Indicate whether the following statements are true or false,
and then explain your answers:
a. The marginal revenue from selling another unit of eggs can
never be higher than the price of eggs.
b. Because the price a seller charges is always greater than
$0, the marginal revenue from selling another unit must also be
greater than $0.
17. Consider the market for Pop Rocks depicted in the diagram
below:
a. If the Pop Rock industry were competitive, what would the
competitive price and quantity be?
b. If the Pop Rock industry were competitive, what would the
consumer and producer surpluses be, respectively?
c. Suppose that gangland figure Tommy Vercetti monopolizes the
Pop Rock market. What price and quantity would he choose to
maximize profit?
d. Calculate the consumer and producer surpluses of this Pop
Rock monopoly.
e. Compare your answers in (d) to (b). How big is the
deadweight loss of monopoly?
20. Consider a small, isolated town in which a brewery faces
the following inverse demand: P = 15 – 0.33Q. The brewery can
produce beer at a constant marginal and average total cost of $1
per bottle.
a. Calculate the profit-maximizing price and quantity, as well
as producer and consumer surplus and the deadweight loss from
market power.
b. If it were possible to organize the townsfolk, how much
would they be willing to pay the brewery to sell beer at a price
equal to its marginal cost?
c. What is the minimum payment the brewery would be willing to
accept to sell beer at a price equal to marginal cost?
d. Is there potentially a bargain that can be struck between
the townsfolk and brewery? What would the deadweight loss be if
such a bargain were struck?