Answered by AI, Verified by Human Experts
Final answer:Marginal cost measures the additional cost of producing one more unit of output and is calculated by the change in total cost divided by the change in quantity. It plays a key role in production decisions, reflecting the costs that vary with production levels as opposed to fixed costs which remain constant.Explanation:Understanding Marginal CostMarginal cost is a concept in economics that measures the change in total cost when producing one additional unit of output. It is not the average cost over all units, but specifically the cost for the next unit or the additional quantity produced. To calculate marginal cost, you take the change in total cost and divide it by the change in quantity.For instance, if producing an additional 20 units increases total costs from $320 to $400, then the marginal cost would be ($400-$320) / 20, which equals to $4 per unit. This concept is vital because it helps businesses decide how much of a product to produce. Moreover, marginal cost is influenced by the law of diminishing returns, indicating that it will eventually increase as production grows due to factors becoming less efficient.Fixed costs, on the other hand, are expenses that do not change with the quantity produced, such as rent or salaries. Variable costs vary with production levels, such as materials and hourly labor. In the context of a car wash, the fixed costs might include the daily rental of the location, while the variable costs could involve supplies like soap and the wages for additional temporary staff....