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Marginal Product and Labor Costs
easy

If a firm hires an additional worker and the marginal product of labor is 20 units, while the wage paid to that worker is $15, what is the firm's marginal benefit from hiring this worker?

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Choose the Best Answer

A

$20

B

$15

C

$5

D

$35

Understanding the Answer

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Answer

The firm's marginal benefit from hiring an additional worker is based on how much extra output that worker produces compared to what they cost. In this case, the worker produces 20 units of output, which is their marginal product. Since the firm pays the worker $15, the benefit from the 20 units of output must be compared to this cost. If the value of the 20 units produced is greater than $15, then hiring the worker is beneficial for the firm. For example, if these 20 units can be sold for $30, the firm gains a $15 profit from hiring that worker, making it a good decision.

Detailed Explanation

The marginal benefit is the extra output from hiring one more worker. Other options are incorrect because This answer confuses cost with benefit; This answer suggests the benefit is less than the wage.

Key Concepts

marginal product of labor
Topic

Marginal Product and Labor Costs

Difficulty

easy level question

Cognitive Level

understand

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