Question

Walmart can use either self-service check out machines or cashiers to process customer purchases. For Walmart, self-service checkout machines and cashiers are perfect substitutes. Suppose that self-service checkout machines can process the purchases of 100 customers per hour and that a cashier can process the purchases of 60 customers per hour. Suppose that the price of operating a self-service checkout machine is 20 dollars per hour and that cashiers are paid an hourly wage of 10 dollars per hour. Answer the following questions: a) Write down Walmart's production function for processing customers' pur chases. This question is worth Five Points. b) What is Walmart's demand for self-service check out machines given the production technology and input prices? This question is worth Five Points c) What is Walmart's demand for cashiers given the production technology and input prices? This question is worth Five Points. d) How much will it cost Walmart to process the purchases of 400 customers in an hour?

Answer 1

Answer:

a) Q = 100M + 60C

b) L = 0

c) L = Q / 60

d) Cost = $66.67

Explanation:

a)

Let M be the self service machines and L be the cashiers hired by company.

M = self service machines

C = hired cashiers

Q = Total output

Each self service machine can process 100 orders per hour = 100M

Cashier can process 60 orders per hour = 60C

Then,

Q = 100M + 60C

b)

Marginal Product of self service machine = 100 / 20 = 5 order per dollar

Marginal Product of cashier = 60 / 10 = 6 order per dollar

Marginal Product of cashier is higher than Marginal Product of self service machine(6 > 5).

Then, demand for self service machine is zero.

L = 0

c)

L = Orders to be processed / Order processed per cashier  

L = Q / 60

d)

L = Q / 60

L = 400 / 60 = 6.66666667

Cost = L x 10 = 6.66666667 x 10 = $66.67

Hope this helps!