Deck 18: The Market For the Factors of Production.

Question 1

Approximately how much of the income in the United States is earned by workers in the form of wages and fringe benefits?

A) 25 percent
B) 50 percent
C) 75 percent
D) 90 percent

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Of the total income earned in the U.S.economy,approximately

A) 25 percent is earned by workers, and 75 percent is earned by landowners.
B) 50 percent is earned by workers, 25 percent is earned by landowners, and 25 percent is earned by owners of capital.
C) 75 percent is earned by workers, and 25 percent is earned by owners of land and capital.
D) 90 percent is earned by workers, and 10 percent is earned by owners of land and capital.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

In order to study labor markets more easily,we make which of the following assumptions about firms?
(i)Firms sell their products in competitive markets.
(ii)Firms buy their inputs in competitive markets.
(iii)Firms maximize profits.
(iv)Firms maximize revenues.

A) (iii) only
B) (i) and (iii) only
C) (i), (ii), and (iii) only
D) (i), (ii), (iii), and (iv)

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Which of the following is not an example of a factor of production?

A) labor
B) interest
C) land
D) capital

Question 5

Most of the total income earned in the U.S.economy is ultimately paid to

A) landowners in the form of rent.
B) owners of capital in the form of interest.
C) households in the form of wages and fringe benefits.
D) households in the form of welfare, disability, and Social Security payments.

Question 6

Sarah owns and manages a small coffee shop.We assume that Sarah
(i)does not directly care about the quantity of coffee that she sells.
(ii)does not directly care about the number of workers that she hires.
(iii)wants to maximize the quantity of coffee that she sells.
(iv)wants to minimize the number of workers that she hires.
(v)wants to maximize profits.

A) (i) and (ii) only
B) (i), (ii), and (v) only
C) (iii) and (iv) only
D) (iii), (iv), and (v) only

Question 7

Most of the total income earned in the U.S.economy is ultimately paid to

A) households in the form of wages and fringe benefits.
B) landowners in the form of rent.
C) landowners in the form of interest.
D) landowners in the form of profit.

Question 8

Total income in the United States is comprised of

A) wages only.
B) wages and fringe benefits only.
C) rents, profits, and interest payments only.
D) wages, fringe benefits, rents, profits, and interest payments.

Question 9

Factor markets for baked goods are influenced by the

A) demand for baked goods.
B) marginal productivities of labor and capital.
C) market prices for final goods and services.
D) All of the above are correct.

Question 10

Capital,labor,and land

A) have derived demands.
B) are factors of production.
C) are inputs used in the production of goods and services.
D) All of the above are correct.

Question 11

Because workers in the U.S.economy receive most of the total income earned,which of the following factors of production is considered to be the most important?

A) profit
B) wages
C) interest
D) labor

Question 12

Which of the following is an example of a firm's derived demand?

A) The wage that a worker earns is a function of her human capital.
B) A firm's demand for college textbook study guide authors is inseparably linked to the supply of college textbooks.
C) Factors that increase the demand for labor will increase the equilibrium wage.
D) All of the above are correct.

Question 13

The factors of production are best defined as the

A) output produced from raw materials.
B) inputs used to produce goods and services.
C) wages paid to the workforce.
D) goods and services sold in the market.

Question 14

In 2010,the total income of all U.S.residents was about

A) $10 billion.
B) $15 billion.
C) $10 trillion.
D) $15 trillion.

Question 15

Which of the following is an example of a factor of production?

A) rent
B) interest
C) land
D) Social Security payments

Question 16

Because a firm's demand for a factor of production is derived from its decision to supply a good in the market,it is called a

A) differentiated demand.
B) secondary demand.
C) derived demand.
D) hybrid demand-supply.

Question 17

Factor markets are different from product markets in an important way because

A) equilibrium is the exception, and not the rule, in factor markets.
B) the demand for a factor of production is a derived demand.
C) the demand for a factor of production is likely to be upward sloping, in violation of the law of demand.
D) All of the above are correct.

Question 18

Which of the following is an example of a firm's derived demand?

A) Workers with higher levels of education earn more, on average, than workers with lower levels of education.
B) Factors that decrease the demand for labor will decrease the equilibrium wage.
C) A tractor manufacturer's demand for assembly-line workers is inseparably linked to the supply of tractors.
D) All of the above are correct.

Question 19

The inputs used to produce goods and services are called

A) Luddite factors.
B) marginal products.
C) labor demands.
D) factors of production.

Question 20

The term "factor market" applies to the market for

A) labor.
B) capital.
C) land.
D) All of the above are correct.

Question 21

The marginal product of labor is defined as the change in

A) output per additional unit of revenue.
B) output per additional unit of labor.
C) revenue per additional unit of labor.
D) revenue per additional unit of output.

Question 22

The basic tools of supply and demand apply to

A) both markets for goods and services and markets for labor services.
B) markets for goods and services but not to markets for labor services.
C) markets for goods and services but not to markets for factors of production.
D) all markets except those in which demand is derived demand.

Question 23

When a production function exhibits a diminishing,but positive,marginal product of labor,

A) output increases, but at an increasing rate, as more workers are employed.
B) output increases, but at a decreasing rate, as more workers are employed.
C) output declines as more workers are employed.
D) the effects on marginal product are ambiguous.

Question 24

Diminishing marginal product occurs when

A) the marginal product of an input increases as the quantity of the input increases.
B) the marginal product of an input decreases as the quantity of the input increases.
C) total output increases as the quantity of an input increases.
D) total output decreases as the quantity of an input increases.

Question 25

Rosie's Flower Shop sells floral arrangements for $20 each.If Rosie hires 10 workers,she can sell 600 arrangements per week.If she hires 11 workers,she can sell 650 arrangements per week.Rosie pays each of her workers $400 per week.Which of the following is correct?

A) For the 11th worker, the marginal profit is $1,000.
B) For the 11th worker, the marginal revenue product is $1,000.
C) The firm is maximizing its profit.
D) If the firm is employing 11 workers, then its profit would increase if it cut back to 10 workers.

Question 26

Labor markets are different from most other markets because labor demand is

A) unresponsive to changes in wages.
B) unresponsive to changes in the final prices of the products produced by the labor.
C) a derived demand.
D) very responsive to labor supply.

Question 27

Along the vertical axis of the production function we typically measure

A) revenue.
B) the marginal product of the input.
C) the quantity of input.
D) the quantity of output.

Question 28

Diminishing marginal product is closely related to

A) diminishing total cost.
B) diminishing marginal cost.
C) increasing price.
D) increasing marginal cost.

Question 29

The production function is the

A) increase in the amount of output from an additional unit of labor.
B) marginal product of an input times the price of output.
C) relationship between the quantity of inputs and output.
D) shift in labor demand caused by a change in the price of output.

Question 30

Omega Custom Cabinets produces and sells custom bathroom vanities.The firm has determined that if it hires 10 workers,it can produce 20 vanities per week.If it hires 11 workers,it can produce 22 vanities per week.It sells each vanity for $800,and it pays each of its workers $1,000 per week.Which of the following is correct?

A) For the 11th worker, the marginal profit is $600.
B) For the 11th worker, the marginal revenue product is $2,000.
C) The firm is maximizing its profit.
D) If the firm is employing 11 workers, then its profit would increase if it cut back to 10 workers.

Question 31

The marginal product of labor is

A) the increase in the amount of output from an additional unit of labor.
B) the total amount of output divided by the total units of labor.
C) total revenue minus total cost.
D) also called the marginal profit.

Question 32

Typically,as a firm hires additional workers,the marginal product of labor

A) decreases, and the value of the marginal product of labor decreases.
B) stays constant, and the value of the marginal product of labor decreases.
C) decreases, and the value of the marginal product of labor stays constant.
D) decreases, and the value of the marginal product of labor increases.

Question 33

Diminishing marginal product occurs when

A) the increases to total output are declining.
B) marginal product is negative.
C) total output is decreasing.
D) All of the above are correct.

Question 34

Economists refer to the inputs that firms use to produce goods and services as

A) derived factors.
B) derived resources.
C) factors of production.
D) instruments of revenue.

Question 35

If a firm experiences diminishing marginal productivity of labor,the marginal product

A) increases as total product increases.
B) decreases as total product increases.
C) increases as total product decreases.
D) decreases as total product decreases.

Question 36

A profit-maximizing,competitive firm for which the marginal product of labor is diminishing also experiences

A) a perfectly inelastic supply of labor.
B) a perfectly elastic supply of labor.
C) a downward-sloping demand for labor.
D) an upward-sloping demand for labor.

Question 37

If hiring more workers results in each additional worker contributing successively smaller amounts of output,then which of the following is present?

A) diminishing profitability
B) diminishing total product
C) diminishing marginal product
D) Both b) and c) are correct.

Question 38

Rosie's Flower Shop sells bouquets of roses for $15 each.If Rosie hires 10 workers,she can sell 500 bouquets per week.If she hires 11 workers,she can sell 560 bouquets per week.Rosie pays each of her workers $400 per week.Which of the following is correct?

A) For the 11th worker, the marginal profit is $500.
B) For the 11th worker, the marginal revenue product is $500.
C) The firm is maximizing its profit.
D) If the firm is employing 11 workers, then its profit would increase if it cut back to 10 workers.

Question 39

Along the horizontal axis of the production function we typically measure

A) revenue.
B) the marginal product of the input.
C) the quantity of input.
D) the quantity of output.

Question 40

Diminishing marginal product affects the shape of the production function in what way?

A) The slope of the production function decreases as the quantity of input increases.
B) The production function becomes steeper as the quantity of input increases.
C) The production function slopes downward.
D) The production function is horizontal beyond a certain quantity of input.

Question 41

Sally runs a hair styling salon.Sally is a profit-maximizing owner whose firm operates in a competitive market.The marginal cost of a haircut is $11.What is the maximum wage that Sally will pay her stylists?

A) less than $11 per haircut
B) $11 per haircut
C) more than $11 haircut
D) There is insufficient information to answer this question.

Question 42

Diane's Auto World installs tires on automobiles,light trucks,and sport utility vehicles.She is a profit-maximizing business owner whose firm operates in a competitive market.The marginal cost of installing a tire is $10.The marginal productivity of the last worker that Diane hired was 2 tires per hour.What is the maximum hourly wage that Diane was willing to pay the last worker hired?

A) $5
B) $10
C) $20
D) There is insufficient information to answer this question.

Question 43

When deciding whether to hire an additional worker,firms need only consider how the additional worker would affect

A) costs.
B) revenues.
C) output.
D) profit.

Question 44

The value of the marginal product of any input is equal to the marginal product of that input multiplied by the

A) wage.
B) marginal cost of the output.
C) change in total profit.
D) market price of the output.

Question 45

Suppose that eight workers can manufacture 70 radios per day and that nine workers can manufacture 90 radios per day.If radios can be sold for $10 each,the value of marginal product of the ninth worker is

A) 20 radios.
B) 90 radios.
C) $200.
D) $900.

Question 46

The value of the marginal product of labor is equal to the change in

A) marginal cost caused by the addition of the last worker.
B) total cost caused by the addition of the last worker.
C) total revenue caused by the addition of the last worker.
D) total profit caused by the addition of the last worker.

Question 47

When a firm experiences diminishing marginal product,what is the shape of the curve that represents the value of the marginal product of labor?

A) U-shaped
B) flat
C) downward sloping
D) upward sloping

Question 48

Which of the following statements is correct?

A) The value of the marginal product curve is the labor demand curve for competitive, profit-maximizing firms.
B) A competitive, profit-maximizing firm hires workers up to the point where the value of the marginal product of labor equals the wage.
C) By hiring labor up to the point where the value of the marginal product of labor equals the wage, the firm is producing where price equals marginal cost.
D) All of the above are correct.

Question 49

To maximize profit,a competitive firm hires workers up to the point of intersection of the

A) marginal product curve and the wage line.
B) value of marginal product curve and the wage line.
C) value of marginal product curve and the marginal revenue curve.
D) total revenue curve and the wage line.

Question 50

If the value of the marginal product of labor is less than the wage,then the firm could

A) increase profit by hiring additional labor.
B) increase profit by reducing the amount of labor hired.
C) increase revenue by lowering output.
D) reduce total cost by hiring additional workers.

Question 51

If the wage exceeds the value of the marginal product of labor,then hiring another worker

A) decreases the firm's total revenue.
B) increases the firm's profit.
C) decreases the firm's total cost.
D) decreases the firm's profit.

Question 52

Paul is the owner of Paul's Popcorn Palace.Paul is a profit-maximizing owner whose firm operates in a competitive market.An additional worker costs Paul $200 and has a marginal productivity of 40 canisters of popcorn.Assuming no other variable costs,what is the marginal cost of a popcorn?

A) $200
B) $8
C) $5
D) There is insufficient information available to answer this question.

Question 53

If the value of the marginal product of labor exceeds the wage,then the firm could

A) increase profit by hiring additional labor.
B) increase profit by reducing the amount of labor hired.
C) increase revenue by lowering output.
D) reduce total cost by hiring additional workers.

Question 54

Abdul is trying to convince the owner of a sandwich shop to hire him.He argues that he could help the shop sell an additional five sandwiches per day at the market price of $8 each.If the facts are not in dispute,but the owner does not hire him,then

A) the wage rate must be less than $40 per day.
B) hiring Abdul would involve a negative marginal product.
C) the wage rate must be more than $40 per day.
D) the wage rate must be less than $8 per day.

Question 55

For a profit-maximizing,competitive firm,the value of the marginal product of labor

A) increases when the price of output decreases.
B) is the firm's demand for labor.
C) equals the marginal product of labor divided by the wage rate.
D) All of the above are correct.

Question 56

The negative slope of the value of marginal product curve is most easily explained by

A) tight labor markets.
B) a surplus of workers.
C) diminishing marginal product.
D) diminishing marginal cost.

Question 57

If the value of the marginal product of labor exceeds the wage,then hiring another worker increases the firm's

A) profit.
B) total cost.
C) total revenue.
D) All of the above are correct.

Question 58

A worker's contribution to a firm's revenue is measured directly by the worker's

A) marginal product.
B) value of marginal product.
C) marginal product multiplied by the worker's wage.
D) value of marginal product multiplied by the output price.

Question 59

Linda's Autoplex performs oil changes on automobiles,light trucks,and sport utility vehicles.She is a profit-maximizing business owner whose firm operates in a competitive market.The marginal cost of an oil change is $20.The marginal productivity of the last worker that Linda hired was 1.5 oil changes per hour.What is the maximum hourly wage that Linda was willing to pay the last worker hired?

A) $10
B) $15
C) $20
D) $30

Question 60

Value of marginal product is defined as the additional

A) output a firm would receive after hiring one more factor of production.
B) cost of hiring one more factor of production.
C) revenue earned from selling one more unit of product.
D) revenue earned from hiring one more factor of production.

Question 61

Figure 18-1. On the graph, L represents the quantity of labor and Q represents the quantity of output per week.

Refer to Figure 18-1.The figure illustrates the

A) demand for labor.
B) supply of labor.
C) production function.
D) wage function.

Question 62

When a firm hires labor up to the point where the wage is equal to the value of the marginal product of labor,it is

A) minimizing labor costs.
B) guaranteeing that labor costs do not exceed fixed costs.
C) maximizing the number of workers it can hire and still experience a positive profit.
D) maximizing profit.

Question 63

For a profit-maximizing competitive firm,the value of marginal product curve is

A) always rising.
B) falling only when marginal product is rising.
C) the labor supply curve.
D) the labor demand curve.

Question 64

Competitive firms that maximize profits will hire workers until the value of the marginal product of labor

A) equals the wage.
B) equals the price of the final good.
C) begins to fall.
D) begins to rise.

Question 65

A competitive firm will hire workers up to the point at which the value of the marginal product of labor equals the

A) average total cost.
B) average variable cost.
C) wage.
D) price per unit of output.

Question 66

Suppose that in January a profit-maximizing firm has 25 employees.By February,the firm has decreased employment.One can infer that,when 25 employees are hired,the

A) firm is losing market share.
B) firm is minimizing losses.
C) wage exceeds the value of the marginal product of labor.
D) value of the marginal product of labor exceeds the wage.

Question 67

We observe a profit-maximizing firm hiring its 51st employee.It is possible to infer that,when 50 employees are hired,the

A) wage exceeds the value of the marginal product of labor.
B) value of the marginal product of labor exceeds the wage.
C) marginal product of labor is increasing.
D) firm is attempting to increase its market share.

Question 68

A competitive firm sells its output for $25 per unit.The marginal product of the 10th worker is 10 units of output per day; the marginal product of the 11th worker is 8 units of output per day.The firm pays its workers a wage of $160 per day.For the 10th worker,the value of the marginal product of labor is

A) $50.
B) $250.
C) $300.
D) $1,500.

Question 69

A profit-maximizing,competitive firm will always hire an additional worker when the additional worker makes a positive contribution to

A) total revenue.
B) total profit.
C) the value of the marginal product of labor.
D) marginal revenue.

Question 70

When labor is the only input a firm uses,the marginal cost of a unit of output can be defined as

A) the marginal revenue multiplied by the wage.
B) the marginal product of labor multiplied by the wage.
C) the wage divided by the marginal product of labor.
D) the marginal product of labor divided by the wage.

Question 71

The value of the marginal product is

A) total revenue minus total cost.
B) the change in total output divided by the change in an input.
C) the marginal product of an input times the price of the output.
D) total output divided by total inputs.

Question 72

For maximum profit,a firm hires labor up to the point at which the wage equals
(i)the value of the marginal product of labor.
(ii)the marginal cost of an additional unit of output.
(iii)output price multiplied by the marginal product of labor.

A) (i) and (ii)
B) (i) and (iii)
C) (ii) and (iii)
D) All of the above are correct.

Question 73

A competitive firm sells its output for $30 per unit.The marginal product of the 10th worker is 20 units of output per day; the marginal product of the 11th worker is 16 units of output per day.The firm pays its workers a wage of $150 per day.For the 11th worker,the value of the marginal product of labor is

A) $120.
B) $480.
C) $600.
D) $2,400.

Question 74

A competitive,profit-maximizing firm hires workers up to the point where the

A) marginal product equals zero.
B) marginal revenue product equals zero.
C) marginal product equals the wage.
D) value of the marginal product equals the wage.

Question 75

Suppose that a competitive firm hires labor up to the point at which the value of the marginal product equals the wage and that labor is the only input that varies for the firm.If the firm pays a wage of $700 per week and the marginal product of labor equals 100 units per week,then the marginal cost of producing an additional unit of output is

A) $7.
B) $70.
C) $700.
D) We do not have enough information to answer this question.

Question 76

For a competitive firm experiencing diminishing marginal productivity,the value of the marginal product
(i)increases when the price of output decreases.
(ii)changes when marginal product changes.
(iii)diminishes as the number of workers rises.

A) (i) and (ii)
B) (i) and (iii)
C) (ii) and (iii)
D) All of the above are correct.

Question 77

The value of the marginal product of labor is calculated by multiplying the

A) price of output by the quantity of labor.
B) price of output by the marginal product of labor.
C) wage by the quantity of labor.
D) wage by the marginal product of labor.

Question 78

Which of the following events would bring about a change in the value of the marginal product of labor?

A) technological progress that alters the amount a worker can produce
B) a change in the marginal product of labor
C) a change in the price of the product that the firm sells
D) All of the above are correct.

Question 79

Prairie Cabinets produces and sells custom kitchen cabinets.The firm has determined that if it hires 10 workers,it can produce 10 sets of cabinets per day.If it hires 11 workers,it can produce 12 sets of cabinets per day.It sells each set of cabinets for $2,000,and it pays each of its workers $200 per day.Which of the following is correct?

A) For the 11th worker, the value of the marginal product of labor is $400.
B) For the 11th worker, the value of the marginal product of labor is $4,000.
C) The firm should not hire the 11th worker since hiring this worker reduces profit.
D) In order to justify hiring the 11th worker the firm will need to raise the price of a set of cabinets.

Question 80

Suppose that a competitive firm hires labor up to the point at which the value of the marginal product equals the wage and that labor is the only input that varies for the firm.If the firm pays a wage of $700 per week and the marginal product of labor equals 20 units per week,then the marginal cost of producing an additional unit of output is

A) $35.
B) $70.
C) $700.
D) We do not have enough information to answer this question.