Two Professors at a Nearby University Want to Coauthor a New

question 63

Multiple Choice

Two professors at a nearby university want to coauthor a new textbook in either economics or statistics. They feel that if they write an economics book, they have a 50 percent chance of placing it with a major publisher, and it should ultimately sell about 40,000 copies. If they cannot get a major publisher to take it, then they feel they have an 80 percent chance of placing it with a smaller publisher, with ultimate sales of 30,000 copies. On the other hand, if they write a statistics book, they feel they have a 40 percent chance of placing it with a major publisher, and it should result in ultimate sales of about 50,000 copies. If they cannot get a major publisher to take it, they feel they have a 50 percent chance of placing it with a smaller publisher, with ultimate sales of 35,000 copies.
What is the expected value for the decision alternative to write the economics book?

• A)50,000 copies
• B)40,000 copies
• C)32,000 copies
• D)30,500 copies
• E)10,500 copies

---

Definitions:

Net Income

The total earnings of a company after subtracting all expenses, taxes, and costs, indicating the company's overall profitability.

Discontinued Operations

Components of a business that have been sold or abandoned and are reported separately in the financial statements to give a clearer picture of ongoing operations.

Component

A distinct and often smaller part of a larger system, that contributes to the overall functionality or structure of that system.

Payout Ratio

A financial metric indicating the percentage of earnings a company pays to its shareholders in the form of dividends.