In the short run, a perfectly competitive profit maximizing firm that has not shut down:

A) is operating on the downward-sloping portion of its AVC curve.
B) is operating at the minimum of its AVC curve.
C) is operating on the upward-sloping portion of its AVC curve.
D) is not operating on its AVC curve.
E) can be at any point on its AVC curve.

In the short run, a perfectly competitive profit-maximizing firm that has not shut down will be operating where marginal cost equals marginal revenue, which is typically on the upward-sloping portion of its average variable cost (AVC) curve. This is because the AVC curve typically slopes upwards after reaching its minimum point, reflecting increasing marginal costs as output increases.