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The increase or decrease in the total cost of a production run for making one additional unit of an item. It is computed in situations where the breakeven point has been reached: the fixed costs have already been absorbed by the already produced items and only the direct (variable) costs have to be accounted for.

Marginal costs are variable costs consisting of labor and material costs, plus an estimated portion of fixed costs (such as administration overheads and selling expenses). In companies where average costs are fairly constant, marginal cost is usually equal to average cost. However, in industries that require heavy capital investment (automobile plants, airlines, mines) and have high average costs, it is comparatively very low. The concept of marginal cost is critically important in resource allocation because, for optimum results, management must concentrate its resources where the excess of marginal revenue over the marginal cost is maximum. Also called choice cost, differential cost, or incremental cost.

Average Cost

In economics, average cost or unit cost is equal to total cost divided by the number of goods produced (the output quantity, Q). It is also equal to the sum of average variable costs (total variable costs divided by Q) plus average fixed costs (total fixed costs divided by Q). Average costs may be dependent on the time period considered (increasing production may be expensive or impossible in the short term, for example). Average costs affect the supply curve and are a fundamental component of supply and demand.

Total Cost

In economics, and cost accounting, total cost (TC) describes the total economic cost of production and is made up of variable costs, which vary according to the quantity of a good produced and include inputs such as labor and raw materials, plus fixed costs, which are independent of the quantity of a good produced and include inputs (capital) that cannot be varied in the short term, such as buildings and machinery. Total cost in economics includes the total opportunity cost of each factor of production as part of its fixed or variable costs.

The rate at which total cost changes as the amount produced changes is called marginal cost. This is also known as the marginal unit variable cost.

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Q: Explain Total cost marginal cost and average cost curves?
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Relationship between marginal cost and average total cost?

The cost curves best tells us the relationship between the marginal cost and average total cost. The average fixed cost (AFC) curve will decline as additional units are produced, and continue to decline.


Identify the characteristics of a perfectly competitive market and explain how the marginal revenue marginal cost average revenue average variable cost average total cost and price curves all interact?

Characteristics of Perfectly Competitive Market: Free entry / exit (no barriers to entry) Firms produce homogenous products There is perfect knowledge of the market Many Seller and Buyers Seller is a passive price taker Marginal Revenue Curve = Average Revenue = Price = Demand Curve for individual firm. The curve is constant Marginal Cost Curve intersects both Average Variable Cost and Average Total Cost curves at their minimum point Profit Maximisation output level is when MR = MC (find intersect point and draw line down to Q axis)


Explain difference between total and marginal utility. Define UTILITY. How do consumers maximize UTILITY?

explain the difference between total utility and marginal utility


6 If the average total cost curve is falling what is necessarily true of the marginal cost curve If the average total cost curve is rising what is necessarily true of the marginal cost curve?

When average total cost curve is falling it is necessarily above the marginal cost curve. If the average total cost curve is rising, it is necessarily below the marginal cost curve.


When marginal cost is less than the average total cost the average total cost is falling why?

as a marginal cost is the cost of the next product produced, if this is less than average cost, when you continue to produce more products the lower marginal cost will have an affect on the average and cause it to fall.

Related questions

Relationship between marginal cost and average total cost?

The cost curves best tells us the relationship between the marginal cost and average total cost. The average fixed cost (AFC) curve will decline as additional units are produced, and continue to decline.


What is the relationship between marginal cost and average cost curves?

Margianal cost curve crosses the average total cost curve at the lowest point on the average total cost curve to be socially and ecomonical efficient.


Identify the characteristics of a perfectly competitive market and explain how the marginal revenue marginal cost average revenue average variable cost average total cost and price curves all interact?

Characteristics of Perfectly Competitive Market: Free entry / exit (no barriers to entry) Firms produce homogenous products There is perfect knowledge of the market Many Seller and Buyers Seller is a passive price taker Marginal Revenue Curve = Average Revenue = Price = Demand Curve for individual firm. The curve is constant Marginal Cost Curve intersects both Average Variable Cost and Average Total Cost curves at their minimum point Profit Maximisation output level is when MR = MC (find intersect point and draw line down to Q axis)


Explain difference between total and marginal utility. Define UTILITY. How do consumers maximize UTILITY?

explain the difference between total utility and marginal utility


Relationship between Tota Product Marginal Product and Average Product?

Average Product = (Total Product) / (Labor) Marginal Product(2) = (Total Product)(2) - (Total Product)(1)


6 If the average total cost curve is falling what is necessarily true of the marginal cost curve If the average total cost curve is rising what is necessarily true of the marginal cost curve?

When average total cost curve is falling it is necessarily above the marginal cost curve. If the average total cost curve is rising, it is necessarily below the marginal cost curve.


When marginal cost is less than the average total cost the average total cost is falling why?

as a marginal cost is the cost of the next product produced, if this is less than average cost, when you continue to produce more products the lower marginal cost will have an affect on the average and cause it to fall.


Q3 Explain briefly the technique of marginal costing In what ways do you consider this?

The marginal cost of an additional unit of output is the cost of the additional inputs needed to produce that output. More formally, the marginal cost is the derivative of total production costs with respect to the level of output. Marginal cost and average cost can differ greatly. For example, suppose it costs $1000 to produce 100 units and $1020 to produce 101 units. The average cost per unit is $10, but the marginal cost of the 101st unit is $20 The Econ Model applications Perfect Competition and Monopoly emphasize the roles of average cost and marginal cost curves. The short movie Derive a Supply Curve (40 seconds) shows an excerpt from the Perfect Competition presentation that derives a supply curve from profit maximizing behavior and a marginal cost curve.


Explain how the diminishing returns influences the shape of the variable cost and total cost curves?

how diminishing returns influences the shapes of the variable-cost and total-cost curves


When average product is highest Options Total product is maximum Marginal product is maximum Marginal product is zero Marginal product is negative?

Negative


How does a monopolistically competitive firm determine its profit-maximizing price?

price = marginal revenue. marginal revenue > average revenue. price > marginal cost. total revenue > marginal co


Find the marginal and the average cost function for the following total cost function?

Find (i) the marginal and (2) the average cost functions for the following total cost function. Calculate them at Q = 4 and Q = 6.