4. Production Possibility Frontier

An economy consists of three workers: Bob, Eric, and Kenji. Each works 10 hours a day and can produce two services: mowing lawns and washing cars. In an hour, Bob can either mow 2 lawns or wash 1 car; Eric can either mow 1 lawn or wash 1 car; and Kenji can either mow 1 lawn or wash 2 cars.

For each of the scenarios listed in the following table, determine how many lawns will be mowed and how many cars will be washed per day and enter these values into the corresponding row.

Scenario Lawns Mowed Cars Washed

All three spend all their time mowing lawns. (A) ______________ __________________

All three spend all their time washing cars. (B) _____________ __________________

All three spend half their time on each activity. (C) ______________ ________________

Bob spends half his time on each activity, while Eric only washes cars and Kenji only mows lawns. (D) ______________ ________________

In the following table, identify the opportunity cost of washing cars for each worker.

Worker Opportunity Cost of Washing Cars

Bob

Eric

Kenji

Assume that the resources best suited to producing a particular service are preferentially used in the production of that service and that as the economy moves down along the production possibilities frontier, one worker at a time is transferred from mowing lawns to washing cars. Using the blue points (circle symbol), graph the production possibilities frontier (PPF) for this economy on the following graph. Then use the black point (plus symbol) to identify point A, the green point (triangle symbol) to identify point B, the orange point (square symbol) to identify point C, and the purple point (diamond symbol) to identify point D on the graph.

PPF

A

B

Quantity of Lawns Mowed C

D

0

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55

Quantity of Cars Washed

True or False: The production possibilities frontier consists of straight-line segments, rather than being smoothly bowed outward throughout, because each worker faces a constant trade-off between mowing lawns and washing cars.

True/False

Indicate whether each of the following allocations is efficient or inefficient.

Allocation Efficient Inefficient

A

B

C

D