A farmer has a tenancy contract requiring a fixed rent payment of 23 bushels. Her optimal choice is to work 8 hours a day, which provides a utility level equal to her reservation option (not working at all). If she were to work 10 hours instead, she would produce more grain. Why is this 10-hour workday considered a suboptimal choice for her?

Evaluating a Farmer's Work Decision

Analysis of Optimal Labor Under a Tenancy Contract

A tenant farmer pays a fixed rent of 23 bushels. She finds that working exactly 8 hours a day allows her to pay the rent and achieve a level of satisfaction equal to her next best alternative (not farming at all). Given this situation, the farmer would be better off working 6 hours than not farming at all, because she would still produce some grain.

Rationality of Labor Choices under a Fixed-Rent Contract

A tenant farmer pays a fixed rent in grain. Her optimal choice is to work 8 hours per day, which yields a utility level exactly equal to her reservation utility (the utility from not working at all). Match each work duration to its resulting utility outcome.

A tenant farmer has a contract requiring a fixed rent payment. She determines that working exactly 8 hours a day is her optimal choice, as it provides a utility level precisely equal to her reservation utility (the utility from her next best alternative). If this farmer were to work any number of hours other than 8, her resulting utility would fall below her ____, making the decision to work suboptimal.

A tenant farmer pays a fixed rent of 23 bushels. Her analysis shows that working 8 hours a day is her optimal choice, as the utility from this choice is exactly equal to her reservation utility (the utility from not working at all). To confirm that this choice is unique, she must evaluate other work durations. Arrange the following steps in the correct logical sequence to evaluate an alternative, such as working for only 6 hours.

Analysis of a Tenant Farmer's Optimal Work-Leisure Choice

A tenant farmer has a contract with a fixed rent. She has calculated that her best possible outcome is to work 8 hours per day. This specific choice provides her with a level of well-being that is just equal to her next best alternative (forgoing the contract and not farming). Her landlord proposes a change: the farmer must now work exactly 10 hours per day, but in return, the fixed rent will be slightly reduced. Which of the following statements provides the most accurate economic evaluation of the landlord's new offer from the farmer's perspective?

A tenant farmer pays a fixed rent of 23 bushels. She finds that working exactly 8 hours a day allows her to pay the rent and achieve a level of satisfaction equal to her next best alternative (not farming at all). Given this situation, the farmer would be better off working 6 hours than not farming at all, because she would still produce some grain.