Toby’s current marginal utility from consuming peanuts is 100 utils per ounce and his marginal utility from consuming cashews is 200 utils per ounce. If peanuts cost 10 cents per ounce and cashews cost 25 cents per ounce, is Toby maximizing his total utility from the kinds of nuts? If so, explain how you know. If not, how should he rearrange his spending?

a. Toby is not maximizing his utility

b. Toby should reduce his spending on cashew and increase his spending on peanuts.

Explanation:

a. Is Toby maximizing his total utility from the kinds of nuts? If so, explain how you know.

Toby will maximize his utility when we have:

MUp/Pp = MUc/Pc

Where;

MUp/Pp = Marginal utility of peanut divided by price of peanut = 100/10 = 10

MUc/Pc = Marginal utility of cashew divided by price of cash = 200/25 = 8

From the above, Toby is not maximizing his utility. I am able to know this because MUp/Pp > MUc/Pc (i.e. 10 > 8). An Toby will only maximize his utility when MUp/Pp = MUc/Pc.

b. If not, how should he rearrange his spending?

Since MUp/Pp > MUc/Pc (i.e. 10 > 8), Toby should reduce his spending on cashew in order to increase MUc and increase his spending on peanuts reduce MUp until MUp/Pp = MUc/Pc.

d, conspicuous consumption is when you try to increase your wealth or social status (and in the case he's trying to create the perception of wealth considering he can't really afford it)

it's actually a very difficult task, due to not many people can make 2 million dollars in 2 years. besides that, to the not-so-realistic ideas, you can create a business. it could be practically anything, but make it into a business that isn't that known yet, you get me? also, lets not forget about stock market. that's where all the good stuff happens. use investments at the beginning and begin to raise up your business or whatever you're going to do. as this is a very non-realistic idea, it's still worth the shot!