or reduc
- If marginal cost is rising with increasing output, average cost must also be rising?
- When the average product of the variable input is equal to the marginal product, a. marginal cost reaches its minimum value. b. average variable cost reaches its minimum value. c. marginal cost is rising. d. Both a and c. e. Both b and c.
- In the short run, if the average total cost is increasing as output rises, then: A) total fixed costs must be increasing. B) average fixed costs must be increasing. C) average variable cost must be increasing. D) marginal cost must be below average total
- If the marginal cost of production is smaller than the average total cost, does this tell you whether the average total cost is increasing or decreasing? What if the marginal cost is equal to the aver
- If the marginal revenue product of an input exceeds the marginal factor cost of the input, the firm A - should hire less of the input. B - should increase its use of the input. C - is not on its marginal cost curve. D - is maximizing profit.
- In the short run, a profit-maximizing firm will expand output: a. as long as marginal revenue is greater than marginal cost. b. until marginal cost begins to rise. c. until marginal revenue equals average variable cost. d. until total revenue equals total
- In the short-run production process firms maximize profits when: a. price exceeds the average total cost. b. marginal revenue exceeds marginal costs. c. price equals marginal cost. d. the value of the marginal output of an input equals the marginal cost.
- When marginal costs are increasing: a. marginal costs are always greater than average costs. b. a firm is experiencing diminishing returns. c. average cost is always increasing. d. average cost is alw
- If the total variable cost curve is rising: a. the marginal cost is decreasing. b. the marginal cost is increasing. c. the average fixed cost is constant. d. the average fixed cost is increasing.
- When the marginal cost of another unit of output is less than the current value of average total cost, producing another unit of output: A. Increases average total cost B. Decreases average total cost C. Has no effect on average total cost D. Increase
- If average variable costs are increasing while average total costs are decreasing, then A) marginal cost must lie between average variable and average total costs. B) marginal cost must equal average variable cost. C) marginal cost must equal the avera
- Marginal cost is _____. a. a small cost that does not affect a firm's profit significantly b. the cost of increasing the margin between cost and price c. the cost of producing one additional unit of output d. None of the above.
- Other things being equal, when average productivity falls: a. average fixed cost must rise b. marginal cost must rise c. average total cost must rise d. average variable cost must rise.
- The range of output over which a firm's average variable cost is decreasing is the same as the range over which its A. marginal cost is increasing. B. average product is increasing. C. average product is decreasing. D. average fixed cost is decreasing.
- At the level of output where marginal revenue equals marginal cost, assume that the price of a competitive firm's product is between the firm's average total cost curve and its average variable cost curve. In this case, the firm would: a) decrease output
- If the marginal product of labor (MPL) increases when more labor is employed, then A. the marginal cost (MC) increases when output increases. B. the marginal cost (MC) does not change when output increases. C. the marginal cost (MC) decreases when output
- A producer can raise profit by expanding output if: a. marginal revenue is equal to marginal cost b. marginal revenue to less than marginal cost c. marginal cost is negative d. marginal revenue is neg
- In the short run,....... do not increase with the quantity of output being produced. a. Variable costs b. Fixed costs c. Marginal costs d. Implicit costs
- A decrease in the long-run average total cost as output increases is due to: a. declining average fixed costs. b. the law of diminishing returns. c. economies of scale. d. externalities.
- The production function gets flatter if it exhibits: a. explicit costs b. implicit costs c. fixed cost d. variable cost e. average fixed cost f. average total cost g. marginal cost h. diminishing marginal product of labor i. increasing marginal product of
- Profit maximization occurs when: a. a firm expands output until marginal revenue is exceeded by marginal cost. b. a firm expands output until marginal revenue is equal to marginal cost. c. the price in the market is equal to the firm's marginal revenue. d
- Ceteris paribus, if all inputs increase by 10 percent and output increases by less than 10 percent, then: a) average total cost is decreasing. b) average total cost is increasing. c) the LRAC curve is horizontal. d) there are economies of scale. e) there
- One of the primary causes of diminishing marginal product is A) increasing marginal cost. B) increasing price. C) decreasing marginal cost. D) diminishing total cost. E) diminishing average fixed cost.
- The range over which average variable cost is decreasing is the same as the range over which: A) average product is decreasing. B) average product is increasing C) average fixed cost is decreasing D) marginal cost is increasing E) marginal product is
- If,at the current level of output, a firm's average cost is greater than its marginal cost, then: A) an increase in output must raise its average cost still further above marginal cost. B)a reductio
- 14. Average variable cost may be either increasing or decreasing when a) marginal cost is decreasing b) marginal product is increasing c) average fixed cost is decreasing d) average total cost is inc
- If average variable costs are increasing while average total costs are decreasing, then A) marginal cost must lie between average variable and average total costs. B) marginal cost must equal averag
- A profit-maximizing monopolist that produces in the short run will a) produce the level of output where marginal revenue exceeds marginal cost by the largest amount. b) increase output as long as t
- If a competitive firm is currently producing a level of output at which marginal cost exceeds marginal revenue, then A) one-unit decrease in output would increase the firm's profit B) Average revenu
- If average variable costs are increasing while average total costs are decreasing, then A) marginal cost must lie between average variable and average total costs. B) marginal cost must equal average variable cost. C) marginal cost must equal average tota
- Marginal cost tells us the: a. Value of all resources used in a production process, b. Marginal increment to profitability when the price is constant, c. Amount by which total cost rises when output is increased by one unit, d. Amount by which output rise
- Marginal cost is average variable cost when. a. equal to; average total cost is minimized b. less than; total cost is maximized c. greater than; average fixed cost is minimized d. equal to; average variable cost is minimized
- If marginal cost is above average cost, then: a. average cost is decreasing b. marginal cost must be decreasing c. average cost is constant d. average cost is increasing e. it is not possible to determine if any of the above is true from the information g
- Can a marginal cost be calculated if the production output decreases instead of increasing?
- For output levels less than equilibrium: a. the marginal benefit always equals the marginal cost since firms set P = SMC. b. the marginal benefit of that amount of output is less than the marginal cost of that amount of output. c. marginal benefit is less
- If a perfectly competitive firm's marginal revenue is less than its marginal cost, the firm: A) should decrease its output to increase economic profit. B) should increase its output to increase economic profit. C) must be making an economic profit. D)
- Profit is: a. increased when marginal revenue is greater than marginal cost b. maximized when marginal revenue is greater than marginal cost c. equal to ((price - average cost) x quantity)
- The fundamental reason that marginal cost eventually rises as output increases is because of a) economies of scale. b) diseconomies of scale. c) diminishing marginal product. d) rising average fixed cost.
- An increase in the price of labor will, in the short run, cause a competitive firm's: a. marginal cost to increase, the quantity it sells to decrease, and therefore reduce the quantity of labor demanded. b. price of its output to increase, leaving the q
- For a perfectly competitive firm, at profit maximization a) production must occur where average cost is minimized. b) market price exceeds marginal cost. c) marginal revenue equals marginal cost.