If a community decides to allocate more resources to healthcare instead of education, what economic principle are they demonstrating?

When a community decides to allocate more resources to healthcare instead of education, they are demonstrating the economic principle of opportunity cost. This principle means that when you choose one option, you give up the chance to pursue another. In this case, by investing more in healthcare, the community might be sacrificing improvements in schools or educational programs. For example, if the community spends more money on hospitals, they may not be able to hire new teachers or update classroom materials. This choice reflects the need to prioritize certain needs over others based on the available resources.