Two Firms, a and B, Both Produce Widgets

question 32

Multiple Choice

Two firms, A and B, both produce widgets. The price of widgets is $1 each. Firm A has total fixed costs of $500,000 and variable costs of 50¢ per widget. Firm B has total fixed costs of $240,000 and variable costs of 75¢ per widget. The corporate tax rate is 40%. If the economy is strong, each firm will sell 1,200,000 widgets. If the economy enters a recession, each firm will sell 1,100,000 widgets. Calculate firm A's degree of operating leverage.

• A) 11.0
• B) 2.86
• C) 9.09
• D) 1.00

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Definitions:

Systematic Bias

A consistent and predictable error introduced into sampling or testing by selecting or encouraging one outcome or answer over others.

Biased Sample

A sample that does not accurately reflect the population from which it was drawn, often due to overrepresentation or underrepresentation of certain groups.

Target Population

The entire group of individuals or instances about whom the research is focused and to whom the results of the study are intended to be generalized.

Systematic Difference

Differences between groups or conditions that are consistent, predictable, and attributable to a specific cause or intervention in a study.