When considering the consumption of apples and oranges, a consumer seeks to maximize their total utility by ensuring that the __________ gained from the last dollar spent on each good is equal.

When a consumer is deciding how to spend their money on apples and oranges, they want to get the most satisfaction or utility from each dollar they spend. This means they should compare the extra satisfaction, called marginal utility, that comes from the last dollar spent on each fruit. To maximize total utility, the consumer should continue to buy apples and oranges until the marginal utility per dollar spent on apples is equal to the marginal utility per dollar spent on oranges. For example, if spending one more dollar on apples gives 10 units of satisfaction and spending one more dollar on oranges gives 5 units, the consumer should buy more apples until the satisfaction levels balance out. By doing this, the consumer ensures they are making the best use of their money to enjoy the most overall happiness from their purchases.