Some of the following problems would be suitable for solution by engineering economic analysis. Which ones are they?
(a) Would it be better to buy a car with a diesel engine or a gasoline engine?
(b) Should an automatic machine be purchased to replace three workers now doing a task by hand?
(c) Would it be wise to enroll for an early morning class to avoid traveling during the morning traffic rush hour?
(d) Would you be better off if you changed your major?
(e) One of the people you might marry has a job that pays very little money, while another has a professional job with an excellent salary. Which one should you marry?

Who is better at multi-tasking? in business, employees are often asked to perform a complex task when their atten-tion is divided (i.e., multi-tasking). human factors (may 2014) published a study designed to determine whether video game players are better than non–video game play-ers at multi-tasking. each in a sample of 60 college stu-dents was classified as a video game player or a non-player. participants entered a street crossing simulator and were asked to cross a busy street at an unsigned intersec-tion. the simulator was designed to have cars traveling at various high rates of speed in both directions. during the crossing, the students also performed a memory task as a distraction. two variables were measured for each student: (1) a street crossing performance score (measured out of 100 points) and (2) a memory task score (measured out of 20 points). the researchers found no differences in either the street crossing performance or memory task score of video game players and non-gamers. “these results,” say the researchers, “suggest that action video game players [and non-gamers] are equally susceptible to the costs of dividing attention in a complex task”

Examine the following book-value balance sheet for university products inc. the preferred stock currently sells for $30 per share and pays a dividend of $3 a share. the common stock sells for $16 per share and has a beta of 0.9. there are 2 million common shares outstanding. the market risk premium is 9%, the risk-free rate is 5%, and the firm’s tax rate is 40%. book-value balance sheet (figures in $ millions) assets liabilities and net worth cash and short-term securities $ 2.0 bonds, coupon = 6%, paid annually (maturity = 10 years, current yield to maturity = 8%) $ 5.0 accounts receivable 3.0 preferred stock (par value $15 per share) 3.0 inventories 7.0 common stock (par value $0.20) 0.4 plant and equipment 21.0 additional paid-in stockholders’ equity 13.6 retained earnings 11.0 total $ 33.0 total $ 33.0 a. what is the market debt-to-value ratio of the firm? (do not round intermediate calculations. enter your answer as a percent rounded to 2 decimal places.) b. what is university’s wacc? (do not round intermediate calculations. enter your answer as a percent rounded to 2 decimal places.)

In the fall of 2008, aig, the largest insurance company in the world at the time, was at risk of defaulting due to the severity of the global financial crisis. as a result, the u.s. government stepped in to support aig with large capital injections and an ownership stake. how would this affect, if at all, the yield and risk premium on aig corporate debt?