A reserve price is a minimum price set by the auctioneer. If no bidder is willing to pay the reserve price, the item is unsold at a prot of $0 for the auctioneer. If only one bidder values the item at or above the reserve price, that bidder pays the reserve price. An auctioneer faces two bidders, each with a value of either $126 or $163, with both values equally probable. Without a reserve price, the second highest bid will be the price paid by the winning bidder. The following table lists the four possible combinations for bidder values. Each combination is equally likely to occur. Or.- the following rabie, indicate the price paid by the winning bidder with and without the stated reserve price. Bidder ]. Value Bidder 2 Value Price Without Reserve (3;) (5) Probability (3;) Price with $168 Reserve Price $126 $126 0.25 $126 V $0 V $126 $168 0.25 $126 V $168 V $168 $126 0.25 $126 V $168 V $168 $168 0.25 $168 V $168 V Without a reserve price' the expected price is $136.50 . With a reserve price of $168, the expected price is $126.00 . Thus, the expected price is larger without V the reserve price