There are two goods, coffee and mineral water, available in arbitrary nonnegative quantities (so the consumption set is R2+). A consumer has preferences over consumption bundles that are represented by the following utility function: u(c, m) = min{c, m} + c + m, where c is the quantity of coffee (in grams) and m is the quantity of mineral water (in liters). The consumer has wealth in Dirhams of w > 0. The price of coffee is p > 0 (in grams/Dirham) and the price of mineral water q > 0 (in liters/Dirham).   (a) In an appropriate diagram, illustrate the consumers map of indifference curves. Make sure you label the diagram clearly, and include as part of your answer any calculations about the slopes of the indifference curves. (b) Formulate and solve the consumer’s utility maximization problem. Your final answer should describe the consumer’s demand for coffee and mineral water as a function of the wealth w and the prices p and q, as well as the consumer’s indirect utility function.

Economics: Private and Public Choice (MindTap Course List)
16th Edition
ISBN:9781305506725
Author:James D. Gwartney, Richard L. Stroup, Russell S. Sobel, David A. Macpherson
Publisher:James D. Gwartney, Richard L. Stroup, Russell S. Sobel, David A. Macpherson
Chapter20: Consumer Choice And Elasticity
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 4CQ
icon
Related questions
Question

There are two goods, coffee and mineral water, available in arbitrary nonnegative quantities (so the consumption set is R2+). A consumer has preferences over consumption bundles that are represented by the following utility function:
u(c, m) = min{c, m} + c + m,

where c is the quantity of coffee (in grams) and m is the quantity of mineral water (in liters).

The consumer has wealth in Dirhams of w > 0. The price of coffee is p > 0 (in grams/Dirham) and the price of mineral water q > 0 (in liters/Dirham).

 

(a) In an appropriate diagram, illustrate the consumers map of indifference curves. Make sure you label the diagram clearly, and include as part of your answer any calculations about the slopes of the indifference curves.


(b) Formulate and solve the consumer’s utility maximization problem. Your final answer should describe the consumer’s demand for coffee and mineral water as a function of the wealth w and the prices p and q, as well as the consumer’s indirect utility function.

Expert Solution
trending now

Trending now

This is a popular solution!

steps

Step by step

Solved in 2 steps

Blurred answer
Recommended textbooks for you
Economics: Private and Public Choice (MindTap Cou…
Economics: Private and Public Choice (MindTap Cou…
Economics
ISBN:
9781305506725
Author:
James D. Gwartney, Richard L. Stroup, Russell S. Sobel, David A. Macpherson
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
Microeconomics: Private and Public Choice (MindTa…
Microeconomics: Private and Public Choice (MindTa…
Economics
ISBN:
9781305506893
Author:
James D. Gwartney, Richard L. Stroup, Russell S. Sobel, David A. Macpherson
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
Microeconomics A Contemporary Intro
Microeconomics A Contemporary Intro
Economics
ISBN:
9781285635101
Author:
MCEACHERN
Publisher:
Cengage
Micro Economics For Today
Micro Economics For Today
Economics
ISBN:
9781337613064
Author:
Tucker, Irvin B.
Publisher:
Cengage,
Microeconomic Theory
Microeconomic Theory
Economics
ISBN:
9781337517942
Author:
NICHOLSON
Publisher:
Cengage
Exploring Economics
Exploring Economics
Economics
ISBN:
9781544336329
Author:
Robert L. Sexton
Publisher:
SAGE Publications, Inc