In: Accounting
The production of a manufacturer is given by the Cobb-Douglas production function
f(x,y)=30x^(4/5)y^(1/5)
where x represents the number of units of labor (in hours) and y
represents the number of units of capital (in dollars) invested.
Labor costs $10 per hour and there are 8 hours in a working day,
and 250 working days in a year. The manufacturer has allocated
$4,000,000 this year for labor and capital. How should the money be
allocated to labor and capital to maximize productivity this year?
Round answers to 2 decimal places, if necessary.
To maximize productivity, they should spend their money on ? hours
of labor and invest $?. This leads to a maximum value of ? units.
Also, if the number of dollars allocated to labor and capital is
increased by 1, the number of units produced will Select an answer
(increase/decrease) by approximately ?
According to the given data
f(x,y)=30x^(4/5)y^(1/5) ==>(a)
in subjuct to
y + (10*8*250)x ≤ $4,000,000
y + 20,000x ≤ 4,000,000
lets assume that
g(x,y) ==> y + 20,000x = 4,000,000 ==> (b)
now lets use lagrange multiplier λ,
fx = λgx
30 * (4/5) * x^(-1/5) * y^(1/5) = λ (20,000)
λ = x^(-1/5) * y^(1/5) * (6/5000) ==>(c)
fx = λgx
30 * (1/5) * x^(3/5) * y^(-3/5) = λ (1)
λ = 6 * x^(3/5) * y^(-3/5)
Now, lets substitute λ from (c)
x^(-1/5) * y^(1/5) * (6/5000) = 6 * x^(3/5) * y^(-3/5)
x^(-1/5) * x^(-3/5) = 5000 * y^(-3/5) * y^(-1/5)
1/x = 5000* 1/y
y = 5000x ==> (d)
From (b) & (d), we get that
5000x + 20,000x ≤ 4,000,000
25,000x = 4,000,00
x = 160
Then, y = 5000*160 = 800,000
x = 160, y = 800,000
therefore, f(x,y)=30x^(4/5)y^(1/5)
==> 30 *(160)^(4/5) * (800,000)^(1/5)
==> 26,365.45
So, to maximize the productivity they have to spend 160 hours of labour & also need to invest $800,000.
This leads to maximum value of 26,365.45 units
If the number of $ allocated to labour & the capital is raised by 1
then we get that,
x = 4,000,001/25,000 = 160
therefore, the number of units provide will not change approximately
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