Question

Tom, a farmer, needs 30 bushels of grain to feed his livestock through the winter. Tom has 80 bushels and wants to sell 60 bushels to make money. What is a possible consequence of Tom selling all 60 bushels, leaving only 20 bushels for his livestock?

Answer 1

Answer and Explanation:

Number of bushels that Tom has= 80 bushels

Bushels required for livestock = 30 bushels

Bushels to be sold =60 bushels

Bushels not sold = number of bushels that Tom has - Bushels to be sold

=80-60= 20 bushels

Therefore if Tom sells 60 bushels, he runs a deficit of 10 bushels in feeding his livestock through the winter

The consequences have both positive and negative aspects :

Selling the bushels needed to feed livestock could result in a high number of death of his livestock, which could slow down or entirely ruin his livestock business

Selling the bushels needed for livestock could enable the farmer invest into other businesses which may not be livestock but more profitable. Also he could reinvest the money generated from sale of bushels into the livestock business and buy even more bushels or other livestock food or farming equipments if for example he sells the bushels for a good price and then buys lower later just before the 20 bushels left is exhausted.