Which of the following statements is true regarding consumer surplus and willingness to pay?

• A. Consumer surplus is maximized when the price equals the consumer's willingness to pay.
• B. Willingness to pay is always equal to the market price.
• C. Consumer surplus is the difference between a consumer's willingness to pay and the actual price paid.
• D. Consumer surplus does not depend on the price paid for a good.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the concept of willingness to pay (WTP). WTP is the maximum amount a consumer is willing to pay for a good or service, reflecting the value they place on it.
2. Step 2: Define consumer surplus (CS). Consumer surplus is the difference between the consumer's willingness to pay and the actual price they pay for the good. Mathematically, it can be expressed as \(CS = WTP - P\), where \(P\) is the market price.
3. Step 3: Analyze the statement 'Consumer surplus is maximized when the price equals the consumer's willingness to pay.' Since consumer surplus is \(WTP - P\), if \(P = WTP\), then \(CS = 0\), which means consumer surplus is not maximized but zero.
4. Step 4: Evaluate the statement 'Willingness to pay is always equal to the market price.' This is generally false because WTP varies among consumers and is often higher than the market price for some consumers, creating consumer surplus.
5. Step 5: Consider the statement 'Consumer surplus does not depend on the price paid for a good.' Since consumer surplus is calculated as the difference between WTP and the price paid, it directly depends on the price. Therefore, this statement is false.