At any given point on the curve,the slope of the total product curve always equals
A)the ratio of the marginal product and the average product.
B)the change in input divided by the change in output.
C)the average product of the input.
D)the marginal product of the input.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The slope of the total product curve represents the rate of change of output per unit change in input. This is the definition of marginal product. Therefore, the slope of the total product curve always equals the marginal product of the input (choice D). The other choices are not true, as the ratio of marginal product and average product (choice A) and average product of the input (choice C) are not related to the slope of the curve, and the change in input divided by the change in output (choice B) represents the inverse of the slope, not the slope itself.

At Any Given Point on the Curve,the Slope of the Total