The Drought of 2011 Devastated Hay Crops in the Plains

question 3

Multiple Choice

The drought of 2011 devastated hay crops in the plains states and horse owners ranged far and wide to purchase hay for their horses when winter arrived. Hay can be purchased "up north" for $4 a bale and a few entrepreneurs with large trailers were more than willing to pick up a few hundred bales and haul them south where demand was high. The transportation cost was $6 per bale and a packing and loading cost of $1 was typical. The landed cost of a bale of hay this winter was:

• A)$4.
• B)$6.
• C)$10.
• D)$11.

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Definitions:

Cost Function

A mathematical relation that describes how production costs vary with changes in the quantity of output produced.

Profit-Maximizing Output

The quantity of production that generates the highest possible profit for a firm, determined by the intersection of marginal cost and marginal revenue.

Price Equals Marginal Cost

This principle suggests that in a competitive market, firms set prices equal to their marginal cost of production, achieving economic efficiency.

Profit Maximization

The process or strategy aimed at achieving the highest possible profit where total revenue exceeds total costs.