A competitive firm maximizes profit by choosing which of the following?

A competitive firm maximizes profit by selecting the optimal quantity of output to produce. In a perfectly competitive market, firms face a horizontal demand curve at the market price, meaning they are price takers and cannot independently set the price of their products. Instead, to maximize profits, they focus on determining the quantity of output at which marginal cost equals marginal revenue. This is the profit-maximizing condition because producing at this level ensures that the firm is covering its costs while maximizing the difference between total revenue and total costs.

Choosing the right quantity allows the firm to optimize resource allocation and production efficiency, thus maximizing overall profits. In contrast, decisions regarding price, cost management, or product quality are generally influenced by market conditions and cannot serve as direct means for a competitive firm to maximize profits independently.