The main difference between the short run and the long run is that ____________.

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The question asks: The main difference between the short run and the long run is that ____________. The provided answer option is: 'c. in the short run, one or more inputs are fixed'. Now, let's evaluate what this option implies in context of economic theory. In the short run, at least one input (such as capital or plant size) is fixed, while other inputs (like labor and raw materials) can vary. This fixed input constraint means firms cannot immediately adjust all resources, which is why costs and output respond differently in the short run. If we consider why this characterization aligns with standard definitions, it matches the core distinction that the long run is a period long enough for all inputs to be variable and for firms to adjust plant size, capacity, and other inputs, whereas the short run preserves some fixed factors. Moving to the structure of the option itself, the phrasing asserts that the short run involves fixed inputs, which is a direct and conventional way to describe the short-run constraint in production theory. If there were other options, we would weigh alternative statements such as 'in the long run, all inputs are fixed' or 'costs are constant in the short run' and explain why they fail to capture the standard definitions, but since only this option is presented, the key point to highlight is that the essential difference rests on the fixed versus variable status of inputs across the two time horizons. The logical connection here rests on the production function and flexibility of input choices: fixed inputs limit responsiveness in the short run, while full flexibility in the long run permits adjustments to all factors of production. This explains the commonly taught distinction between short run and long run in microeconomics.

The main difference between the short run and the long run is that ____________.

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