Asked by Lupita Sanchez on Jun 18, 2024

verifed

Verified

the only quantities of good 1 that Barbie can buy are 1 unit or zero units.For x1 equal to zero or 1 and for all positive values of x2, suppose that Barbie's preferences were represented by the utility function (x1  6) (x2  4) .Then if her income were $16, her reservation price for good 1 would be

A) $2.86.
B) $2.50.
C) $5.71.
D) $1.50.
E) $.57.

Reservation Price

The highest price a consumer is willing to pay for a good or service, beyond which they would choose not to make a purchase.

Barbie's Preferences

A hypothetical concept referring to the assumed tastes or choices that the iconic doll character "Barbie" might have, based on her lifestyle and marketed products.

Good 1

A term used in economic models to represent the first of multiple goods considered in analysis, often with unspecified characteristics.

  • Absorb the fundamentals of demand functions and how to read them effectively.
  • Ascertain the reservation prices considering different consumer tastes and financial statuses.
verifed

Verified Answer

SC
Sapna ChandanJun 21, 2024
Final Answer :
A
Explanation :
To find Barbie's reservation price for good 1, we need to find the maximum amount she is willing to pay for it. We know that her utility function is (x1  6)(x2  4).

Using the budget constraint, we can set up the equation: $16 = p1q1, where p1 is the price of good 1 and q1 is the quantity of good 1.

We can then solve for q1 in terms of p1: q1 = 16/p1.

Substituting q1 into the utility function, we have U = (16/p1)6 + (16/p2)4.

To find the maximum reservation price, we need to take the derivative of U with respect to p1 and set it equal to 0:
dU/dp1 = -96/p1^2 = 0.
Solving for p1, we get p1 = $2.86.

Therefore, Barbie's reservation price for good 1 is $2.86. She is willing to pay up to $2.86 for one unit of good 1 without decreasing her utility.