In: Economics
Labor |
Quantity of Product |
Marginal Product of Labor |
Wage |
1 |
8 |
8 |
49 |
2 |
20 |
12 |
49 |
3 |
36 |
16 |
49 |
4 |
46 |
10 |
49 |
5 |
51 |
5 |
49 |
Labor | Quantity | Marginal Product | Marginal Revenue Product | Wage |
1 | 8 | 8 | 40 | 49 |
2 | 20 | 12 | 60 | 49 |
3 | 36 | 16 | 80 | 49 |
4 | 46 | 10 | 50 | 49 |
5 | 51 | 5 | 25 | 49 |
Marginal Revenue Product = Marginal Product x $5
A firm hires workers till marginal revenue product is equal to wage.
Reason
Marginal revenue product is the additional revenue generated by hiring additional worker so if marginal revenue product is greater than the wage that means additional revenue by hiring an additional worker is greater than the cost of hiring that worker which is profit for the firm. Hence the firm continues to hire till marginal revenue product is equal to the wage or at least greater than wage.
So from the above table, the firm will hire 4 workers because till 4 workers marginal revenue product is greater than the wage.
Hence option C is correct
Firm's profit at 4 workers will be equal to
Profit = Total Revenue - Total Cost
Total Revenue = Price x Quantity
Total Revenue = 5 x 46
Total Revenue = 230
Total Cost = Number of workers x wage
Total Cost = 4 x 49
Total Cost = 196
Profit = Total Revenue - Total Cost
Profit = 230 - 196
Profit = 34
Hence option B is correct