When an Externality Is Present, the Market Equilibrium Is

question 116

Multiple Choice

When an externality is present, the market equilibrium is

• A)efficient, and the equilibrium maximizes the total benefit to society as a whole.
• B)efficient, but the equilibrium does not maximize the total benefit to society as a whole.
• C)inefficient, but the equilibrium maximizes the total benefit to society as a whole.
• D)inefficient, and the equilibrium does not maximize the total benefit to society as a whole.

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Definitions:

Response Time

The amount of time it takes for a system or individual to react to a given stimulus or request.

Objective Function

A mathematical formula used in optimization to define the goal that needs to be achieved, usually involving minimization or maximization.

Nonsmooth Optimization

An area of optimization dealing with problems that do not have continuous derivatives, often involving abrupt changes.

Fixed-Cost Problem

An issue in budgeting or economics where costs do not change with the level of production or activity.