Semi-salt industries began its operation in 1975 and remains the only firm in the world that produces and sells commercial-grade polyglutamate. while virtually anyone with a degree in college chemistry could replicate the firm’s formula, due to the relatively high cost, semi-salt has decided not to apply for a patent. despite the absence of patent protection, semi-salt has averaged accounting profits of 5.5 percent on investment since it began producing polyglutamate—a rate comparable to the average rate of interest that large banks paid on deposits over this period.
1. do you think semi-salt is earning monopoly profits? why?

Do you have to get teased in the police academy?

Sodas in a can are supposed to contain an average of 12 ounces. this particular brand has a standard deviation of 0.1 ounces, with an average of 12.1 ounces. if the can's contents follow a normal distribution, what is the probability that the mean contents of a six pack are less than 12 ounces?

In the fall, jay thompson decided to live in a university dormitory. he signed a dorm contract under which he was obligated to pay the room rent for the full college year. one clause stated that if he moved out during the year, he could sell his dorm contract to another student who would move into the dormitory as his replacement. the dorm cost was $5000 for the two semesters, which jay had already paid a month after he moved into the dorm, he decided he would prefer to live in an apartment. that week, after some searching for a replacement to fulfill his dorm contract, jay had two offers. one student offered to move in immediately and to pay jay $300 per month for the eight remaining months of the school year. a second student offered to move in the second semester and pay $2500 to jay. jay estimates his food cost per month is $500 if he lives in the dorm and $450 if he lives in an apartment with three other students. his share of the apartment rent and utilities will be $404 per month. assume each semester is 4.5 months long. disregard the small differences in the timing of the disbursements or receipts. what is the cost of the cheapest alternative?