A firm is about to undertake the manufacture of a product, and it is weighing the process configuration options. There are two intermittent processes under consideration, as well as a repetitive focus. The smaller intermittent process has fixed costs of $3,000 per month and variable costs of $10 per unit. The larger intermittent process has fixed costs of $11,000 per month and variable costs of $5 per unit. A repetitive focus plant has fixed costs of $41,000 per month and variable costs of $1 per unit. Required:
a. At what output does the large intermittent process become cheaper than the small one?
b. At what output does the repetitive process become cheaper than the larger intermittent process?