Which of the following helps to avoid wasting resources on goals that cannot be accomplished?

• A. Increasing the quantity of available resources
• B. Understanding the concept of scarcity
• C. Identifying unattainable points on the production possibilities frontier
• D. Recognizing opportunity cost

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of the Production Possibilities Frontier (PPF), which represents all possible combinations of two goods that an economy can produce given its resources and technology.
2. Recognize that points on or inside the PPF are attainable, while points outside the PPF are unattainable with current resources and technology.
3. Identify that unattainable points on the PPF indicate goals that cannot be accomplished with the existing resources, thus helping to avoid wasting resources by not aiming for these points.
4. Compare this with other options: increasing resources expands the PPF but doesn't directly prevent waste; understanding scarcity is fundamental but more general; recognizing opportunity cost helps in decision-making but doesn't specifically identify unattainable goals.
5. Conclude that identifying unattainable points on the PPF is the most direct method to avoid wasting resources on impossible goals.