Activity Number 5: Explain The Difference Between Marginal Cost and Incremental Cost
Activity Number 5: Explain The Difference Between Marginal Cost and Incremental Cost
2. Marginal cost is the cost of producing the “last” unit of output. Do you
agree or not? Explain
- In contrast to what we believe as conventional, the cost of producing the “last”
unit of output is not the same thing as Marginal Cost. Reason being, the cost of
producing the last unit of output is the same as the per-unit cost of producing
any other level of output since it is the total cost that is changing. We should
remember that Marginal Cost is actually change in the total cost associated with
a change in total output so it is not the actual per unit price of the output. In
addition, we should take into consideration that the purpose of analyzing
marginal cost is to be able to determine the point in which a firm can achieve
economies of scale to optimize production and overall operations.
4. Only implicit costs are opportunity costs. Do you agree with this
statement? If not, then why not?
- Implicit Cost is a cost that exists without the exchange of cash and it is not
recorded for accounting purposes. From the name itself which indicates “Inside”.
It occurs when a company uses their asset instead of renting or buying it. It
represents the loss of income but not he loss of profit. We should remember that
it is contrast to explicit costs as the latter represent money exchanged or the use
of tangible resources by a company. In general, one would consider that Implicit
cost is under Opportunity cost. The reason being, opportunity cost is the benefit
forgone when choosing one alternative from another and implicit cost occurs
when the company chooses to use its own asset rather than buying or renting
one. Now with the statement “Only implicit costs are opportunity costs” is a
statement that I do not agree with. The reason is simple, Implicit cost is just
one of the costs that are under opportunity costs. We do not accumulate
Opportunity cost with just this but also with explicit costs and etc.