Anatomy of C-D Production/Utility Functions in Three Dimensions

Peter Fuleky
Department of Economics, University of Washington

September 2006


Decreasing returns to scale

(Strongly concave production/utility function)








Constant returns to scale

(Weakly concave production/utility function)








Increasing returns to scale with diminishing marginal product/utility

(Quasiconcave production/utility function)








Increasing returns to scale with constant marginal product/utility

(Quasiconcave production/utility function)








Increasing returns to scale with increasing marginal product/utility

(Quasiconcave production/utility function)








Non-symmetric production/utility function with constant returns to scale








Non-symmetric production/utility function with increasing returns to scale








Profit maximization: production function with decreasing returns to scale








Profit maximization: production function with constant returns to scale








Utility maximization: utility function with decreasing returns to scale








Utility maximization: utility function with increasing returns to scale








Expenditure minimization: utility function with constant returns to scale








Literature and further reading:

The Structure of Economics, 3rd ed., Eugene Silberberg
MATLAB Documentation, MathWorks

Anatomy of CES Functions in 3D
Printable version of this document (.pdf format)



How to cite: Fuleky, P. (2006). Anatomy of a Cobb-Douglas Type Production/Utility Function in Three Dimensions. Mimeo, University of Washington, September 2006.

The Anatomy of Cobb-Douglas Production/Utility Functions in 3D, or any part thereof, may not be used as part of a document distributed for a commercial purpose.