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AP Microeconomics Chapter 8 Flashcards

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12190476339Production FunctionThe relationship between the quantity of inputs a firm uses and the quantity of outputs it produces0
12190476340Fixed InputAn input whose quantity is fixed and cannot be varied Connection: An example of a fixed input on a farm is land.1
12190476341Variable InputAn input whose quantity the firm can vary Connection: The ink at a printing press.2
12190476342Long RunThe time period in which all inputs can be varied Connection: Everything can change in the long run.3
12190476343Short RunThe time period in which at least one input is fixed Connection: There is not enough time to change some inputs during the short run.4
12190476344Total Product CurveShows how the quantity of output depends on the quantity of the variable input, for a given quantity of the fixed input Connection: The total product curve is upward sloping but begins to flatten out as output increases, indicating diminishing returns to an input.5
12190476345Marginal ProductThe additional quantity of output that is produced by using one more unit of that input Connection: One more worker yields 6 more shirts, which is the marginal product.6
12190476346Diminishing Returns to an InputWhen an increase in the quantity of that input, holding the levels of all other inputs fixed, leads to a decline in the marginal product of that input Connection: If you have too many workers, you may experience diminishing returns.7
12190476347Fixed CostA cost that does not depend on the quantity of output produced; it is the cost of the fixed input Connection: The cost of the land on a farm, being a fixed input, would be the fixed cost. So, if the land is $400, the fixed cost is $400.8
12190476348Variable CostA cost that depends on the quantity of output produced; the cost of the variable input Connection: Labor is a variable cost because you can hire/fire workers.9
12190476349Total CostTotal cost of producing a given quantity of output is the sum of the fixed cost and the variable cost of producing that quantity of output Connection: If land on a farm is $800 and labor is $200 per worker with three workers, the total cost would be $1400.10
12190476350Total Cost CurveShows how total cost depends on the quantity of output11
12190476351Marginal CostThe cost of each additional unit Connection: Pens have a low marginal cost since the inputs are cheap.12
12190476352Average Total CostOften referred to as simply average cost, total cost divided by the quantity of output produced13
12190476353Average CostSynonym of Average Total Cost14
12190476354U-Shaped Average Total Cost CurveFalls at low levels of output then rises at higher levels Connection: Long run average total cost declines as output increases (economies of scale) and then begins to increase (diseconomies of scale).15
12190476355Average Fixed CostThe fixed cost per unit of output Connection: falls as more output is produced as the numerator is fixed but the denominator increases.16
12190476356Average Variable CostThe variable cost per unit of output17
12190476357Minimum-Cost OutputThe quantity of output at which average total cost is lowest - the bottom of the U-Shaped Average Total Cost Curve Connection: At this point, ATC= MC18
12190476358Long Run Average Total Cost CurveShows the relationship between output and average total cost when fixed cost has been chosen to minimize average total cost for each level of output Connection: U-Shaped curve.19
12190476359Economies of ScaleWhen long run average total cost declines as output increases Connection: Ryan's hats experiences economies of scale from boot output 0-8 - the output levels over which the long run average total cost curve is declining.20
12190476360Diseconomies of ScaleWhen long run average total cost increases as output increases Connection: Ryan's hats Boots experiences diseconomies of scale from boot output of 8 or more, the output levels over which its long run average total cost curve is rising.21
12190476361Constant Returns to ScaleWhen long run average total cost is constant as output increases Connection: The firm's long run average total cost curve is horizontal over the output levels for which there are constant returns to scale.22

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