Behind the Supply Curve: Input and costs - Short-Run versus Long-Run costs

15 important questions on Behind the Supply Curve: Input and costs - Short-Run versus Long-Run costs

What do we call the time period where a firms fixed cost becomes variable?

The Long run

What are the two ways that changing my fixed cost in the long run will affect total cost

First the firm will have to wither rent or buy the additional equipment, that means higher fixed cost in the long run?
second if the workers have more equipment they will be more productive: fewer workers will be needed to produce and given output, so the variable cost for any given output is reduced

Why does average total cost decrease when fixed cost increases

When output is low the increasing fixed cost from an addition equiptment outweighs the reduction in variable cost from higher worker productivity.
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How to we know the output that minimizes the firms ATC?

In order to figure out the output that would minimize the firms ATC it should chose the level of fixed cost optimal for that level

How do we calculate the long run average total cost curve?

We calculate the lowest possible ATC that can be achieved for each output level if the firm were to choose its fixed output level.

What is the relationship between the output and the average total cos when fixed cost has been chosen to minimize the average total cost for each level of output? What will LRATC look like?

Long run average total cost
long smooth U shape

What do we call the point when in the long run when a producer has had time to choose the fixed cost appropriate for its desired level of output?

The producer will be at some point on the long run average total cost curve

What determines the shape of the LRATC curve?

The firms operation size or the scale, is often an important determinant  of its long run average total cost of production

What do we call the scale when in the long run the average total cost stays the same as output increases? What is the shape of the graph of the LRATC?

Constant returns to scale
the shape of the graph of LRATC is horizontal

What is the major determinant of the scale effects in production?

The firms technology of production

What are the 3 reasons for increasing returns to scale

  • Increased specialization
  • very large initial costs
  • high-tech industries 

What is the reason for decreasing returns to scale

Lack of communication and coordination in large firms

What is the relationship between firms size and returns to scale?

Increasing returns to scale induce firms to get larger
decreasing returns to scale  tends to limit their size
constant returns to scale has no effect on a firms long run average totall cost: it is the same regardless of wheter we produce one unit for  100 units.

How does a firm determine the best decision on how much to produce?

It has to understand how its costs relate to the quantity of output it chooses to produce.

Concepts of measures of short run both short run and long run and long run alone

Measurements
definition
mathematical term

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