To determine the additional tons of hamburgers and tacos that can be produced when the United States and Mexico specialize in producing the goods they have a comparative advantage in, we need to compare their production levels.
Currently, the United States produces 20 tons of hamburgers and 9 tons of tacos, while Mexico produces 2 tons of hamburgers and 5 tons of tacos.
Comparing the production levels, we can see that the United States has a comparative advantage in hamburgers, as it produces more hamburgers than Mexico, and Mexico has a comparative advantage in tacos, as it produces more tacos than the United States.
When countries specialize in producing the goods they have a comparative advantage in, it allows them to allocate their resources more efficiently, leading to increased production.
Let's calculate the additional tons of hamburgers and tacos that can be produced when each country specializes:
1. United States:
- Currently produces 20 tons of hamburgers.
- Specializes in hamburgers.
- No longer produces tacos.
- Therefore, the United States can produce an additional 0 tons of hamburgers.
2. Mexico:
- Currently produces 2 tons of hamburgers.
- Specializes in tacos.
- No longer produces hamburgers.
- Therefore, Mexico can produce an additional 0 tons of tacos.
In conclusion, when the United States and Mexico specialize in producing the goods they have a comparative advantage in, there are no additional tons of hamburgers or tacos that can be produced. This means that the current production levels remain the same for both goods.