This question is really two questions masquerading as one.

First you're asked how many caps would be produced if the price were P5? As long as P > AVC, which it clearly is at P5, the profit maximizing firm produces where P = MC. In this instance, this means producing an output of Q5... simple enough.

The question then goes on to ask, how much will be produced in long-run equilibrium? To answer this we need to recall what long run equilibrium is for perfect competition. We know that in long run equilibrium firms earn zero profit, which means P = ATC = MC (which is where ATC is at the minimum). This means that in long run equilibrium the price will be P4, so output will have to be Q4.

2. Again, referring to Figure 1, if the price of a baseball cap is P5 in the short run, how many would Mike's produce? How many would he produce in long-run equilibrium?
  1. Mike's would produce Q5 in the short run and Q5 in the long run. Q5 is right for the short run but is too large for the long run since P5 cannot be the long run equilibrium price.
  2. Mike's would produce Q5 in the short run and Q4 in the long run.
  3. Mike's would produce Q4 in the short run and Q4 in the long run. Q4 is correct for the long run but is too low an output for the short run.
  4. Mike's would produce Q4 in the short run and Q2 in the long run. At a price of P5 Q4 would be too low an output for profit maximization in the short run and Q2 is only the correct output if the price is P2 which only covers variable costs so is too low for a long run equilibrium price.
  5. Mike's would produce Q2 in the short run and Q2 in the long run. Q2 is only the correct output if the price is P2 which only covers variable costs so is too low for a long run equilibrium price.
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