Final answer:
Yes, it is possible for marginal utility to be negative while total utility is positive.
Step-by-step explanation:
Yes, it is possible for marginal utility to be negative while total utility is positive.
Marginal utility measures the additional utility gained from consuming one extra unit of a good, while total utility measures the overall satisfaction obtained from consuming a certain quantity of a good.
For example, let's consider the consumption of ice cream. As a person consumes more and more ice cream, the total utility may increase (positive), but the marginal utility may decrease (negative) because each additional bite provides less additional satisfaction than the previous one.