Exercise 14.6: The production q of a firm can be modeled by means of a Cobb-Douglas production function q=CK^((1)/(2))L^(epsilon -(1)/(2)), with inputs capital K and labor L (both positive), C a positive constant and epsilon a constant strictly greater than (1)/(2). The unit prices of capital and labor are 1 and 4, respectively. In the short run, labor cannot be adapted meaning that L=L_(0) with L_(0) a positive constant.
(a) Determine the optimal production q^(*) that minimizes the (short run) average cost function AC. Recall that AC=(TC)/(q) with TC the (short run) total cost function.
(b) Production is called decreasing returns to scale (DRS), constant returns to scale (CRS) or increasing returns to scale (IRS) if epsilon <1, epsilon =1 or epsilon >1, respectively. Denote by q_(DRS)^(*), q_(CRS)^(*) and q_(IRS)^(*) the optimal production obtained in (a) assuming that production is DRS, CRS or IRS, respectively.
(i) On the number line, how are q_(DRS)^(*), q_(CRS)^(*) and q_(IRS)^(*) positioned with respect to one another assuming that L_(0)>1?
(ii) On the number line, how are q_(DRS)^(*), q_(CRS)^(*) and q_(IRS)^(*) positioned with respect to one another assuming that L_(0)<1?