What is alternative cost?

Alternative cost (opportunity cost) is the value you give up when you choose one option over the others. Here it is measured against the best option: pick the highest net value and you forgo nothing better; pick a worse option and you forgo the difference in net value.

How do I pick the right option?

Compute each option net value = benefit minus cost, then choose the highest. That option has the least alternative cost. The reveal shows every option net value so you can check your reasoning.

Why is the biggest benefit not always the answer?

Because a high benefit can come with a high cost. An option with benefit 90 and cost 40 (net 50) is worse than one with benefit 70 and cost 5 (net 65). You have to subtract the cost before comparing.

How does it get harder?

Higher difficulty spaces the net values closer together and allows larger costs, so the subtraction really matters. Deeper into a run you also compare more options at once, up to five.

Can I print it as a worksheet?

Yes. Alternative Cost supports the printable worksheet generator at /worksheets · each problem prints with lettered choices and an answer key, so a teacher can use it on paper.

Alternative Cost

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FAQ

About PlayMemorize Alternative Cost

PlayMemorize Alternative Cost is a fast opportunity-cost drill. Each round you see a few mutually-exclusive options · each with a benefit and a cost · and you pick the one with the least alternative cost. That is simply the option with the highest net value (benefit minus cost): choosing any other option forgoes net value, and how much it forgoes is its alternative cost.

Subtract before you pick. The tempting option is often the one with the biggest benefit, but a big benefit can carry a big cost. Do the subtraction: the best choice is the highest benefit minus cost, not the highest benefit.

Deterministic and fair. Every round is generated from a seed, so the same difficulty always produces reproducible problems. Higher difficulty packs the net values closer together and allows larger costs, so you have to weigh carefully rather than eyeball it.

Part of the PlayMemorize family of brain-training games.

FAQ

What is alternative cost?

Alternative cost (opportunity cost) is the value you give up when you choose one option over the others. Here it is measured against the best option: pick the highest net value and you forgo nothing better; pick a worse option and you forgo the difference in net value.
How do I pick the right option?

Compute each option net value = benefit minus cost, then choose the highest. That option has the least alternative cost. The reveal shows every option net value so you can check your reasoning.
Why is the biggest benefit not always the answer?

Because a high benefit can come with a high cost. An option with benefit 90 and cost 40 (net 50) is worse than one with benefit 70 and cost 5 (net 65). You have to subtract the cost before comparing.
How does it get harder?

Higher difficulty spaces the net values closer together and allows larger costs, so the subtraction really matters. Deeper into a run you also compare more options at once, up to five.
Can I print it as a worksheet?

Yes. Alternative Cost supports the printable worksheet generator at /worksheets · each problem prints with lettered choices and an answer key, so a teacher can use it on paper.