Chapter 23: Q. 23.5LO (page 510)
Describe what factors induce firms to enter or exit a perfectly competitive industry.
Short Answer
Regardless on if its profits pay it prices, either it will stay struggling on or close down.
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Chapter 23: Q. 23.5LO (page 510)
Describe what factors induce firms to enter or exit a perfectly competitive industry.
Regardless on if its profits pay it prices, either it will stay struggling on or close down.
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Explain how the equilibrium price is determined in a perfectly competitive market
Why would a number of plastic-recycling firms continue to operate even though the market clearing price of recycled plastic is lower than their break-even price?
Consider the firm discussed in Problem 23-13. If the firm were to produce the 12th unit and thereby incur hourly total costs of $65, what would be its marginal cost? Based on this answer and your answers to Problem 23-13, would producing 12 units maximize the firm's profits? What would be its hourly economic profits?
The table nearby represents the hourly output and cost structure for a local pizza shop. The market is perfectly competitive, and the market price of a pizza in the area is . Total costs include all opportunity costs. Fixed costs equal zero.

a. Calculate the total revenue and total economic profit for this pizza shop at each rate of output.
b. Assuming that the pizza shop always produces and sells at least one pizza per hour, does this appear to be a situation of short-run or long-run equilibrium?
c. Calculate the pizza shop's marginal cost and marginal revenue at each rate of output. Based on marginal analysis, what is the profit maximizing rate of output for the pizza shop?
d. Draw a diagram depicting the short-run marginal revenue and marginal cost curves for this pizza shop, and illustrate the determination of its profit-maximizing output rate.
Consider the information provided in Problem . Suppose the market price drops to only per pizza. In the short run, should this pizza shop continue to make pizzas, or will it maximize its economic profits (that is, minimize its economic loss) by shutting down?
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