Imagine your firm has the short run total cost function: C = q3 – 3q2 + 10q + 250. At what level of output (quantity of production) is your average variable cost (AVC) minimized?
At the minimum of average variable cost, marginal cost and average variable cost both are equal.
AVC = MC
Total Cost
TC = q3 - 3q2 + 10q + 250
Total Cost = Fixed Cost + Variable Cost
Fixed Cost = 250
Variable Cost = q3 - 3q2 + 10q
AVC = Variable Cost / Quantity
AVC = q3 - 3q2 + 10q / q
AVC = q2 - 3q + 10
Marginal Cost
MC = dTC / dq
MC = 3q2 - 6q + 10
Equating both MC and AVC
3q2 - 6q + 10 = q2 - 3q + 10
2q2 = 3q
q = 1.5
Hence at 1.5 units, AVC will be minimized
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