Final answer:
An affordable computer company with fixed costs of $250 faces increasing marginal costs for each additional unit produced. Production incurs direct labor and machine costs, such as $90 for workers and $80 for machines in example C, all contributing to the total cost of production.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the total cost of producing computers, we need to consider various aspects of production, including labor, materials, machine costs, and other expenditures. A company that produces affordable, easy-to-use home computer systems encounters both fixed and variable costs.
The fixed costs are $250, which are costs that do not change regardless of the number of units produced. Then, we add the marginal costs, which vary depending on the production quantity: $700 for the first computer, $250 for the second, and so on. As production scales up, the marginal cost tends to increase.
Other direct costs expressed are the workers' and machines' rates. For example, in C, workers cost $90 per unit, and machines cost $80 per unit, amounting to $170 per unit collectively.
Examples of Computing Costs:
- Cost of Technology 1: 10 × $55 = $550
- Cost of Technology 2: Calculations will vary based on units produced
- Cost of Technology 3: For 7 units, 7 × $40 = $280 and for 3 units, 3 × $40 = $120
These calculations provide a base from which the company can determine the pricing needed to cover costs and generate profit.