Final Answer:
To maximize profit, the perfectly competitive firm should produce more shirts, as the marginal revenue of $20 exceeds the marginal cost of $22. Option B: "produce more shirts to increase profit" is answer.
Explanation:
In a perfectly competitive market, profit maximization occurs when marginal revenue (MR) equals marginal cost (MC). In this scenario, the marginal revenue for the last shirt is $20, while the marginal cost is $22. To optimize profit, the firm should continue production as long as MR is greater than MC.
In this case, producing more shirts is justified because the additional revenue generated ($20) exceeds the additional cost incurred ($22).
Options such as charging $22 for the last shirt or producing fewer shirts would not align with profit maximization principles in a perfectly competitive market. Therefore, the optimal strategy is to produce more shirts to increase overall profit.
Therefore Option B is answer.
Complete Question: A perfectly competitive firm finds that for the last shirt that it produces and sells, the marginal revenue is $ 20 and the marginal cost is $ 22. The firm should
charge $ 22 to maximize profit
produce more shirts to increase profit
produce fewer shirts to increase profit
hire more workers to increase production
shut down if the average variable cost is less than $ 20