Final answer:
In an essay comparing skiing and snowboarding, the theme of equipment design is often explored. This includes how equipment design affects each sport, but a unique angle is presented by discussing the comparative advantage in production, as exemplified by Plant 3's snowboard production efficiency compared to skiing.
Step-by-step explanation:
When comparing and contrasting skiing and snowboarding in an essay, a common theme likely to be explored is equipment design. This theme encompasses how the equipment used for each sport affects performance, style, and personal preference. In an essay, the design of skis and snowboards can be analyzed in terms of shape, bindings, and the skills required for their uses. However, drawing from the provided reference, a deeper point may be discussed regarding the nature of comparative advantage within the production of this equipment. In the example given, Plant 3 has a comparative advantage in snowboard production not because it is particularly efficient at producing snowboards, but because it is less efficient at producing skis compared to the other plants. Therefore, Alpine gives up fewer skis by allocating snowboard production to Plant 3.