Final answer:
The expected value for the yam yields is $1,200.
Step-by-step explanation:
The expected value is calculated by multiplying the probabilities of each outcome by their respective payoffs and summing them up. In this case, the farmer has a 20% chance of a good yield, which has a payoff of $8,000. The average yield has a 30% chance and a payoff of $2,000, and the bad yield has a 50% chance and a payoff of -$2,000.
To calculate the expected value, we multiply the probability of each outcome by the corresponding payoff and sum them up:
Expected value = (0.20 * $8,000) + (0.30 * $2,000) + (0.50 * -$2,000)
Expected value = $1,600 + $600 - $1,000 = $1,200
Therefore, the expected value for the yam yields is $1,200.