You are a manager for Herman Miller—a major manufacturer of office furniture. You recently hired an economist to work with engineering and operations experts to estimate the production function for a particular line of office chairs. The report from these experts indicates that the relevant production function is
Q = 2(K) 1/2 (L) 1/2
where K represents capital equipment and L is labor. Your company has already spent a total of $10,000 on the 4 units of capital equipment it owns. Due to current economic conditions, the company does not have the flexibility needed to acquire additional equipment. If workers at the firm are paid a competitive wage of $100 and chairs can be sold for $200 each, what is your profit-maximizing level of output and labor usage? What is your maximum profit?