尼克尔森微观经济学课后答案.doc

CHAPTER 2 THE MATHEMATICS OF OPTIMIZATION The problems in this chapter are primarily mathematical. They are intended to give students some practice with taking derivatives and using the Lagrangian techniques, but the problems in themselves offer few economic insights. Consequently, no commentary is provided. All of the problems are relatively simple and instructors might choose from among them on the basis of how they wish to approach the teaching of the optimization methods in class. Solutions 2.1 a. b. 8, 12 c. d. e. f. g. U = 16 contour line is an ellipse centered at the origin. With equation , slope of the line at (x, y) is . 2.2 a. Profits are given by b. so profits are maximized c. so q* = 10 obeys MR = MC = 50. 2.3 Substitution: Note: . This is a local and global maximum. Lagrangian Method: so, x = y. using the constraint gives 2.4 Setting up the Lagrangian: . So, x = y. Using the constraint gives . 2.5 a. . Substituting for t*, . . c. depends on g because t* depends on g. so . d. , a reduction of .08. Notice that so a 0.1 increase in g could be predicted to reduce height by 0.08 from the envelope theorem. a. This is the volume of a rectangular solid made from a piece of metal which is x by 3x with the defined corner squares removed. b. . Applying the quadratic formula to this expression yields . To determine true maximum must look at second derivative -- which is negative only for the first solution. If so V increases without limit. This would require a solution using the Lagrangian method. The optimal solution requires solving three non-linear simultaneous equations—a task not undertaken here. But it seems clear that the solution would involve a different relationship between t and x than in parts a-c. 2.7 a. Set up Lagrangian yields the first order conditions: Hence, . With k = 10, optimal solution is With k = 4, solving the first order conditions yields Optimal solution is Any positive value for x1