Assume the market depicted in the graph is in equilibrium. What does producer surplus represent?

• A. The area below the demand curve and above the supply curve.
• B. The total revenue earned by producers in the market.
• C. The difference between the market price and the minimum price producers are willing to accept for their goods.
• D. The difference between consumer surplus and total surplus.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that producer surplus is a key concept in microeconomics representing the benefit producers receive from selling a good at a market price higher than their minimum acceptable price.
2. Recall that the minimum price producers are willing to accept corresponds to the supply curve, which reflects their costs of production.
3. Recognize that the market price is determined by the equilibrium point where supply equals demand.
4. Producer surplus is graphically represented as the area above the supply curve and below the market price line, up to the quantity sold.
5. Therefore, producer surplus measures the difference between what producers actually receive (market price) and the minimum they would accept (supply curve), summed over all units sold.