Demand for a firm’s product is perfectly elastic at the market price
Where did the supply curve come from? You’ll know today
Average Revenue: revenue per unit of output AR(q)=Rq
Marginal Revenue: change in revenues for each additional unit of output sold: MR(q)=ΔR(q)Δq
Example: A firm sells bushels of wheat in a very competitive market. The current market price is $10/bushel.
Example: A firm sells bushels of wheat in a very competitive market. The current market price is $10/bushel.
For the 1st bushel sold:
What is the total revenue?
What is the average revenue?
Example: A firm sells bushels of wheat in a very competitive market. The current market price is $10/bushel.
For the 1st bushel sold:
What is the total revenue?
What is the average revenue?
For the 2nd bushel sold:
What is the total revenue?
What is the average revenue?
What is the marginal revenue?
q | R(q) |
---|---|
0 | 0 |
1 | 10 |
2 | 20 |
3 | 30 |
4 | 40 |
5 | 50 |
6 | 60 |
7 | 70 |
8 | 80 |
9 | 90 |
10 | 100 |
q | R(q) | AR(q) | MR(q) |
---|---|---|---|
0 | 0 | − | − |
1 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
2 | 20 | 10 | 10 |
3 | 30 | 10 | 10 |
4 | 40 | 10 | 10 |
5 | 50 | 10 | 10 |
6 | 60 | 10 | 10 |
7 | 70 | 10 | 10 |
8 | 80 | 10 | 10 |
9 | 90 | 10 | 10 |
10 | 100 | 10 | 10 |
1st Stage: firm's profit maximization problem:
Choose: < output >
In order to maximize: < profits >
2nd Stage: firm's cost minimization problem:
Choose: < inputs >
In order to minimize: < cost >
Subject to: < producing the optimal output >
π(q)=R(q)−C(q)
Graph: find q∗ to max π⟹q∗ where max distance between R(q) and C(q)
π(q)=R(q)−C(q)
Graph: find q∗ to max π⟹q∗ where max distance between R(q) and C(q)
Slopes must be equal: MR(q)=MC(q)
π(q)=R(q)−C(q)
Graph: find q∗ to max π⟹q∗ where max distance between R(q) and C(q)
Slopes must be equal: MR(q)=MC(q)
Suppose the market price increases
Firm (always setting MR=MC) will respond by producing more
Suppose the market price decreases
Firm (always setting MR=MC) will respond by producing less
‡ Mostly...there is an important exception we will see shortly!
Profit is π(q)=R(q)−C(q)
Profit per unit can be calculated as: π(q)q=AR(q)−AC(q)=p−AC(q)
Profit is π(q)=R(q)−C(q)
Profit per unit can be calculated as: π(q)q=AR(q)−AC(q)=p−AC(q)
Multiply by q to get total profit: π(q)=q[p−AC(q)]
At market price of p* = $10
At q* = 5 (per unit):
At q* = 5 (totals):
At market price of p* = $10
At q* = 5 (per unit):
At q* = 5 (totals):
At market price of p* = $10
At q* = 5 (per unit):
At q* = 5 (totals):
At market price of p* = $10
At q* = 5 (per unit):
At q* = 5 (totals):
At market price of p* = $2
At q* = 1 (per unit):
At q* = 1 (totals):
At market price of p* = $2
At q* = 1 (per unit):
At q* = 1 (totals):
At market price of p* = $2
At q* = 1 (per unit):
At q* = 1 (totals):
At market price of p* = $2
At q* = 1 (per unit):
At q* = 1 (totals):
What if a firm's profits at q∗ are negative (i.e. it earns losses)?
Should it produce at all?
Suppose firm chooses to produce nothing (q=0):
If it has fixed costs (f>0), its profits are:
π(q)=pq−C(q)
Suppose firm chooses to produce nothing (q=0):
If it has fixed costs (f>0), its profits are:
π(q)=pq−C(q)π(q)=pq−f−VC(q)
Suppose firm chooses to produce nothing (q=0):
If it has fixed costs (f>0), its profits are:
π(q)=pq−C(q)π(q)=pq−f−VC(q)π(0)=−f
i.e. it (still) pays its fixed costs
π from producing<π from not producing
π from producing<π from not producingπ(q)<−f
π from producing<π from not producingπ(q)<−fpq−VC(q)−f<−f
π from producing<π from not producingπ(q)<−fpq−VC(q)−f<−fpq−VC(q)<0
π from producing<π from not producingπ(q)<−fpq−VC(q)−f<−fpq−VC(q)<0pq<VC(q)
π from producing<π from not producingπ(q)<−fpq−VC(q)−f<−fpq−VC(q)<0pq<VC(q)p<AVC(q)
Firm’s short run supply curve:
Firm’s short run supply curve:
1. Choose q∗ such that MR(q)=MC(q)
1. Choose q∗ such that MR(q)=MC(q)
2. Profit π=q[p−AC(q)]
1. Choose q∗ such that MR(q)=MC(q)
2. Profit π=q[p−AC(q)]
3. Shut down if p<AVC(q)
1. Choose q∗ such that MR(q)=MC(q)
2. Profit π=q[p−AC(q)]
3. Shut down if p<AVC(q)
Firm's short run (inverse) supply:
{p=MC(q)if p≥AVCq=0If p<AVC
Example: Bob’s barbershop gives haircuts in a very competitive market, where barbers cannot differentiate their haircuts. The current market price of a haircut is $15. Bob’s daily short run costs are given by:
C(q)=0.5q2MC(q)=q
How many haircuts per day would maximize Bob’s profits?
How much profit will Bob earn per day?
Find Bob’s shut down price.
Write an equation for Bob’s short-run supply curve
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Demand for a firm’s product is perfectly elastic at the market price
Where did the supply curve come from? You’ll know today
Average Revenue: revenue per unit of output AR(q)=Rq
Marginal Revenue: change in revenues for each additional unit of output sold: MR(q)=ΔR(q)Δq
Example: A firm sells bushels of wheat in a very competitive market. The current market price is $10/bushel.
Example: A firm sells bushels of wheat in a very competitive market. The current market price is $10/bushel.
For the 1st bushel sold:
What is the total revenue?
What is the average revenue?
Example: A firm sells bushels of wheat in a very competitive market. The current market price is $10/bushel.
For the 1st bushel sold:
What is the total revenue?
What is the average revenue?
For the 2nd bushel sold:
What is the total revenue?
What is the average revenue?
What is the marginal revenue?
q | R(q) |
---|---|
0 | 0 |
1 | 10 |
2 | 20 |
3 | 30 |
4 | 40 |
5 | 50 |
6 | 60 |
7 | 70 |
8 | 80 |
9 | 90 |
10 | 100 |
q | R(q) | AR(q) | MR(q) |
---|---|---|---|
0 | 0 | − | − |
1 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
2 | 20 | 10 | 10 |
3 | 30 | 10 | 10 |
4 | 40 | 10 | 10 |
5 | 50 | 10 | 10 |
6 | 60 | 10 | 10 |
7 | 70 | 10 | 10 |
8 | 80 | 10 | 10 |
9 | 90 | 10 | 10 |
10 | 100 | 10 | 10 |
1st Stage: firm's profit maximization problem:
Choose: < output >
In order to maximize: < profits >
2nd Stage: firm's cost minimization problem:
Choose: < inputs >
In order to minimize: < cost >
Subject to: < producing the optimal output >
π(q)=R(q)−C(q)
Graph: find q∗ to max π⟹q∗ where max distance between R(q) and C(q)
π(q)=R(q)−C(q)
Graph: find q∗ to max π⟹q∗ where max distance between R(q) and C(q)
Slopes must be equal: MR(q)=MC(q)
π(q)=R(q)−C(q)
Graph: find q∗ to max π⟹q∗ where max distance between R(q) and C(q)
Slopes must be equal: MR(q)=MC(q)
Suppose the market price increases
Firm (always setting MR=MC) will respond by producing more
Suppose the market price decreases
Firm (always setting MR=MC) will respond by producing less
‡ Mostly...there is an important exception we will see shortly!
Profit is π(q)=R(q)−C(q)
Profit per unit can be calculated as: π(q)q=AR(q)−AC(q)=p−AC(q)
Profit is π(q)=R(q)−C(q)
Profit per unit can be calculated as: π(q)q=AR(q)−AC(q)=p−AC(q)
Multiply by q to get total profit: π(q)=q[p−AC(q)]
At market price of p* = $10
At q* = 5 (per unit):
At q* = 5 (totals):
At market price of p* = $10
At q* = 5 (per unit):
At q* = 5 (totals):
At market price of p* = $10
At q* = 5 (per unit):
At q* = 5 (totals):
At market price of p* = $10
At q* = 5 (per unit):
At q* = 5 (totals):
At market price of p* = $2
At q* = 1 (per unit):
At q* = 1 (totals):
At market price of p* = $2
At q* = 1 (per unit):
At q* = 1 (totals):
At market price of p* = $2
At q* = 1 (per unit):
At q* = 1 (totals):
At market price of p* = $2
At q* = 1 (per unit):
At q* = 1 (totals):
What if a firm's profits at q∗ are negative (i.e. it earns losses)?
Should it produce at all?
Suppose firm chooses to produce nothing (q=0):
If it has fixed costs (f>0), its profits are:
π(q)=pq−C(q)
Suppose firm chooses to produce nothing (q=0):
If it has fixed costs (f>0), its profits are:
π(q)=pq−C(q)π(q)=pq−f−VC(q)
Suppose firm chooses to produce nothing (q=0):
If it has fixed costs (f>0), its profits are:
π(q)=pq−C(q)π(q)=pq−f−VC(q)π(0)=−f
i.e. it (still) pays its fixed costs
π from producing<π from not producing
π from producing<π from not producingπ(q)<−f
π from producing<π from not producingπ(q)<−fpq−VC(q)−f<−f
π from producing<π from not producingπ(q)<−fpq−VC(q)−f<−fpq−VC(q)<0
π from producing<π from not producingπ(q)<−fpq−VC(q)−f<−fpq−VC(q)<0pq<VC(q)
π from producing<π from not producingπ(q)<−fpq−VC(q)−f<−fpq−VC(q)<0pq<VC(q)p<AVC(q)
Firm’s short run supply curve:
Firm’s short run supply curve:
1. Choose q∗ such that MR(q)=MC(q)
1. Choose q∗ such that MR(q)=MC(q)
2. Profit π=q[p−AC(q)]
1. Choose q∗ such that MR(q)=MC(q)
2. Profit π=q[p−AC(q)]
3. Shut down if p<AVC(q)
1. Choose q∗ such that MR(q)=MC(q)
2. Profit π=q[p−AC(q)]
3. Shut down if p<AVC(q)
Firm's short run (inverse) supply:
{p=MC(q)if p≥AVCq=0If p<AVC
Example: Bob’s barbershop gives haircuts in a very competitive market, where barbers cannot differentiate their haircuts. The current market price of a haircut is $15. Bob’s daily short run costs are given by:
C(q)=0.5q2MC(q)=q
How many haircuts per day would maximize Bob’s profits?
How much profit will Bob earn per day?
Find Bob’s shut down price.
Write an equation for Bob’s short-run supply curve