Economics Cost Of Production Study Cards

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Cost of Production

The total expenses incurred by a firm in producing a particular quantity of goods or services.

Fixed Costs

Costs that do not vary with the level of production, such as rent, salaries, and insurance.

Variable Costs

Costs that change with the level of production, such as raw materials and labor.

Total Costs

The sum of fixed costs and variable costs.

Marginal Costs

The additional cost incurred by producing one more unit of output.

Average Costs

The total cost per unit of output, calculated by dividing total costs by the quantity produced.

Opportunity Costs

The value of the next best alternative foregone when making a decision.

Economies of Scale

The cost advantages that a firm can achieve by increasing its scale of production.

Cost Curves

Graphical representations of the relationship between costs and the level of production.

Cost Minimization

The process of minimizing costs while achieving a given level of output.

Fixed Factors of Production

Inputs that cannot be easily varied in the short run, such as capital and land.

Variable Factors of Production

Inputs that can be easily varied in the short run, such as labor and raw materials.

Short Run Costs

Costs that vary with the level of production in the short run.

Long Run Costs

Costs that vary with the level of production in the long run.

Sunk Costs

Costs that have already been incurred and cannot be recovered.

Explicit Costs

Actual out-of-pocket expenses incurred by a firm in producing goods or services.

Implicit Costs

Opportunity costs of using resources owned by the firm in its own production process.

Accounting Costs

Actual expenses incurred by a firm, including both explicit and implicit costs.

Economic Costs

The total opportunity cost of producing a particular quantity of goods or services.

Short Run Average Total Cost Curve

A graphical representation of the relationship between average total cost and the level of production in the short run.

Long Run Average Total Cost Curve

A graphical representation of the relationship between average total cost and the level of production in the long run.

Law of Diminishing Marginal Returns

As more units of a variable input are added to a fixed input, the marginal product of the variable input will eventually decrease.

Economies of Scope

The cost advantages that a firm can achieve by producing multiple products together.

Diseconomies of Scale

The cost disadvantages that a firm can experience when it increases its scale of production beyond a certain point.

Break-Even Point

The level of production at which total revenue equals total costs, resulting in zero profit.

Profit Maximization

The level of production at which marginal revenue equals marginal cost, resulting in maximum profit.

Loss Minimization

The level of production at which marginal revenue equals marginal cost, resulting in minimum loss.

Shutdown Point

The level of production at which price falls below average variable cost, causing the firm to temporarily cease production.

Long Run Average Cost Curve

A graphical representation of the relationship between average cost and the level of production in the long run.

Isoquant

A curve representing all possible combinations of inputs that can produce a given level of output.

Isocost Line

A line representing all possible combinations of inputs that can be purchased with a given budget.

Least-Cost Combination of Inputs

The combination of inputs that minimizes the cost of producing a given level of output.

Perfect Competition

A market structure characterized by a large number of small firms, identical products, and ease of entry and exit.

Monopoly

A market structure characterized by a single firm with significant control over the market, barriers to entry, and unique products.

Monopolistic Competition

A market structure characterized by a large number of firms, differentiated products, and ease of entry and exit.

Oligopoly

A market structure characterized by a small number of large firms, interdependence, and barriers to entry.

Price Taker

A firm that has no control over the price of the product it sells and takes the market price as given.

Price Maker

A firm that has some control over the price of the product it sells and can influence the market price.

Short Run Shutdown Decision

A decision by a firm to temporarily cease production in the short run when price falls below average variable cost.

Long Run Exit Decision

A decision by a firm to permanently exit the market in the long run when price falls below average total cost.

Perfectly Competitive Market

A market in which there are many buyers and sellers, identical products, and ease of entry and exit.

Monopoly Market

A market in which there is a single seller with significant control over the market and barriers to entry.

Monopolistically Competitive Market

A market in which there are many buyers and sellers, differentiated products, and ease of entry and exit.

Oligopolistic Market

A market in which there are a few large sellers, interdependence, and barriers to entry.

Perfectly Elastic Demand

A demand curve that is horizontal, indicating that consumers are willing to buy any quantity at a specific price.

Perfectly Inelastic Demand

A demand curve that is vertical, indicating that consumers are willing to buy a specific quantity at any price.

Elastic Demand

A demand curve that is relatively flat, indicating that consumers are responsive to changes in price.

Inelastic Demand

A demand curve that is relatively steep, indicating that consumers are not very responsive to changes in price.

Unit Elastic Demand

A demand curve that has a constant elasticity of demand, indicating that the percentage change in quantity demanded is equal to the percentage change in price.