A stairwell in a certain office building is always congested at 12:00 p.m.and 2:00 p.m.The congestion is so bad that people have been complaining to the building's owner.Which of the following methods would be the most efficient way of reducing congestion?
A)Charge everyone who uses the stairwell when it is congested a fee based on their income so that richer people will pay more than poorer people.
B)Encourage people to voluntarily keep off the stairwell during peak times.
C)Charge everyone who uses the stairwell when it is congested the same fee.People who value the use of the stairs the most will be the ones who use the stairwell at peak times.
D)Hold a lottery to determine who wins the right to use the stairwell at peak times.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Option C is the most efficient way of reducing congestion because it creates an incentive for people to use the stairwell at non-peak times. People who are willing to pay the fee will still use the stairwell, but those who are not willing to pay will be encouraged to use the elevator or wait until later to use the stairs. Option A is unfair because it discriminates against people based on their income level. Option B relies on voluntary compliance, which may not be sufficient to reduce congestion. Option D is arbitrary and does not create a clear incentive for people to use the stairwell at non-peak times.

A Stairwell in a Certain Office Building Is Always Congested