The Cost of Controlling Emissions at a Firm Goes Up

Multiple Choice

The cost of controlling emissions at a firm goes up rapidly as the amount of emissions reduced goes up. Here is a possible model. where x is the reduction in sulfur emissions, y is the reduction in lead emissions (in pounds of pollutant per day) , and C is the daily cost to the firm (in dollars) of this reduction. Government clean-air subsidies amount to $200 per pound of sulfur and $50 per pound of lead removed. How many pounds of pollutant should the firm remove each day to minimize the net cost (cost minus subsidy) ?

A) 1 lb of sulfur and 1 lb of lead
B) 1 lb of sulfur and 2 lb of lead
C) 1 lb of sulfur and 0.5 lb of lead
D) 0.5 lb of sulfur and 1 lb of lead
E) 1.9 lb of sulfur and 1 lb of lead