Question

The production possibilities curve below shows the hypothetical relationship between the production of guns (national defense) and butter (social goods) in an economy. Combination Guns Butter A 0 4 B 14 3 C 26 2 D 36 1 E 44 0 What is the marginal opportunity cost of producing the second unit of butter? What is the total opportunity cost of producing the second unit of butter? What is the marginal opportunity cost of producing the third unit of butter? What is the total opportunity cost of producing the third unit of butter?

Answer 1

Answer:

Marginal opportunity cost is the number of units of good 1 that are sacrificed for producing an additional unit of other good.

A) If we increase the production of butter from 1 to 2 then Guns production decreases from 36 to 26. Thus opportunity cost of second unit of butter is 10 guns.

B) Total opportunity cost of 2nd unit of butter = 18 guns

C) marginal opportunity cost of producing the third unit of butter = 12 Guns

D) Total opportunity cost of third unit of butter = 30 Guns