--%>
Assignment Help - homework help

Demand curve for peanuts

Question:

a) Johnny consumes peanuts (x1) and a composite good (x2). His utility function is U = x1x2. His marginal utilities are MU1 = x2 and MU2 = x1. Johnny's budget is $20 and the price of the composite good is $1. Derive Johnny's demand function for peanuts.

b) Ambrose consumes peanuts (x1) and a composite good (x2).He has a utility functionU = 4 x1 + x2. This means his MU1 = 2/√x1 and his MU2 = 1 . The price of the composite good is p2 = 1. His budget is $20 per month. Derive Ambrose's demand function for peanuts. How does it compare with Johnny's demand curve for peanuts?

Solution:

a) U = x1x2

MRS = MU1/MU2 = x2/x1

Now, MRS = P1/P2 = P/1 = x2/x1 => x2 = 2Px1 {taking P1 = P}

Putting this value in budget equation:

Px1 + x2 = 20

  1.   Px1 + 2Px1 = 30
  2.   Px1 = 10
  3.   x1 = 10/P
  4.   x2 = 20

b) U = 4 Öx1 + x2.

MRS = MU1/ MU2 = (2/Öx1)/1 = 2/Öx1

Now, MRS = P1/P2 = P/1 = 2/Öx1

  1.   Öx1=2/P
  2.   x1 = 4/P2

Therefore, Ambrose's demand for peanuts does not depend upon his income, while Johnny's demand for peanuts does depend upon his income.

   Related Questions in Microeconomics

  • Q : Shifting of Complementary Goods towards

    The War in Iraq contributed to sharp rises in the world price of oil. This is most probable to encompass caused the demand for car washes in United States to: (1) Shift towards right. (2) Increase vertically. (3) Stabilize. (4) Shift towards left. (5) Much more inform

    		•
  • Q : Decrease transportation and transaction

    The value of land is attributable to the ways exactly sites decrease transportation and other transaction costs are termed as: (1) location rents. (2) transportation rents. (3) short term quasi rents. (4) parcel posts. (5) transaction

    		•
  • Q : Describe Marginal benefit curve Chose

    Chose the right answer from the following . The marginal benefit curve is: 1) upsloping because of increasing marginal opportunity costs. 2) upsloping because successive units of a specific product yield less and less extra benefit. 3) downsloping because of increasin

    		•
  • Q : Experiencing the Economies of Scope A

    A soft drink bottler which finds it cost efficient and gainful to deliver the chips and other snack foods all along with cola would be experiencing: (i) Economies of scope. (ii) Positive psychic income. (iii) Economies of scale. (iv) Economies of structure. (v) Diseco

    		•
  • Q : Natural barriers to entry in network

    Assume that an equipment or software firm has copyrights and patents which restrict other firms from producing goods embodying its technology, and which the firm is shielded from competition since customers can deal along with each other at lower costs when they utili

    		•
  • Q : Predictable Flows of Income Vigorous

    Vigorous competition for predictable flows of income recommends that federal agricultural subsidies will tend to be rapidly: (1) spent because most farmers lack sufficient budgeting skills. (2) capitalized within higher prices for farm land. (3) slash

    		•
  • Q : Official unemployement Provide the

    Provide the solution of this question. To be officially unemployed a person must: A) be in the labor force. B) be 21 years of age or older. C) have just lost a job. D) be waiting to be called back from a layoff.

    		•
  • Q : Examples of pure economic rent The

    The clearest illustrations of pure economic rent are payments: (1) for improvements which increase the productivity of resources. (2) to owners of unimproved land. (3) exceeding the productivity of a resource. (4) received by owners of homogeneous res

    		•
  • Q : Fixed amount of interest An IOU which

    An IOU which pays a fixed amount of interest every year, without a maturity date, that is a: (w) T-bill. (x) fiduciary. (y) Series E bond. (z) perpetuity. I need a good answer on the topic of Economics

  • Q : Rental check of pure economic rent The

    The part of your monthly rental check which shows pure economic rent is that that pays only for the use of the landlord's: (w) land. (x) capital. (y) labor. (z) entrepreneurial skills. I need a goo

    		•