Andrea’s Day Spa began to offer a relaxing

aromatherapy treatment. The firm asks you how much to charge to maximize profits. The first two columns in Table 10.5provide the price and quantity for the demand curve for treatments. The third column shows its total costs. For each level of output, calculate total revenue, marginal revenue, average cost, and marginal cost. What is the profit-maximizing level of output for the treatments and how much will the firm earn in profits?

Price Quantity TC
\(25.00 0 \)130
\(24.00 10 \)275
\(23.00 20\)435
\(22.50 30 \)610
\(22.00 40 \)800
\(21.60 50 \)1,005
\(21.20 60 \)1,225

Short Answer

Expert verified
Total RevenueMarginal RevenueAverage CostMarginal Cost
0
0
0
0
240
24
27.5
14.5
460
22
21.75
16
675
21.5
20.33
17.5
880
20.5
20
19
1080
20
20.120.5
1272
19.2
20.41
22
  • 40will be the profit maximizing output
  • The firm will earn a profit of$80

Step by step solution

01

Step 1. Introduction

In a monopolistic competition, the profit maximizing level of output is determined by the point where marginal revenue and marginal cost are equal.

02

Step 2. Calculating cost and revenue

For output level 0 -

TR=Q*P=0*25=0MR=dTR/dQ=0/0=0AC=TC/Q=130/0=0MC=dTC/dQ=130/0=0

For output level 10 -

TR=Q*P=10*24=240MR=dTR/dQ=240/10=24AC=TC/Q=275/10=27.5MC=dTC/dQ=145/10=14.5

For output level 20 -

TR=Q*P=20*23=460MR=dTR/dQ=220/10=22AC=TC/Q=435/20=21.75MC=dTC/dQ=160/10=16

For output level 30 -

TR=Q*P=30*22.50=675MR=dTR/dQ=215/10=21.5AC=TC/Q=610/30=20.33MC=dTC/dQ=175/10=17.5

For output level 40 -

TR=Q*P=40*22=880MR=dTR/dQ=205/10=20.5AC=TC/Q=800/40=20MC=dTC/dQ=190/10=19

For output level 50 -

TR=Q*P=50*21.60=1080MR=dTR/dQ=200/10=20AC=TC/Q=1005/50=20.1MC=dTC/dQ=205/10=20.5

For output level 60 -

TR=Q*P=60*21.20=1272MR=dTR/dQ=192/10=19.2AC=TC/Q=1225/60=20.41MC=dTC/dQ=220/10=22

03

Step 3. Profit maximizing output

The profit maximizing output for this treatment is 40because if the firm increases the output at 50, marginal revenue will be less than marginal cost which cause negative economic profit. On the other hand the firm decrease its output at 30, there will be an incentive to increase its output as marginal revenue exceeds marginal cost.

04

Step 4. Profit

At the output level 40,

Profit = TR - TC

or, Profit =880-800

Therefore, Profit =80

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Most popular questions from this chapter

When OPEC raised the price of oil dramatically in the mid-1970s, experts said it was unlikely that the cartel could stay together over the long term—that the incentives for individual members to cheat would become too strong. More than forty years later, OPEC still exists. Why do you think OPEC has been able to beat the odds and continue to collude? Hint: You may wish to consider non-economic reasons.

Make a case for why monopolistically competitive industries never reach long-run equilibrium.

Suppose that, due to a successful advertising campaign, a monopolistic competitor experiences an increase in demand for its product. How will that affect the price it charges and the quantity it supplies?

Consider the curve in the figure below, which shows the market demand, marginal cost, and marginal revenue curve for firms in an oligopolistic industry. In this example, we assume firms have zero fixed costs.

a. Suppose the firms collude to form a cartel. What price will the cartel charge? What quantity will the cartel

supply? How much profit will the cartel earn?

b. Suppose now that the cartel breaks up and the oligopolistic firms compete as vigorously as possible by cutting the price and increasing sales. What will be the industry quantity and price? What will be the collective profits of all firms in the industry?

c. Compare the equilibrium price, quantity, and profit for the cartel and cutthroat competition outcomes.

Suppose that, due to a successful advertising campaign, a monopolistic competitor experiences an increase in demand for its product. How will that affect the price it charges and the quantity it supplies?

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