S. Klepper, Economics 73-100, Fall 2009

 

Quiz 4

 

Suppose the government decides to subsidize both the variable and fixed costs of automobile producers, paying 10% of the total variable costs and 20% of the fixed costs of each producer.  Automobile producers would then be responsible for only 90% of their variable costs and 80% of their fixed costs.

 

Which of the following statements concerning the effects of the subsidy in the short run are correct?  Mark true for a correct answer and false for an incorrect one and provide explanations for each of your answers.

 

_____1. The average total cost of production will fall by more than 10% at every level of output.

 

_____2. The marginal cost of production will fall by 10% at every level of output.

 

_____3. The minimum price in the short run at which automobile producers will supply a positive number of automobiles will fall by more than 10%.

 

_____4. The market supply curve of automobiles will shift to the right.

 

_____5. The market demand curve for automobiles will shift to the right.