What happens to a bundle of goods that lies outside the consumer’s budget line?

A bundle of goods that lies outside the consumer's budget line signifies that the total cost of that bundle exceeds the consumer's available income. In microeconomics, the budget line represents the various combinations of goods that a consumer can purchase given their income and the prices of those goods. Therefore, any combination of goods, or bundle, positioned beyond this line is not attainable under the current financial constraints.

The boundary set by the budget line outlines all the combinations of goods that the consumer can afford – those on the line itself are exactly affordable given their income. However, when a bundle goes beyond this line, it indicates a situation where the consumer cannot purchase those goods without exceeding their budget constraints. Thus, it is recognized as unobtainable with the current income, making that choice impractical unless there is a change in income or the prices of the goods.

In contrast, the other answers suggest scenarios that are inconsistent with the definition of the budget line. For instance, if a bundle is deemed affordable with additional income, it would imply that it currently lies on or within the budget line, rather than outside it. The notion of it being the optimal choice or guaranteeing maximum utility also does not apply, as these concepts relate more to the combinations of goods that