Mrs Smith Is Operating a Firm in a Competitive Market

question 89

Multiple Choice

Mrs. Smith is operating a firm in a competitive market. The market price is $6.50. At her profit-maximizing level of output, her average total cost of production is $7.00, and her average variable cost of production is $6.00. Which of the following statements about Mrs. Smith's firm is correct?

• A)Mrs. Smith is earning a loss and should shut down in the short run.
• B)Mrs. Smith is earning a loss but should continue to operate in the short run.
• C)Mrs. Smith is earning a profit since the price is above the average variable cost.
• D)Without knowing Mrs. Smith's marginal cost, we cannot determine whether she should stay in business or shut down.

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Definitions:

Variable Overhead Rate Variance

The difference between the actual variable overhead incurred and the expected (standard) variable overhead allocated based on activity levels.

Labor Efficiency Variance

The difference between the actual hours worked and the standard hours expected to produce a certain level of output, multiplied by the standard labor rate.

Labor Rate Variance

The difference between the actual cost of labor and the expected (or standard) cost, often used in manufacturing to measure efficiency and cost management.

Favorable

A term typically used in budgeting and accounting to describe variances or outcomes that are better than expected or budgeted figures.