"The Resources Now Going into the War on Terrorism and into Improved

question 191

Multiple Choice

"The resources now going into the War on Terrorism and into improved airport security would save more lives if they were invested in medical research." This statement most clearly reflects which of the following?

• A) The best test of an economic theory is its ability to predict.
• B) There is no such thing as a free lunch--the use of scarce resources always has an opportunity cost.
• C) selfishness; if people were not selfish, we could have more of everything.
• D) The value of goods can be determined objectively.

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Definitions:

Natural Monopoly

A situation in which a single firm can supply a product or service to an entire market more efficiently than multiple companies, often due to high fixed costs.

Economies of Scale

The cost advantage that arises with increased output of a product, leading to a fall in the per-unit production cost.

Average Total Cost

The total cost of production divided by the number of units produced, essentially representing the per-unit production cost.

Marginal Cost

The financial outlay involved in the manufacture of one more unit of a product or service.