A farmer believes there is a 50–50 chance that the next growing season will be abnormally rainy. His expected utility function has the form 1. expected utility ==In Y NR +5! In YR, 2 where YNR and YR represent the farmer's income in the states of "normal rain" and "rainy," respectively. a. Suppose the farmer must choose between two crops that promise the following income prospects: Crop YNR YR Wheat $28,000 $10,000 Corn $19,000 $15,000 Which of the crops will he plant? b. Suppose the farmer can plant half his field with each crop. Would he choose to do so? Explain your result. c. What mix of wheat and corn would provide maximum expected utility to this farmer? d. Would wheat crop insurance-which is available to farmers who grow only wheat and which costs $4,000 and pays off $8,000 in the event of a rainy growing season-cause this farmer to change what he plants?

Microeconomic Theory
12th Edition
ISBN:9781337517942
Author:NICHOLSON
Publisher:NICHOLSON
Chapter7: Uncertainty
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 7.8P
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A farmer believes there is a 50–50 chance that the next growing season will be abnormally rainy.
His expected utility function has the form
expected utility =;In Y NR +;In YR,
where YNR and YR represent the farmer's income in the states of “normal rain" and "rainy,"
respectively.
a. Suppose the farmer must choose between two crops that promise the following income
prospects:
Crop
YNR
YR
Wheat
$28,000
$10,000
$15,000
Corn
$19,000
Which of the crops will he plant?
b. Suppose the farmer can plant half his field with each crop. Would he choose to do so? Explain
your result.
c. What mix of wheat and corn would provide maximum expected utility to this farmer?
d. Would wheat crop insurance-which is available to farmers who grow only wheat and which
costs $4,000 and pays off $8,000 in the event of a rainy growing season-cause this farmer to
change what he plants?
Transcribed Image Text:A farmer believes there is a 50–50 chance that the next growing season will be abnormally rainy. His expected utility function has the form expected utility =;In Y NR +;In YR, where YNR and YR represent the farmer's income in the states of “normal rain" and "rainy," respectively. a. Suppose the farmer must choose between two crops that promise the following income prospects: Crop YNR YR Wheat $28,000 $10,000 $15,000 Corn $19,000 Which of the crops will he plant? b. Suppose the farmer can plant half his field with each crop. Would he choose to do so? Explain your result. c. What mix of wheat and corn would provide maximum expected utility to this farmer? d. Would wheat crop insurance-which is available to farmers who grow only wheat and which costs $4,000 and pays off $8,000 in the event of a rainy growing season-cause this farmer to change what he plants?
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