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Exercises · Q4
Q.

A monopoly firm has a total fixed cost of Rs 100 and has the following demand schedule:

Quantity12345678910
Price100908070605040302010

Find the short run equilibrium quantity, price and total profit. What would be the equilibrium in the long run? In case the total cost was Rs 1000, describe the equilibrium in the short run and in the long run.

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All cost is fixed, so MC=0MC = 0 and equilibrium is where TRTR is maximum (q=6q = 6, P=50P = 50, TR=300TR = 300). Short-run profit =200= 200; it persists in the long run. With TC=1000TC = 1000: short-run loss 700700 but it still produces; in the long run it exits.

Because the firm has only a fixed cost (Rs 100) and no variable cost, its marginal cost is zero. A profit maximiser with zero MCMC produces where MR=MC=0MR = MC = 0, i.e. where total revenue is at its maximum.

Total revenue TR=P×qTR = P \times q:

qq12345678910
PP100908070605040302010
TRTR100180240280300300280240180100

TRTR reaches its maximum of Rs 300. The 6th unit adds nothing to TRTR (MR=300−300=0MR = 300 - 300 = 0), so the equilibrium output is 6 units at a price of Rs 50 (q=5q = 5 at Rs 60 yields the same TR=300TR = 300).

Short run (TC = Rs 100). Profit =TR−TC=300−100=Rs 200= TR - TC = 300 - 100 = \textbf{Rs 200} (supernormal profit).

Long run (TC = Rs 100). A monopoly is protected by barriers to entry, so no new firm can enter to compete the profit away. The Rs 200 profit persists in the long run, with the same equilibrium (6 units at Rs 50).

If the total cost were Rs 1000 instead. …

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