Biology Forums - Study Force

1. Complete the following table, (average product and marginal product of labour) and plot the points.
I had already completed the average product column, in which you had to divide the total product by the # of workers. But I was confused about the meaning of marginal product and how to calculate it.
Second part of the Question:
2. a)at what number of labourer's does the firm experience diminishing marginal returns? 
    b)at what number of labourer's does the firm experience negative marginal returns?

I THINK it's found by taking the differences in the average products.

(https://biology-forums.com/gallery/42/6_14_03_21_2_16_20.png) (https://biology-forums.com/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=42785)

Any advice given by your teacher? Here's a source I found to help a little...

Here's the answer key to the chart maybe that will help? well we were given a formula but I wasn't getting the right answers it was ∆TP/∆L

Yup, I was wrong. You get the marginal product of labour by taking the differences of the total product column, NOT the average product.

@pl6 how come you always reveal that you have the answers afterwards?! :lol: What's the rationale behind that?

oh ok how about finding the number of labourer's does the firm experience diminishing marginal returns/negative? Would the negative one be 10?
oh srry I do that because maybe the answers would help you understand what I meant.

After 5 workers you get diminishing returns, notice how it goes from 38 (a maximum) to something less in the next row.

Yeah, the tutors would appreciate some transparency that you've been given the answers so we don't waste our time. We're technically doing this for free

Oh but not till you get to the negative numbers, so it would be 5-8?
And for negative marginal return it would actually be 9 because that's when you first start to see the negative marginal of labour.

I believe it starts when there's that turn of events, that is, maximum value has been reached.


Yes.