Question 1

Which is necessarily true for a purely competitive firm in short-run equilibrium?

Accepted Answer

A) Marginal revenue minus marginal cost equals zero. 
B) Price minus average total cost equals zero. 
C) Total revenue minus total cost equals zero. 
D) Marginal revenue is zero.

Question 2

A firm sells a product in a purely competitive market.The marginal cost of the product at the current output of 200 units is $4.00.The average variable cost is $3.50.The market price of the product is $3.00.To maximize profits or minimize losses, the firm should

Accepted Answer

A) continue to produce 200 units. 
B) continue production, but produce less than 200 units. 
C) increase production to more than 200 units. 
D) shut down.

Question 3

Unit price and average revenue are the same or equal in

Accepted Answer

A) pure competition only. 
B) pure monopoly only. 
C) monopolistic competition only. 
D) all market structures.

Question 4

Which of the following is not a characteristic of pure competition?

Accepted Answer

A) pricing strategies by firms 
B) a standardized product 
C) no barriers to entry 
D) a larger number of sellers

Question 5

Assume a purely competitive firm is selling 200 units of output at $3 each.At this output, its total fixed cost is $100 and its total variable cost is $350.This firm

Accepted Answer

A) is maximizing its profit. 
B) is making a profit, but not necessarily the maximum profit. 
C) is incurring losses. 
D) should shut down in the short run.

Question 6

In the short run, a purely competitive firm will always make an economic profit if

Accepted Answer

A) P = ATC. 
B) P > AVC. 
C) P = MC. 
D) P > ATC.

Question 7

The prices of raw materials increase in a purely competitive industry.This change will result in a(n)

Accepted Answer

A) decrease (downward shift) in the average total cost curve for firms in the industry. 
B) decrease (downward shift) in the marginal revenue curve for firms in the industry. 
C) increase (upward shift) in the marginal cost curve for firms in the industry. 
D) increase (rightward shift) in the short-run supply curve for firms in the industry.

Question 8

If the demand curve faced by an individual firm is downward-sloping, the firm cannot be

Accepted Answer

A) a monopoly firm. 
B) a purely competitive firm. 
C) an oligopolistic firm. 
D) a monopolistically competitive firm.

Question 9

Average revenue is conceptually equivalent to the

Accepted Answer

A) unit price of the product. 
B) average cost of the product. 
C) marginal cost of the product. 
D) marginal revenue of the product.

Question 10

In which of the following market structures is there clear-cut mutual interdependence with respect to price-output policies?

Accepted Answer

A) pure monopoly 
B) oligopoly 
C) monopolistic competition 
D) pure competition

Question 11

Assume that labor is a variable input.The average wage of workers increases in a purely competitive industry.This change will result in a(n)

Accepted Answer

A) increase in marginal cost for firms in the industry and an increase in the industry supply curve. 
B) decrease in marginal cost for firms in the industry and a decrease in the industry supply curve. 
C) decrease in marginal cost for firms in the industry and an increase in the industry supply curve. 
D) increase in marginal cost for firms in the industry and a decrease in the industry supply curve.

Question 12

Suppose that at 500 units of output, marginal revenue is equal to marginal cost.The firm is selling its output at $5 per unit, and average total cost at 500 units of output is $6.On the basis of this information, we

Accepted Answer

A) can say that the firm should close down in the short run. 
B) can say that the firm can produce and realize an economic profit in the short run. 
C) cannot determine whether the firm should produce or shut down in the short run. 
D) can assume the firm is not using the most efficient technology.

Question 13

In a purely competitive industry, each firm

Accepted Answer

A) determines its own price. 
B) produces a differentiated product. 
C) can easily enter or exit the industry. 
D) engages in various forms of nonprice competition.

Question 14

Oligopoly firms may produce either standardized or differentiated products.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

If a purely competitive firm is producing a level of output greater than its profit-maximizing output, then its profits must be negative.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 16

The accompanying table gives cost data for a firm that is selling in a purely competitive market.If the market price for the firm's product is $28, the competitive firm will

Accepted Answer

A) produce 4 units at a loss of $17.40. 
B) produce 7 units at a loss of $14.00. 
C) shut down in the short run. 
D) produce 6 units at a loss of $23.80.

Question 17

Competitive firms are price takers largely because of intensive advertising by their competitors.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

A firm sells a product in a purely competitive market.The marginal cost of the product at the current output of 500 units is $1.50.The average variable cost is $1.00.The market price of the product is $1.25.To maximize profits or minimize losses, the firm should

Accepted Answer

A) continue producing 500 units. 
B) continue production, but produce less than 500 units. 
C) increase production to more than 500 units. 
D) shut down.

Question 19

If a firm in a purely competitive industry is confronted with an equilibrium price of $5, its marginal revenue

Accepted Answer

A) may be either greater or less than $5. 
B) will also be $5. 
C) will be less than $5. 
D) will be greater than $5.

Question 20

The demand curve in a purely competitive industry is , while the demand curve to a single firm in that industry is .

Accepted Answer

A) perfectly inelastic; perfectly elastic 
B) downsloping; perfectly elastic 
C) downsloping; perfectly inelastic 
D) perfectly elastic; downsloping

Exam 10: Pure Competition in the Short Run

Which is necessarily true for a purely competitive firm in short-run equilibrium?

A firm sells a product in a purely competitive market.The marginal cost of the product at the current output of 200 units is $4.00.The average variable cost is $3.50.The market price of the product is $3.00.To maximize profits or minimize losses, the firm should

Unit price and average revenue are the same or equal in

Which of the following is not a characteristic of pure competition?

Assume a purely competitive firm is selling 200 units of output at $3 each.At this output, its total fixed cost is $100 and its total variable cost is $350.This firm

In the short run, a purely competitive firm will always make an economic profit if

The prices of raw materials increase in a purely competitive industry.This change will result in a(n)

If the demand curve faced by an individual firm is downward-sloping, the firm cannot be

Average revenue is conceptually equivalent to the

In which of the following market structures is there clear-cut mutual interdependence with respect to price-output policies?

Assume that labor is a variable input.The average wage of workers increases in a purely competitive industry.This change will result in a(n)

Suppose that at 500 units of output, marginal revenue is equal to marginal cost.The firm is selling its output at $5 per unit, and average total cost at 500 units of output is $6.On the basis of this information, we

In a purely competitive industry, each firm

Oligopoly firms may produce either standardized or differentiated products.

If a purely competitive firm is producing a level of output greater than its profit-maximizing output, then its profits must be negative.

The accompanying table gives cost data for a firm that is selling in a purely competitive market.If the market price for the firm's product is $28, the competitive firm will

Competitive firms are price takers largely because of intensive advertising by their competitors.

A firm sells a product in a purely competitive market.The marginal cost of the product at the current output of 500 units is $1.50.The average variable cost is $1.00.The market price of the product is $1.25.To maximize profits or minimize losses, the firm should

If a firm in a purely competitive industry is confronted with an equilibrium price of $5, its marginal revenue

The demand curve in a purely competitive industry is , while the demand curve to a single firm in that industry is .