There are only two firms in an industry with demand curves q1 = 30 - P and q2 = 30 - P. Both have no fixed costs and each has a marginal cost of 10 per unit produced. If they behave as profit-maximizing price takers, each produces 20 units and sells them at a price of 10 so that each firm makes zero economic profits. Suppose the two firms form a cartel. While firm 1 produces one-half of the
profit-maximizing cartel output, firm 2 cheats and produces 5 units more. What would happen to the two firms' economic profits?
A) Firm 1's profits remain the same, but firm 2's profits increase by 10.5
B) Firm 1's profits decrease by 5.5, but firm 2's profits increase by 11.
C) Firm 1's profits decrease by 25, but firm 2's profits increase by 12.5.
D) Firm 1's profits decrease by 12.5, but firm 2's profits increase by 25.
C
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Which of the following environmental problems are largely caused by persistent poverty?
(a) Deforestation. (b) Soil erosion. (c) Ground water contamination. (d) All of the above.
A perfectly competitive firm's short-run supply curve is the:
a. segment of the marginal cost curve above average fixed cost. b. segment of the marginal cost curve above the minimum level of average variable cost. c. upward-sloping segment of the marginal cost curve. d. both a and b.