In Weber's least-cost location model, which statement is true about input weights?

• A. Heavier inputs lead to locating near markets.
• B. Weights have no effect on the model's outcome.
• C. Lighter inputs determine location toward inputs.
• D. Heavier inputs steer production toward input sources.

Answer: (D)

Weber's least-cost location model minimizes the total transportation costs of inputs to the plant and outputs to markets, with input weights showing how costly moving each input is relative to others. When an input has a heavier weight, its transport cost has a larger impact on total cost, so the optimal site moves closer to the source of that input to cut those costs. Therefore, heavier inputs steer production toward input sources. The idea that weights don’t matter or that lighter inputs pull the location toward inputs is not correct, because the weights scale how distance contributes to total cost, and heavier inputs have a stronger pulling effect toward their sources.