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Microeconomics Unit 5 Assignment: the Rational Consumer

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Unit 5 Assignment: The Rational Consumer
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Chapter 10 / THE RATIONAL CONSUMER

1. Newspaper vending machines are designed so that once you have paid for one paper; you have access to all the papers in the machine and could take multiple papers at a time. However, other vending machines dispense only one item (the item you bought). You do not have access to all the goods (sodas, candy, snacks, etc.) at one time. Using the concept of marginal utility, explain why these vending machines differ?

After taking the first newspaper from the newspaper vending machine, the marginal utility for multiple newspapers is zero. Reason: all newspapers are identical (one item); you don’t learn any more news by taking more than one newspaper. If the newspaper vending machine allowed you to pay for one newspaper and take multiple newspapers, you wouldn’t.
For vending machines that dispense more than one item, the marginal utility is positive. Reason using a Coke vending machine example: after drinking the first Coke, the second will still provide more utility. It will provide less utility than the first Coke but the marginal utility of the second Coke is still positive (diminishing marginal utility). If the Coke vending machine allowed you to pay for one Coke and take multiple Cokes, you would. Therefore, the Coke vending machine is designed to dispense one Coke after you pay for one Coke.

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2. Amy is shopping at a dollar store. She is currently buying 5 bracelets that cost $1 each and 4 sodas that cost $1 each. The table below indicates the marginal utility she obtains when she purchases this combination.

| Quantity | Marginal Utility | Bracelets | 5 | 30 | Sodas | 4 | 40 |

a. Is this consumer maximizing his/her utility?

There are two rules associated with utility maximization: 1. The entire budget (income) must be spent. 2.

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