79. The first, second, and third workers employed by a firm add 24, 18, and 9 units to total product, respectively. Therefore, we can conclude that

A. marginal product of the third worker is 9.
B. the third worker has to work with poorer-quality tools and raw materials.
C. the firm will not want to hire more than three workers.
D. the first worker puts forth more effort than the second and third workers.

Question

79. The first, second, and third workers employed by a firm add 24, 18, and 9 units to total product, respectively. Therefore, we can conclude that

A. marginal product of the third worker is 9.
B. the third worker has to work with poorer-quality tools and raw materials.
C. the firm will not want to hire more than three workers.
D. the first worker puts forth more effort than the second and third workers.

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Marginal product (MP) is the additional output generated by hiring one more worker. Given the contributions of the first, second, and third workers as 24, 18, and 9 units, those numbers are precisely the marginal products of each worker.

Step-by-step reasoning and calculations:
1. Definition: MP_n = change in total product when the nth worker is employed.
2. If the first worker adds 24 units, MP1 = 24.
3. If the second worker adds 18 units, MP2 = 18.
4. If the third worker adds 9 units, MP3 = 9.
5. Total product after three workers = 24 + 18 + 9 = 51 units (intermediate check).

Why the correct answer is correct:
- Option A states “marginal product of the third worker is 9.” This exactly matches the definition and the given data (the third worker’s contribution is 9 units), so A is correct.

Why the other options are incorrect:
- Option B (“the third worker has to work with poorer-quality tools and raw materials”): The numeric decrease in MP shows diminishing marginal returns but does not identify the cause. Poorer tools or materials might be one explanation, but it is not uniquely implied by the data; we cannot conclude this without additional information.
- Option C (“the firm will not want to hire more than three workers”): Hiring decisions depend on comparing marginal revenue product (additional revenue generated by an additional worker) to the wage. A declining MP does not automatically mean marginal revenue falls below wage; thus we cannot conclude the firm won’t hire more workers.
- Option D (“the first worker puts forth more effort than the second and third workers”): Differences in MP can arise from specialization, task allocation, or the production process, not necessarily differing effort levels. The data do not provide information about effort.

Conclusion: Based on the definition and the provided numbers, the marginal product of the third worker is 9, so the correct answer is A.

Similar Questions

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77. Marginal product A. diminishes at all levels of production. B. may initially increase, then diminish, but never become negative. C. may initially increase, then diminish, and ultimately become negative. D. is always less than average product.

0 0 1 5 2 20 3 32 4 42 5 50 6 55 7 58 8 58 9 56 58. Refer to the table. With the addition of the second unit of input, the marginal product is A. 15 and the average product is 20. B. 25 and the average product is 10. C. 15 and the average product is 10. D. 10 and the average product is 15.

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