The opportunity cost of an item is a. what you give up to get that item. b. usually less than the dollar value of the item. c. the number of hours needed to earn money to buy the item. d. the dollar value of the item.

Answer: a

Explanation:

Opportunity costs represent the benefits an individual, investor or business misses out on when choosing one alternative over another. While financial reports do not show opportunity cost, business owners can use it to make educated decisions when they have multiple options before them.

Because by definition they are unseen, opportunity costs can be easily overlooked if one is not careful. Understanding the potential missed opportunities foregone by choosing one investment over another allows for better decision-making.

Opportunity cost analysis also plays a crucial role in determining a business's capital structure. While both debt and equity require expense to compensate lenders and shareholders for the risk of investment, each also carries an opportunity cost. Funds used to make payments on loans, for example, are not being invested in stocks or bonds, which offer the potential for investment income. The company must decide if the expansion made by the leveraging power of debt will generate greater profits than it could make through investments.