can you explain how they got M=y^2/2 and L=2y^2 from part b of this question

Microeconomic Theory
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ISBN:9781337517942
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Chapter11: Profit Maximization
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Problem 11.9P
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can you explain how they got M=y^2/2 and L=2y^2 from part b of this question

15. Apple uses labour and machines to produce iPhones according to the production function
y = LM, where L is the number of units of labour used and M is the number of machines.
The cost of labour is w₁ = 4 per unit and the cost of using a machine is wM = 16. Apple
faces a fixed cost of F = 25 for renting its factory. Given these input prices, Apple chooses
how much labour and machines to employ in order to minimize the cost of producing any
given amount of iPhones y. Apple is therefore solving a cost-minimization problem.
(a) If Apple is cost-minimizing, how many workers will it use for each machine? That
is, find the number of workers per machine that Apple will employ. (Hint: setup the
tangency condition.)
(b)
Continuing to assume that Apple produces any given number of iPhones y in the
cheapest way possible, use the equation defining the number of workers per machine
from part (a) and Apple's production function to find expressions for the cost-minimizing
choices of labour and machines as functions of output produced y.
=
b) We have y LAMA and L = 4M. Solving them together gives: M
and L = 2y².
Transcribed Image Text:15. Apple uses labour and machines to produce iPhones according to the production function y = LM, where L is the number of units of labour used and M is the number of machines. The cost of labour is w₁ = 4 per unit and the cost of using a machine is wM = 16. Apple faces a fixed cost of F = 25 for renting its factory. Given these input prices, Apple chooses how much labour and machines to employ in order to minimize the cost of producing any given amount of iPhones y. Apple is therefore solving a cost-minimization problem. (a) If Apple is cost-minimizing, how many workers will it use for each machine? That is, find the number of workers per machine that Apple will employ. (Hint: setup the tangency condition.) (b) Continuing to assume that Apple produces any given number of iPhones y in the cheapest way possible, use the equation defining the number of workers per machine from part (a) and Apple's production function to find expressions for the cost-minimizing choices of labour and machines as functions of output produced y. = b) We have y LAMA and L = 4M. Solving them together gives: M and L = 2y².
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