Vikki Velasquez is a researcher and writer who has managed, coordinated, and directed various community and nonprofit organizations. She has conducted in-depth research on social and economic issues ...

A utility function measures a consumer’s preference and satisfaction with different goods or services. As part of rational choice theory, it helps economists analyze how consumers make decisions to ...

Elysse Bell is a finance and business writer for Investopedia. She writes about small business, personal finance, technology, and more. Erika Rasure is globally-recognized as a leading consumer ...