Economics – Flashcard Test Answers
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A rational self-interested student decides whether to purchase a textbook required for a particular class based on all of the following, except
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whether the textbook has an attractive dust jacket.
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Rational, self-interested government officials seeking more funding for mass transit through higher taxes should consider
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the fact that raising taxes is generally unpopular and may result in a potential loss in a future election.
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A municipality taxing hotel guests to obtain funding for a new sports stadium should consider all of the following, except
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the winning potential of the sports team using the stadium.
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To which of the following household-type(s) does the phrase "unlimited wants and limited resources" apply?
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I. A low-income household II. A middle-income household III. A high-income household
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The economic way of thinking will
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allow you to make better decisions
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The economic way of thinking is best described as
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an analytical framework enabling one to reach informed conclusions.
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Decisions must frequently be made by individuals, organizations, and even nations. Facilitating better decision-making is a fundamental goal of economics. The analytical framework advocated by economists that enables one to make informed decisions is called
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the economic way of thinking
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Suppose a government officiala government official is trying to decide whether or not to allow more immigration. Which of the following is not an aspect of the economic way of thinking that would apply in this decision-making process?
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flipping a coin
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Economics is
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the study of how limited resources are allocated to satisfy unlimited wants.
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The ultimate purpose of economics is
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to study how individuals make choices
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What is the relationship between wants and resources?
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Resources are used to produce things that satisfy people's wants.
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What is the difference between microeconomics and macroeconomics?
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Microeconomics is the study of decision making undertaken by individuals while macroeconomics looks at the behavior of the economy as a whole.
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One reason that economists use microeconomics as the basis of macroeconomic analysis is
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that all choices are made by individuals and firms
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Microeconomics focuses on
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decisions made by individual households and firms.
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The impact of the national debt on the economy's unemployment is an example of
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macroeconomics analysis
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Economics is the study of how people allocate their ________ resources in an attempt to satisfy their ________ wants. As such, economics is the study of how people make choices.
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limited; unlimited
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Microeconomics is the part of economic analysis that studies decision making undertaken by ________. Macroeconomics is the part of economic analysis that studies the behavior of ________.
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individuals and firms; the economy as a whole
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Economics is a social science that involves the study of how individuals choose among alternatives to satisfy their ___, which are what people would buy if their incomes were ____
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wants; unlimited
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______ the study of the decision-making processes of individuals (or households) and firms, and _______ , the study of the performance of the economy as a whole, are the two main branches into which the study of economics is divided.
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Microeconomics; Macroeconomics
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Based on the recommendation of a friend, you buy a ticket and attend a movie with high expectations. After seeing the movie, you think that it is the worst film ever made and that it was a complete waste of money. This situation
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is consistent with rational behavior because you had thought that you were going to like the movie.
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The rationality assumption as used in economics
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states that people respond to incentives.
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Economics
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assumes individuals are rational and respond to different incentives.
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Which of the following is a true statement about self-interest as used in the study of economics?
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Any action can be based on self-interest if the person has some reason for the action.
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One of your classmates, Sally, is a hardworking student, serious about her classes, and conscientious about her grades. Sally is also involved, however, in volunteer activities and an extracurricular sport. Is Sally displaying rational
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Yes, she is using her time allocated among school, studying, sports and volunteer work in a manner she deems best.
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economics is the study of
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choices made when scarcity exists.
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A simplified representation of a complex system dealing with economics is known as:
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an economic model.
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Economic decision-making often focuses on how a one unit change will impact the system. This type of analysis is known as:
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marginal analysis.
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Ph.D. economists have traditionally been hired by:
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Wall Street firms. Government agencies. Universities.
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According to the article, ___________ is hiring an economist to help its team of economists use existing data to "reveal ways to improve the company's service for buyers and sellers."
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Ebay
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The behaviors that these firms are attempting to model are the subject of:
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Microeconomics
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The three fundamental economic questions that a nation addresses in order to allocate society's scarce resources include all of the following except:
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Why will the items be produced? 3 Questions: For whom will the items be produced? How will the items be produced? What and how much will be produced?
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People may appear to use rules of thumb, as suggested by the assumption of bounded rationality, even though they may really be behaving in a manner suggested by the rationality assumption if
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they face persistently predictable range of choices for a period of time.
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The ceteris paribus assumption means
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"other things constant" "other things equal"
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An economic model is developed from a set of assumptions about consumer behavior and predicts that people will buy less of a good the higher the price of the good. Empirical testing of this model would involve
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the collection of data to evaluate the usefulness of the model.
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Consider the following statement based on a positive economic analysis that assumes that all other things remain constant: Upper A reduction in income tax ratesA reduction in income tax rates will result in more people workingmore people working. Which of the following (initially assumed constant) could occur and thus offset the stated outcome?
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An increase in the outsourcing of jobs
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economic goods are
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goods that are scarce.
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The division of productive activities among persons and regions so that no one individual or region is totally self-sufficient is known as
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specialization.
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Which is true?
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Everyone can benefit when people specialize where they have a comparative advantage and then trade with each other.
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Specialization and comparative advantage
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lead to international trade and overall gains for the nations involved. lead to greater output even if you can do everything better than someone else. lead to greater productivity.
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Farmer McDonald has 100 acres of land on which he can grow soybeans or corn. An acre of land yields 200 bushels of soybeans or 100 bushels of corn or some combination of both. The accompanying figure refers to farmer McDonald's
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production possibilities curve
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The observation of more people running up larger student loan debts is
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onsistent with the Rationality Assumption employed by economists because student borrowers have anticipated finding jobs that would enable them both to repay their student loans and to buy items such as houses and vehicles.
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A number of young college graduates confronting student loan debts have viewed their substantial debts as
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a disincentive to buying big-ticket items
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Most student borrowers believe that borrowing to finance their educations is in their own self-interest because
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they anticipate finding jobs that will enable them to repay their student loans.
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International trade between two nations increases the standard of living of both nations due to
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specialization and gains from comparative advantage.
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Which of the following is NOT a factor of production?
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a product
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Whenever productive resources are used to make capital goods
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society is giving up current consumption
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John and Mary work eight hours at a bakery. John can decorate either 10 iceminus−cream cakes or 4 wedding cakes; Mary can decorate either 8 iceminus−cream cakes or 2 wedding cakes. According to this scenario,
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Mary has the comparative advantage in decorating iceminus−cream cakes.
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What is the type of mechanism that answers the basic economic questions through a decentralized decision making process?
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Market system
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To an economist, the term "needs"
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is objectively undefinable.
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Which of the following statements concerning economic models is FALSE?
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Economic models are based on pure fact and no assumptions.
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Why do most people choose to specialize in a narrow set of skills for their work, rather than to learn a little bit about several varied fields of endeavor?
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It allows them to earn more income by being more productive.
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All of the following are aspects of microeconomics EXCEPT
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the average level of prices of all goods and services produced in a country in a year.
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The rationality assumption implies that
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individuals will not intentionally make decisions that leave them worse off.
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Economic growth can be pictured in a production possibilities curve diagram by
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shifting the production possibilities curve out.
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To be useful, a model must
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predict more accurately than other models that have been developed.
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Recently, a bank was trying to decide what fee to charge for "expedited payments"long dash— payments that the bank would transmit extra speedily to enable customers to avoid late fees on cable TV bills, electric bills, and the like. To try to determine what fee customers were willing to pay for expedited payments, the bank conducted a survey. It was able to determine that many of the people surveyed already paid fees for services that exceeded the maximum fees that they said they were willing to pay. This illustrates that
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it is important to focus on what rational individuals actually do rather than what they say they will do.
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Opportunity cost exists because of
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scarcity
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Which statement is correct?
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The Fed has cut the key interest rate several times this year.
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The model for forecasting electoral results that is more firmly based on the rationality assumption of economics is
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the Iowa Electronic Market model using prices, as the traders on this exchange have a strong incentive to make the best possible forecast.
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An economist can evaluate which is the better model for forecasting electoral outcomes by
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comparing the predictions of the two models with actual election results.
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An economic study of the number of online searches that individuals conduct before selecting a particular item to purchase online presumes that people are interested only in their own satisfaction, pursue their ultimate objectives, and consider every relevant option. In examining the above decision-making process, the approach that the economist is following can best be described as the one that relies on
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the rationality assumption.
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An economist seeking to predict the effect that an increase in a state's sales tax rate will have on consumers? Purchases of goods and services presumes that people are limited in their ability to process information about how the tax-rate increase will influence the after-tax prices those consumers will pay. In examining the above decision-making process, the approach that the economist is following relies on
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the assumption of bounded rationality.
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To evaluate the impact of an increase in the range of choices that an individual confronts when deciding among devices for accessing the internet, an economic researcher makes the assumption that the individual is unable to take into account every new internet-access option available to her. In examining the above decision-making process, the approach that the economist is following can best be described as the one that relies on
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the assumption of bounded rationality
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An economic model is developed from a set of assumptions about consumer behavior and predicts that people will buy less of a good the higher the price of the good. Empirical testing of this model would involve
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the collection of data to evaluate the usefulness of the model.
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Which of the following statements is true?
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Economics is a science since the study of economics uses models and theories that are subject to empirical testing.
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A higher minimum wage will reduce employment opportunities for minimum wage workers
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Positive Economics
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Increasing the earnings of minimum wage employees is desirable, and raising the minimum wage is the best way to accomplish this.
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Normative Economics
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Everyone should enjoy open access to healthcare
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Normative Economics
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Heathcare subsidies will increase the consumption of health care
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Positive Economics
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"We ought to do more for the education of our children." Statements using words like ought or should are
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Normative Statements
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A politician states "taxes should be raised to provide more spending on school lunch programs." This is
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a normative economic statement.
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An increase in the price of gasoline will reduce the amount of gasoline purchased. This is
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A positive Economic Statement
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Other things remaining equal, the law of demand says that higher prices will lead to a
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smaller quantity demanded and lower prices to a larger quantity demanded.
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Which of the following is consistent with the law of demand?
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A reduction of the price of salt led to a 5 percent increaseincrease in the quantity of salt purchased.
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Hospital room and Suite increase
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The money prices of both goods increased, the relative price of hospital rooms increased, and the relative price of hotel suites decreased.
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Suppose that the price of a pair of shoes is $15 and the price of a jar of jellyjar of jelly is $9. What is the relative price of a pair of shoes? Relative of a jar of jelly??
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The relative price of a pair of shoes is the price of a pair of shoes divided by the price of a jar of jelly. 5/3 3/5
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Suppose that at first the price of a pair of shoespair of shoes is $10 and the price of a t minus shirt is $6. Then, the price of a pair of shoespair of shoes changes to $20 and the price of a t minus shirtt−shirt changes to $14. What has happened the money prices and relative prices of these two goods?
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The money price of a pair of shoespair of shoes and a t minus shirtt−shirt have risen and the relative price of a pair of shoespair of shoes has fallen while relative price of a t minus shirtt−shirt has risen.
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Which of the following is an implication of the law of supply?
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Producers will offer more units at a higher price and fewer units at a lower price.
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The law of supply then implies that a ______ the supply curve occurs due to a change in market price.
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movement along
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According to the text, firms encounter rising costs when they attempt to produce more in the same time period. As a consequence, they must be offered a higher price to be willing to incur these higher costs. The resulting relationship between price and quantity supplied is
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direct (or positive) and is called the law of supply.
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Which of the following is consistent with the law of supply?
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An increase in the market price of MP3 players causes an increase in the production of MP3 players
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The law of supply states that there is a ___ relationship between the price and _____. Thus, as the price increases, According to the law of supply, as the price of the good increases, it causes
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positive; the quantity supplied the quantity produced by firms increases a movement upward along the supply curve.
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Firms providing wireless (an alternative to cable) Internet access services reduce their prices. This will cause a(n)
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decrease in demand.
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Firms providing cable-based Internet access services reduce their prices. This will cause a(n)
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increase in quantity demanded.
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There is a decrease in the incomes earned by consumers of cable-based Internet access services. This will cause a(n)
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decrease in demand.
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Consumers' tastes shift away from using wireless Internet access in favor of cable-based Internet access services.
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increase in demand.
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Identify which of the following would generate an increase in the market demand for tablet devices, which are a normal good. I. A decrease in the incomes of consumers of tablet devices. II. An increase in the price of ultrathin computers, which are substitutes. III. An increase in the price of online apps, which are complements. IV. An increase in the number of consumers in the market for tablet devices.
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Both II and IV.
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Which of the following good is an inferior good?
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When consumer income increases, the demand for eggs decreases.
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According to the example in the book, medical research has shown that grapefruit juice can adversely affect the effectiveness of certain medications. This is likely to affect the demand for grapefruit because
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people will buy less grapefruit because their tastes and preferences have changed.
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According to the same example in the book, medical research has shown that grapefruit juice can reduce the effectiveness of certain medications. However, there is also evidence that grapefruit consumption can lower cholesterol in young people. The net effect on demand from these two findings
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cannot be determined because they have opposite effects on demand.
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If the price of bacon rises, and as a result the demand for sausage increases, this implies that these two goods are
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substitutes
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If the price of tennis racquets falls, and as a result the demand for tennis balls _____ this implies that these two goods are complements
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increases
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If the price of coffee rises, and as a result the demand for sugar falls, this implies that these two goods are
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complements
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If the price of automobiles____ and as a result the demand for motorbikes falls, this implies that these two goods are substitutes
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falls
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According to the example in the book, medical research has shown that grapefruit juice can adversely affect the effectiveness of certain medications. This is likely to affect the demand for grapefruit because
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people will buy less grapefruit because their tastes and preferences have changed.
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A rise in demand is represented by a leftward shift in the demand curve, and a fall in demand is represented by a rightward shift in the demand curve.
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False
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For substitutes, a change in the price of a product will cause a change in demand in the ________ direction for the other good. For complements, a change in the price of a product will cause a change in demand in the ________ direction for the other good.
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same; opposite
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A change in a good's own price leads to a change in quantity demanded for any given demand curve.
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True
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Whenever there is a change in a ceteris paribus condition there will be a change in ________, which is represented by a ________.
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demand; shift in the entire demand curve
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Demand curves are drawn with determinants other than the price of the good held constant. These other determinants, called ceteris paribus conditions, are income, tastes and preferences, prices of related goods, expectations about future prices and incomes, and the number of potential buyers in the market at any given price. If any one of these determinants changes, the demand curve will shift to the right or to the left.
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...
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A change in demand comes about only because of a change in the ____ conditions of demand. This change in demand is a shift in the demand curve to the left or to the right.
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ceteris paribus
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A change in the quantity demanded comes about when there is a change in the price of the good (other things held constant). Such a change in quantity demanded involves a ______ a given demand curve.
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movement along
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The price of touch screens used in smartphones declines. This will cause a(n)
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increase in supply
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Equilibrium Quantity would Equilibrium Price would
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increase decrease
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The price of machinery used to produce smartphones increases. This will cause a(n)
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decrease in supply.
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Equilibrium Quantity would Equilibrium Price would
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decrease increase
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The number of manufacturers of smartphones increases. This will cause a(n)
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increase in supply
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Equilibrium Quantity would Equilibrium Price would
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increase decrease
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There is a decrease in the market demand for smartphones. This will cause a(n)
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decrease in quantity supplied
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Equilibrium Quantity would Equilibrium Price would
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decrease decrease
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Which of the following will cause an outward (rightward) shift in supply?
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a technological improvement
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All of the following will decrease the supply of bus trips except
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a technological change that makes airplanes safer and more fuel-efficient.
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I. The demand for soft drinks decreases. II. The quantity of soft drinks demanded decreases. III. The supply of soft drinks decreases. IV. The quantity of soft drinks supplied decreases.
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II and III.
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Equilibrium
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The supply increases, causing the equilibrium quantity to rise and the market price to fall.
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If the number of firms in an industry decreases, the supply curve will shift to the right.
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False
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A change in which of the following will result in a shift of the supply curve?
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A.cost of inputs used to produce the product B.taxes and subsidies C.technology and productivity D.All of the above.
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A change in a good's own price leads to a change in supply, which shifts the supply curve.
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False
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Whenever there is a change in a ceteris paribus condition there will be a change in ________, which is represented by a ________
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supply; shift in the entire supply curve
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If the price changes, we ___ a curve long dash—there is a change in quantity demanded or supplied. If some other determinant changes, we ____a curvelong dash—there is a change in demand or supply.
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move along; shift
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The supply curve is drawn with other things held constant. If these ceteris paribus conditions of supply change, the supply curve will shift. The major ceteris paribus conditions are
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input prices; technology and productivity; taxes and subsidies; expectations of future relative prices; the number of firms in the industry
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At a rental rate of $1,000 per month, there is an excess quantity____. The amount of the excess quantity supplied is ___ units
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supplied; 1500
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If the present rental rate of one-bedroom apartments is $1,000 per month, through what mechanism will the rental rate adjust to the equilibrium rental rate of $800?
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Since the price is above equilibrium, the surplus of apartments will cause the quantity supplied to fall and the quantity demanded to rise.
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At a rental rate of $600 per month, there is an excess quantity ______. What is the amount of the excess quantity demanded?
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demanded; 1500
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If the present rental rate of one-bedroom apartments is $600 per month, through what mechanism will the rental rate adjust to the equilibrium rental rate of $800?
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Since the price is below equilibrium, the shortage of apartments will cause the quantity supplied to rise and the quantity demanded to fall.
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At the market price of $8, the quantity demanded is ____ units and quantity supplied is _____ units
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20;60
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At this price, a_______exists. At a market price of $4, a_______ now exists. The market equilibrium exists at a price of $6. In equilibrium, the quantity demanded by consumers is_____to the quantity supplied by producers.
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surplus; shortage; equal to
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The price at which quantity demanded equals quantity supplied and at which the demand curve intersects the supply curve is called the market clearing price.
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True
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Assume that the cost of aluminum used by soft-drink companies increases. Indicate which of the following statements describing the resulting effects in the market for soft drinks distributed in aluminum cans are true (T) or false (F).
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a.The demand for soft drinks decreases. F b. The quantity of soft drinks demanded decreases. T c. The supply of soft drinks decreases. T d. The quantity of soft drinks supplied decreases. F
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As oil firms have bid against each other to move their oil through existing pipelines,
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the market prices of pipeline services have increased substantially.
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The rise in pipeline prices has given oil firms
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incentives to utilize substitute services for moving oil around the nation.
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The market demand for oil shipment services has increased because
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U.S. oil production has soared.
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If the demand and supply curves increase (shift outward) by identical proportions then
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equilibrium price stays the same and quantity rises. Your answer is correct.B.
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What if the increase in demand were larger than the increase in supply?
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The equilibrium price and quantity increase.
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What if the increase in demand were smaller than the increase in supply?
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Equilibrium price falls and quantity rises.
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At equilibrium, there is neither excess quantity supplied nor excess quantity demanded.
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True
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Shortages and scarcity are the same thing.
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False
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A shortage occurs when quantity demanded is ________ than quantity supplied at a price ________ the market clearing price.
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greater; below
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A surplus occurs when quantity supplied is ________ than quantity demanded at a price ________ the market clearing price.
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greater; above
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The market clearing price occurs at the _______ of the market demand curve and the market supply curve. It is also called the ______ price, the price from which there is no tendency to change unless there is a change in demand or supply.
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intersection;equilibrium
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Whenever the price is __________ the equilibrium price, there is an excess quantity supplied (a surplus
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greater than
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Whenever the price is ______ the equilibrium price, there is an excess quantity demanded (a shortage).
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less than
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Traditionally, the comparative advantage for husbands over wives in the working world has been revealed by the fact that most husbands
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earned more than half of couples' combined incomes.
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Traditionally,
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wives specialized in unpaid housework because they had a lower opportunity cost of engaging in that activity.
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As husbands' earnings power has declined relative to their wives, there has been
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a decrease in the opportunity cost of husbands engaging in unpaid housework instead of earning income outside from home.
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The inverse relationship between price and quantity demanded is often referred to as:
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the law of demand
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If prices fall for a particular good then consumers will:
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buy more units.
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All of the following pairs of goods are substitutes except
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we observe the price of bacon increases and the demand for eggs decreases.
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All of the following pairs of goods are complements except
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we observe the price of coffee decreases and the demand for tea decreases.
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What is the economic effect of price ceilings?
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An effective price ceiling will lead to a shortage.
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What would happen in the market for rental housing in your community if the local government legally mandated rents that were below the market clearing price?
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There would be a shortage of rental housing.
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Which of the following will cause a movement along the demand curve instead of a shift of the demand curve?
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A. Expectations of the future price of a good B.Tastes and preferences C.Income D.none of the above
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Which of the following will shift today's supply curve to the right?
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Prices are expected to be lower in the future.
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In recent years, technological improvements have greatly reduced the costs of producing basic cell phones, and a number of new firms have entered the cell phone industry. At the same time, prices of substitutes for cell phones, such as smartphones and some tablet devices, have declined considerably. Using the line drawing tool, illustrate the impacts of these developments on both the demand and supply. Label the new lines.
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Supply- Increase Demand- Decrease
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The equilibrium market price will? The equilibrium market quantity will?
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Decrease Change in an indeterminate way
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There are simultaneous changes in the demand for and supply of global-positioning-system (GPS) devices, with the consequences being an unambiguous decrease in the market clearing price of these devices but no change in the equilibrium quantity. What changes in the demand for and supply of GPS devices could have generated these outcomes?
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Demand decreases and supply increases.
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Suppose that you are investigating the market for wheatwheat. The price of corncorn, a substitute good, has decreased. Which of the following would best describe the market reaction to this event?
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The demand for wheat decreases, which creates a surplus of wheat, causing the price of wheat to decrease.
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When demand decreases and the (upward sloping) supply curve remains in the same position,
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price falls and equilibrium quantity falls.
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When supply increases and the (downward-sloping) demand curve remains in the same position,
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price falls and equilibrium quantity rises.
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Other things remaining equal, a decrease in the world oil supply like those that occurred in 1973-74 and 1979 would
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increase the price of airline travel and decrease its equilibrium quantity.
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What happens in the market with an upward sloping supply curve when there is a shift in the demand curve due to an external shock?
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A new equilibrium price will be achieved over some period of time.
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Economists assume that when there is a change in demand and/or supply, that prices reach a new equilibrium
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after an adjustment period that varies
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People often complain about price gouging after a natural disaster. Suppose the government imposed limitations on price increases in the aftermath of a disaster. One would expect
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reconstruction to take longer because the quantity supplied of new materials would increase more slowly.
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The more flexible prices are,
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the more quickly a shock to the economy can be absorbed.
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If demand increases while supply remains unchanged, the equilibrium price of the product will ________ and the equilibrium quantity will ________.
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increase; increase
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When both supply and demand curves change, the outcome is definite for both equilibrium price and equilibrium quantity. When both supply and demand decrease, the equilibrium price ________ and the equilibrium quantity ________.
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False change is uncertain; decreases
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Markets which are temporarily out of equilibrium will always return to equilibrium immediately.
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False
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When the _____ curve shifts outward or inward with an unchanged ____ curve, equilibrium price and quantity increase or decrease, respectively. When the _____ curve shifts outward or inward given an unchanged ______ curve, equilibrium price moves in the direction opposite to equilibrium quantity.
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Demand Supply Supply Demand
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Which one of the following is a primary difference between a public good and a private good?
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Private goods are subject to the principle of rival consumption while public goods are not.
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A true public good must be provided by the government. Which of the following goods provided by the government is a true public good?
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Flood control
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Suppose Canada spends less per capita on national defense than many other countries of similar size and income. A reasonable economic explanation would be that
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Canada is able to free-ride on the defense spending of the United States.
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Other than correcting externalities, other economic functions of government include
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The economic activities of government include: 1. correcting for externalities, 2. providing a legal system, 3. promoting competition, 4. producing public goods, and 5. ensuring economywide stability.
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Much of our legal system is involved with defining and protecting property rights.
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True
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The goal of antitrust legislation is to reduce the power of firms that can determine the market price of the goods they sell.
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True
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The most common provider of public goods is the private sector.
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False
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Most private goods ________ rival in consumption, and most public goods ________ rival in consumption.
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are; are not
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All of the following are goals established by the Full-Employment Act of 1946 except
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Balanced budget
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The principle of ________ does not apply to public goods as it does to private goods.
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rival consumption
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Public goods have two characteristics: (1) Once they are produced, there is no additional _____ when additional consumers use them, because your use of a public good does not deprive others of its simultaneous use; and (2) consumers cannot conveniently be ____ on the basis of use.
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opportunity cost; charged
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If a transaction results in a negative externality there will be:
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overproduction of the good; demand increase FYI: When a negative externality exists it means someone other than the buyer and seller is bearing a portion of the cost. This situation will result in overproduction of the good.
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Which of these fuels has the smallest negative externality?
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LPG
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Market failure occurs when
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the unrestrained market economy leads to too few or too many resources going to a specific economic activity
question
Suppose that the U.S. government determines that cigarette smoking creates social costs not reflected in the current market price and equilibrium quantity of cigarettes. A study has recommended that the government can correct for the externality effect of cigarette consumption by paying farmers not to plant tobacco used to manufacture cigarettes. It also recommends raising the funds to make these payments by increasing taxes on cigarettes. These actions by the government lead to all the following outcomes, except
answer
an increase in the negative externality caused by cigarette smoking.
question
The French government recently allocated the equivalent of more than $120 million in public funds to Quaero (Latin for "I search"), an Internet search engine analogous to Google or Yahoo. Is a publicly funded Internet search engine a public good or a government sponsored good?
answer
It is a government sponsored good, deemed socially desirable through the political process.
question
Does an Internet search engine satisfy the key characteristics of a public good?
answer
No, users can access the engine simultaneously, but advertising space is limited and can be sold to pay for the engine. No, it can be consumed simultaneously by many users at little or no additional cost, but the advertising space is limited comma and advertisers can be excluded.
question
Which of the following is not a political function of the government that leads to involvement in the economy?
answer
Public goods.
question
Suppose that the State of New New York decides to subsidize the cost of purchasing a treadmill for cardiac patients, as prescribed by their doctors. Prior to the program, the equilibrium price of treadmills was $800, and the equilibrium quantity purchased was 50,000. The state decides to subsidize $600 of the cost of the treadmill, and with the subsidy, the quantity that consumers wish to purchase is 70,000. Manufacturers are willing to supply this quantity at a price of $1,000.
answer
The cost of this program to the state of New York is 42 million After the subsidy, consumers will pay 40% of the cost of the treadmill, and the state will pay 60% of the cost.
question
Which of the following is not a difference between market and collective decision making?
answer
Government goods are costless to produce, while private goods have production costs.
question
To promote increased use of port facilities in a major coastal city, a state government has decided to construct a state-of-the-art lighthouse at a projected cost of $10 million. The state proposes to pay half this cost and asks the city to raise the additional funds. Rather than raise its $5 million in funds via an increase in city taxes and fees, however, the city's government asks major businesses in and near the port area to contribute voluntarily to the project. The city is likely to face problems in raising the funds because
answer
individual businesses may presume that others will pay for the lighthouse so that they can escape paying for their portion without causing a reduction in the structure's benefit.
question
Which of the following is not a source of funding available to governments?
answer
Stock sales.
question
In the current time period, this government's spending on goods and services and transfer payments is limited to
answer
$2200 add all
question
Over the long run, this government's fundamental revenues are equal to
answer
don't add borrowed funds
question
A city government imposes a proportional income tax on all people who earn income within its city limits. In 2004, the city's income tax rate was 0.060.06 (66 percent), and it collected $24.00 million in income taxes. In 2005, it raised the income tax rate to 0.07 (77 percent), and its income tax collections declined to $17.50 million. What happened to the city's income tax base between 2004 and 2005?
answer
it fell by $150 million.
question
What would cause a fall in the tax base?
answer
A. The number of residents earning income fell. B. Incomes of city residents fell. C. Either of the above.
question
Miranda works 25 hours a week at a wage rate of $10. Thus, her total weekly income is $250. On this income, she pays total taxes of $12.50. However, she calculates that on the last hour that she works, she pays $1.00.
answer
Carole's average tax rate is 5% Carole's marginal tax rate is 10% Marginal Tax Rate= (change in taxes due/ change in taxable income) x 100
question
Donna purchased stock valued at $20,000 in 2000. In 2005, she sold the stock for $23000. Donna's capital gain, for tax purposes, is ______, which is a ___ gain on her investment. Over the period during which Donna owned her stock, asset prices rose by 3% due to inflation. Thus Donna's real capital gain is ____ or _____.
answer
3000; 15% 12%, or $2400
question
An excise tax of 60 cents is levied on a product. As a result of the tax, the price of the product goes from $1 to $1.40. Which of the following is true?
answer
The consumer pays the majority of the tax but not the entire tax.
question
Which of the following is the most important source of revenue for the federal budget?
answer
The federal personal income tax
question
When state and local governments provide public schools with a per-unit subsidy to provide educational services, the price that the schools providing these services receive is
answer
greater than the market clearing price without the subsidy.
question
Cory's Coffee Cafe priced its caffeine delights at $1.00, they sold 150 per day. When the price was $2.00, they sold 100 per dayday. Based on this information and using the average-values formula, the absolute value of the price elasticity of demand for caffeine delightscaffeine delights is
answer
.60 inelastic
question
Price elasticity of demand is defined as
answer
the percentage change in quantity demanded divided by the percentage change in price.
question
At a price of $15.50 to play 18 holes on a golf course, 120 consumers pay to play a game of golf each day. Increasing the price to $20.00 causes the number of consumers to decline to 80.
answer
1.57 elastic
question
At the price-quantity combination you identified on the demand curve, a decrease in price will cause ___ in total revenue.
answer
an increase
question
Which of the following would have the most elastic demand?
answer
Coca-Cola.
question
The absolute value of the short-run elasticity of demand for bread has been estimated to be 0.15. Its long-run elasticity of demand is
answer
more than .15
question
We should expect the cross price elasticity of butter and margarine to be
answer
positive since they are substitutes.
question
If one wanted to know the impact of the falling price of using the Internet on the demand for library services, one would need to compute the
answer
cross price elasticity of demand for library services and price of using the Internet.
question
When income is $400 per week, 3 nights dining outnights dining out are demanded. When income is $600 per week, 5 nights dining out nights dining out are demanded. The income elasticity of demand for nights dining out nights dining out equals:
answer
1.25
question
Using the line drawing tool, draw a perfectly elastic supply curve. Label this line 'S elastic'.
answer
straight line across
question
The long-run elasticity of supply in most industries is ___________ than the short-run elasticity because in the long run, ________________.
answer
more elastic; resources and firms can enter the industry
question
Total utility
answer
A. falls as long as marginal utility is negative. B. rises as long as marginal utility is positive. C. is at a maximum when marginal utility is zero. D. All of the above.
question
If total utility is increasing at a decreasing rate, marginal utility is
answer
positive and decreasing.
question
Suppose the price of apples falls relative to other similar goods, and as a result the quantity of apples demanded increases. This is caused by
answer
substitution effect.
question
When the price of gasoline ]decreases, Dennis buys more gasoline and more of all other goods. This information describes
answer
the real income effect of a price decrease.
question
Total revenues from first class mail have been
answer
decreasing because most people have substituted away from first class mail to digital communications.
question
Relatively small proportionate increases in the prices of stamps for first class mail have been associated with proportionately large reductions in the volumes of first class mail deliveries, so total revenues have decreased. Based on this information alone, one could conclude that
answer
demand is elastic.
question
Economists cannot readily estimate the cross price elasticity of demand for USPS first class mail in relation to e-mail and text communications but have estimated the elasticity of demand for USPS first class mail with respect to
answer
ownership of digital devices.
question
Advocates of behavioral economics
answer
argue that utility theory is explained by applying the assumption of bounded rationality.
question
Which of the following examples are used as evidence favoring the bounded rationality assumption?
answer
When purchasing electric appliances such as refrigerators, people sometimes buy the lowest-priced, energy-inefficient models even though the price savings often fail to compensate for higher future energy costs.
question
Most economists
answer
apply the assumption that people behave as if they act rationally with an aim to maximize utility.
question
The use of utility-based consumer choice theory
answer
has allowed economists to make a wide array of predictions about how consumers respond to changes in prices, incomes, and other factors.
question
Behavioral economists suggest that consumers do not behave as if they are rational, and if the rationality assumption does not apply to actual behavior, they argue, it follows that utility-based consumer choice theory cannot, either.
answer
True
question
Because of the doubts expressed by proponents of behavioral economics, most economists no longer apply the assumption that people behave as if they act rationally with an aim to maximize utility.
answer
False
question
Advocates of applying behavioral economics to consumer choice theory argue that _______revents people from accounting for every feasible choice, which _____their ability to pursue their long-term interests effectively.
answer
bounded rationality; limits
question
The _______economics approach to consumer behavior offers a wider range of possible predictions of a consumer's choices than the _______-maximization theory of a consumer optimum, which makes clear-cut predictions about consumers' choices.
answer
behavioral; utility
question
Along the indifference curve
answer
total utility is constant.
question
When graphing the indifference curve
answer
units of one good is on the X axis and units of another good is on the Y axis.
question
The slope of the indifference curve is
answer
negative
question
Along an indifference curve, every point is equally desirable to the consumer.
answer
true
question
Which of the following violates the properties of indifference curves?
answer
Indifference curves are upward-sloping.
question
Indifference curves are
answer
convex to the origin.
question
The slope of an indifference curve
answer
must be negative.
question
The marginal rate of substitution is measured along
answer
a given indifference curve.
question
As more of the good on the X-axis is consumed, and less of the good on the Y-axis is consumed, the marginal rate of substitution
answer
is negative and decreasing.
question
The fact that the marginal rate of substitution falls (becomes less negative) is sometimes called
answer
the law of substitution
question
The negative slope of the consumer's indifference curve measures the consumer's marginal rate of substitution.
answer
True
question
Which of the following statements about the indifference curve is true?
answer
A higher indifference curve represents the possibility of higher rates of consumption if income increases.
question
Indifference curves that are higher than others necessarily imply that for every given quantity of one good
answer
more of the other good could possibly be obtained on a higher indifference curve. more of that good could possibly be obtained on a higher indifference curve.
question
All of the following are reasons why a higher indifference curve is preferred to a lower one except
answer
as more of any good or service is consumed, its extra benefit declines.
question
Which of the following statements about indifference curves is true
answer
A higher indifference curve represents the possibility of higher rates of consumption if income increases.
question
If a consumer faces the possibility of having less of both products represented by an indifference curve graph, this would be represented by
answer
a new indifference curve below and to the left of the original curve.
question
Bob has a highly specialized medical skill that is in great demand. His level of economic rent would be ____ because
answer
high ;highly specialized means there are few substitutes, supply is inelastic, and the skill is in great demand.
question
Sally has never attended school. She is 25 years old and is an internationally known supermodel. Her level of economic rent would be ___ because
answer
A. she would likely be willing to work for less. B. the supply curve for the factor is perfectly elastic. C. her specific resources can be replicated easily. D. None of the above.
question
Tim is a high school teacher and sells insurance part time. His level of economic rent would be ____ because
answer
low; his wage is likely close to his opportunity cost.
question
An important difference between common stock and preferred stock is that
answer
preferred stockholders are entitled to their dividends before common stockholders.
question
Which of the following individuals would you expect to have a high level of economic rent, and which would you expect to have a low level of economic rent? Rank them from highest economic rent to lowest. I. Emily quit high school at age 17, and she has since worked for several years as a waitress in fast-food restaurants. II..Demetrius earned a Ph.D. in financial economics, and he is among a handful of experts who specialize in assessing the values of highly complex securities traded in bond markets. III Xin was a child prodigy on the violin, and after years of developing her skills, she is now rated among the most talented performing violinists in the world.
answer
Xin, Demetrius and Emily.
question
With respect to the allocation of resources, which statement is true about economic rent?
answer
Economic rent allocates resources to their highest-valued use.
question
An individual leaves a college faculty, where she was earning $50,000 a year, to begin a new venture. She invests her savings of $40,000, which were earning 5 percent annually. She then spends $18,000 renting office equipment, hires two students at $20,000 a year each, rents office space for $14,000, and has other variable expenses of $38,000. At the end of the year, her revenues are $200,000.
answer
Accounting profit: $90,000 Economic Profit: $38,000
question
The academic calendar for a university is August 15 through May 15. A professor commits to a contract that binds her to a teaching position at this university for this period. Based on this information, the short run for the professor
answer
will be the nine month period between August 15 and May 15; any time period longer than this will be long run for her.
question
The short run is defined as
answer
the period of time in which at least one factor of production is fixed.
question
If a firm hires an additional worker and discovers that its total output has fallen, then it must be true that
answer
marginal product is negative.
question
Why does the marginal product of labor eventually decline as more labor is used with another fixed input?
answer
The labor will have, on average, fewer units of the other inputs to combine with and the increases to total output obtained from more labor will decrease.
question
The law of diminishing marginal returns is caused by
answer
the existence of a fixed input that must be combined with increasing amounts of the variable input.
question
During the previous month, a firm produced 200 tablet devices and its total costs were $10,600. Just before the firm produced its last tablet device in the previous month, its total costs were $10,519.
answer
The marginal cost incurred by the firm in producing the final tablet device that month was $81
question
The minimum possible short-run average costs are equal to long-run average costs when
answer
the long-run curve is at a minimum point.
question
What is a firm's minimum efficient scale?
answer
The lowest rate of output at which the firm achieves minimum long-run average cost.
question
Even though one firm produces a large portion of the industry's total output, there are many firms in the industry, and their products are indistinguishable. Firms can easily exit and enter the industry. This example violates characteristic number
answer
1) there is a large number of buyers and sellers,
question
There are many buyers and sellers in the industry. Consumers have equal information about the prices of firms' products, which differ slightly in quality from firm to firm. This example violates characteristic number
answer
(2) firms in the industry produce and sell a homogeneous product,
question
Many taxicabs compete in a city. The city's government requires all taxicabs to provide identical service. Taxicabs are virtually identical, and all drivers must wear a designated uniform. The government also limits the number of taxicab companies that can operate within the city's boundaries. This example violates characteristic number
answer
(4) there are insignificant barriers to industry entry or exit.
question
The demand curve for the perfectly competitive industry is
answer
downward sloping.
question
The Big Box Company is a firm in a perfectly competitive industry. The average rate of return on capital in this industry is 55%. Thus, if the Big Box Company earns a 55% rate of return,
answer
it earns zero economic profit
question
In several perfectly competitive markets for minerals extracted from the earth, steady increases in demand for the required minerals eventually have generated long-run increases in the market prices of these minerals. Which of the following statements best describes the types of adjustments that must have occurred in these markets to have brought about this outcome?
answer
An increase in demand initially leads to an increase in price and profits of the firms. New firms enter the market and the equilibrium quantity increases with an increase in market price along an upward rising long-run industry supply curve.
question
Such mineral industries can best be described as
answer
increasing-cost industries.
question
A perfectly competitive increasing costincreasing cost industry is in long-run equilibrium. Due to a change in tastes and preferences, there is a decreasea decrease in demand. Which of the following best describes the effect on the industry? The price will
answer
decrease, firms will produce less, profits will be below 0, and firms will exit until profit returns to 0
question
Economic efficiency means that
answer
total output of society cannot be increased without lowering the value of the total output produced in the economy.
question
A firm can be the sole supplier of a good and still not be considered a monopoly if
answer
there are very close substitutes for the good.
question
Which of the following markets has a barrier to entry?
answer
Joe's bar owns the only liquor license issued by the town
question
For a monopolist, marginal revenue is
answer
less than the price of the product.
question
You observe that the revenue of a monopolist varies directly with changes in price. This firm _____ maximizing its economic profits because a profit-maximizing monopolist will never operate in a price range in which demand is
answer
is not; inelastic since this is range in which revenues are falling and the firm could raise revenues by raising the price into the elastic range of demand.
question
As compared to a perfectly competitive industry, a monopoly industry with identical cost curves will
answer
produce less and set a higher price.
question
In order to price discriminate, a firm must
answer
face a downward-sloping demand curve.
question
There are a number of fast-food restaurants in town, and they compete fiercely. Some restaurants cook their hamburgers over open flames. Others fry their hamburgers. In addition, some serve broiled fish sandwiches, while others serve fried fish sandwiches. A few serve ice cream cones for dessert, while others offer frozen ice cream pies
answer
[A] A large number of firms that sell differentiated products that are close substitutes.
question
There is a vast number of colleges and universities across the country. Each competes for top students. All offer similar courses and programs, but some have better programs in business, while others have stronger programs in the arts and humanities. Still others are academically stronger in the sciences.
answer
[A] A large number of firms that sell differentiated products that are close substitutes.
question
If the average total costs are the same for a perfectly competitive firm and a monopolistically competitive firm, then we know that
answer
the monopolistically competitive firm will produce fewer units than the perfectly competitive firm.
question
Since the demand curve is downward sloping, the monopolistically competitive firm will set a price
answer
that is greater than marginal cost. DIAGONAL SLOPE
question
For an office copying machine a firm is more likely to use
answer
informational advertising that emphasizes the features of its product.
question
For an automobile loan a firm is more likely to use
answer
informational advertising that emphasizes the features of its product.
question
For a deodorant a firm is more likely to use
answer
persuasive advertising intended to induce a consumer to try the product.
question
For a soft drink a firm is more likely to use
answer
persuasive advertising intended to induce a consumer to try the product.
question
A perfectly competitive constant costconstant cost industry is in long-run equilibrium. Due to a change in tastes and preferences, there is an increasean increase in demand. Which of the following best describes the effect on the industry? The price will,
answer
increase, firms will produce more, profits will increase, and more firms will enter until profit returns to 0
question
Which of the following markets has a barrier to entry?
answer
an aluminum company owns all bauxite mines, an essential input
question
In which of the following situation(s) will owners who supply factors of production be most likely to earn economic rents? I. Highly elastic supply of the factor; highly elastic demand for the factor. II. Highly elastic supply of the factor; highly inelastic demand for the factor. III. Highly inelastic supply of the factor; highly inelastic demand for the factor.
answer
Highly inelastic supply of the factor; highly inelastic demand for the factor.
question
Economic rent is
answer
the amount paid for a resource over and above its opportunity cost.
question
Assume that the supply of land is perfectly inelastic as shown in the diagram. The demand for land has shifted from D1 to D2. What is the total value for economic rent after the change in demand?
answer
P2 × Q*.
question
With respect to the allocation of resources, which statement is true about economic rent?
answer
Economic rent allocates resources to their highest-valued use.
question
Why do some sports figures get economic rent?
answer
Their special talents cannot be replicated exactly.
question
The supply curve for land
answer
is vertical
question
The analysis of economic rent can also be applied to labor.
answer
True
question
Economic rent directs resources to the people who can use them most efficiently.
answer
True
question
Economic rent is defined as payment for a factor of production that is completely ____ in supply
answer
inelastic
question
Economic rent ______ resources to their ____- valued use
answer
allocates; high
question
A business organization that is owned by many
answer
is a corporation
question
Business organizations that are easy to form are
answer
are proprietorships and partnerships.
question
Corporations are subject to ________, but sole proprietorships and partnerships ______ double taxation.
answer
double taxation; do not face
question
All of the following are advantages of proprietorships except:
answer
unlimited liability.
question
All of the following are advantages of proprietorships except
answer
limited liability of the proprietor.
question
The type of business organizations that are responsible for the greatest share of all business revenues in the U.S. are
answer
Corporations They are responsible for 85.4 percent of total business revenues.
question
The most common form of business organization in the United States is the corporation.
answer
False
question
The owners of ________ face limited laibility and the owners of ________ face unlimited liability.
answer
corporations; proprietorships and partnerships
question
When caclulating accounting profits, the costs that accountants take into consideration are
answer
only explicit costs
question
The opportunity cost of capital is the amount of income that could have been earned by investing in all other alternative investments.
answer
False
question
If a proprietor owns her own building, the use of that building for her proprietorship has no opportunity cost.
answer
False
question
When caclulating economic profits, economists take into consideration
answer
both explicit and implicit costs.
question
The goal of the firm is to maximize total revenue.
answer
False
question
_____ are the most common form of business organization, comprising about 71 percent of all firms. Each is owned by a single individual who makes all business decisions, receives all the profits, and has _____ liability for the firm's debts.
answer
Proprietorships; unlimited
question
______are much like proprietorships, except that two or more individuals, or partners, share the decisions and the profits of the firm. In addition, each partner has _____liability for the debts of the firm.
answer
partnerships; unlimited
question
Corporations are responsible for the largest share of business revenues. The owners, called _____ , share in the firm's profits but normally have little responsibility for the firm's day-to-day operations. They enjoy ____ liability for the debts of the firm.
answer
shareholders; limited
question
Accounting profits differ from economic profits, which are defined as total revenues minus total costs, where costs include the full _____ cost of all of the factors of production plus all other implicit costs.
answer
opportunity
question
The full opportunity cost of capital invested in a business is generally not included as a cost when accounting profits are calculated. Thus, accounting profits often are ______ than economic profits. We assume throughout that the goal of the firm is to ______ economic profits.
answer
greater; maximize
question
Suppose that the nominal interest rate in Japan is only 5.0 percent, while the comparable rate in the United States is 7.0 percent. Japan's rate of inflation is 2.0 percent while the U.S. inflation rate is 6.0 percent. Which economy has the higher real interest rate?
answer
Since Japan's real interest rate ( 5.0%−2.0%) is 3.0 percent, and the real interest rate in the U.S. (7%- 6%) is one percent; higher real interest rate.
question
The interest rate can vary depending upon what a loan will be used for. Which of the following factors will not influence the annual interest rate?
answer
economic costs
question
Interest is the payment for obtaining credit.
answer
True
question
Interest rates can vary due to which of the following determinants?
answer
A. the size of the loan B. the length of the loan C. the creditworthiness of the borrower D. All of the above.
question
If the nominal rate of interest is 6 percent and the anticipated rate of inflation is 2 percent, the real rate of interest is approximately
answer
4 percent
question
If the expected rate of return on the purchase of a new piece of manufacturing equipment is 7 percent and the funds required to purchase the new piece of equipment can be acquired for 8 percent, the purchase should not be made.
answer
True
question
Present value refers to the value of a future amount expressed in today's dollars.
answer
True
question
What is the present value of $500 to be received one year from now if the rate of interest is 8 percent?
answer
$462.96
question
Interest is the price of obtaining credit. In the credit market, the rate of interest paid depends on the _____of the loan, the ______, and the handling charges, among other things.
answer
length; risk
question
Nominal interest rates include a factor to take account of the ______rate of inflation. Therefore, during periods of high ______inflation, nominal interest rates will be relatively high.
answer
anticipated; anticipated
question
Payments received or costs incurred in the future are worth less than those received or incurred today. The _______of any future sum is lower the further it occurs in the future and the greater the discount rate used.
answer
present value
question
Which of the following is true regarding the differences between common stock and preferred stock?
answer
Owners of preferred stock generally must receive at least a certain amount of dividends in each period before the owners of common stock can receive any dividends.
question
Suppose that one of your classmates informs you that he has developed a method of forecasting stock market returns based on past trends. With a monetary investment by you, he claims that the two of you could profit handsomely from this forecasting method. Your classmate is
answer
wrong since there are no predictable trends that can be used to "get rich quickly;" stock prices go up following a "random walk."
question
Which of the following is not a main source of corporate funds?
answer
Loans from banks.
question
An important difference between common stock and preferred stock is that
answer
preferred stockholders are entitled to their dividends before common stockholders.
question
An investor wishes to own a part of a company and desires preferential treatment in the distribution of dividends. The investor should purchase
answer
preferred stock
question
A firm can obtain funds for investing by
answer
A. selling bonds. B. reinvesting profits. C. selling stocks. D. All of the above.
question
According to the random walk theory of stock market pricing,
answer
there are no predictable trends in stock prices.
question
The PE ratio measures
answer
the stock price divided by the earnings per share.
question
If the closing price of a stock traded on a particular day is $64 per share, and the dividend paid is $2.62 per share
answer
the yield is 4.1%.
question
Making stock trades based on "inside information"
answer
is illegal
question
Payments received or costs incurred in the future are worth less than those received or incurred today. The _______of any future sum is lower the further it occurs in the future and the greater the discount rate used.
answer
present value
question
Owners of preferred stock
answer
own a share of the future profits of the corporation but do not have regular voting rights on major policy decisions of the corporation.
question
Bonds are legal claims on the future profits of a firm.
answer
False
question
Reinvestment and borrowing are the primary means of financing for existing firms.
answer
True
question
The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is the largest stock exchange in the United States.
answer
False
question
Stock trading based on inside information is
answer
Illegal
question
The three primary sources of corporate funds are ____, ____, and ____ of profile
answer
stocks, bonds, reinvestment
question
A share of stock is a share of _____providing a legal claim to a corporation's future profits. A ______ is a legal claim entitling the owner to a fixed annual coupon payment and to a lump-sum payment on the date it matures.
answer
ownership; bond
question
Many economists believe that asset markets, especially the stock market, are ______ , meaning that one cannot make a higher-than-normal rate of return without having inside information (information that the general public does not possess). Stock prices normally drift upward following a ________ , meaning that you cannot predict changes in future stock prices based on information about stock price behavior in the past.
answer
inefficient; random walk
question
People who obtain inside information can earn extra profits in securities markets, according to the
answer
random walk theory.
question
When a Federal Reserve staff person recently accidentally e-mailed policy information a day early, a recipient could have
answer
reaped capital gains by buying securities and then reselling them after their prices increased.
question
Inside information
answer
is available to persons working in government agencies but cannot be used for profit-making security trades. Inside information is information that is not available to the public. Stock trading based on inside information such as this is illegal, punishable by substantial fines and even imprisonment. When a Federal Reserve staff person recently accidentally e-mailed policy information a day early, individuals who received it knew that market interest rates were likely to fall in the future. In principle, a recipient could have reaped capital gains by buying securities and then reselling them after their prices increased. Under the 1967 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), anyone can request information from a federal agency. In most instances, the agency must provide the information. Recent reviews of FOIA requests have revealed that tens of thousands of such requests likely were associated with efforts to obtain profitable information.
question
From the perspective of the firm, what is the difference between the short run and the long run?
answer
In the short run, at least one input is fixed, while in the long run all inputs are variable.
question
The short run is defined as
answer
the period of time in which at least one factor of production is fixed. When any factors are fixed, it is the short run period.
question
The long run is defined as
answer
the period of time in which all factors of production are variable.
question
The long and short run are
answer
The long run and short run are not defined by chronological time.
question
In the long run,
answer
all factors of production are variable.
question
In the long run there
answer
are only variable inputs.
question
The short run is any time period where
answer
at least one input cannot be changed.
question
The long run is any time period where
answer
all inputs can be changed.
question
The ______ run is a time period during which at least one input cannot be altered. A typical input that cannot be changed in the short run is a firm's ____.
answer
short; plant size
question
The ____ run is a time period in which all inputs can be _____.
answer
long; varied
question
At the end of the year, a firm produced 16,000 laptop computers. Its total costs were $7 million, and its fixed costs were $4 million.
answer
Total variable cost equals total cost ($7,000,000) minus total fixed cost ($4,000,000). Average variable cost equals total variable cost ($3,000,000) divided by output (16,000) = $187.50
question
During the previous month, a firm produced 200 tablet devices and its total costs were $10,800. Just before the firm produced its last tablet device in the previous month, its total costs were $10,724.
answer
10800-10724
question
Daily total fixed costs
answer
AFC*Q
question
Total Variable Costs
answer
AVC*Q
question
Total Costs
answer
VC+FC
question
Average Total Cost
answer
TC^/Q
question
At its current short-run level of production, a firm's average variable costs equal $20 per unit, and its average fixed costs equal $15 per unit. Its total costs at this production level equal $2,100.
answer
Output= Total Cost/ Average Total Cost 2100/35
question
During autumn months, passenger railroads across the globe deal with a condition called slippery rail. It results from a combination of water, leaf oil, and pressure from the train's weight, which creates a slippery black ooze that prevents trains from gaining traction. One solution for slippery rail is to cut back trees from all of a rail firm's rail network on a regular basis, thereby helping prevent the problem from developing. If incurred, would this railroad expense be a better example of a fixed cost or a variable cost? Why?
answer
This is an example of a fixed cost because the cost doesn't vary with the number of trains.
question
Another way of addressing slippery rail is to wait until it begins to develop. Then the company purchases sand and dumps it on the slippery tracks so that trains already en route within the rail network can proceed. If incurred, would this railroad expense be a better example of a fixed cost or a variable cost? Why?
answer
This is an example of a variable cost because the cost varies with the number of trains.
question
Suppose that a firm's only variable input is labor, and the constant hourly wage rate is $24 per hour. The last unit (hour) of labor hired enabled the firm to increase its hourly production from 250 units to 251 units. What was the marginal cost of the 251st unit of output?
answer
24
question
Suppose that a company currently employs 1,500 workers and produces 1 million units of output per month. Labor is its only variable input, and the company pays each worker the same monthly wage. The company's current total variable costs equal $2 million.
answer
Since Average Variable Cost = TVC/Total output $2
question
Average Product of labor: Total product or Output/Total workers or Input
answer
666.67
question
Monthly wage
answer
Variable Cost/ Number of Workers
question
At the end of the year, a firm produced 40,000 laptop computers. Its total costs were 10 million, and its fixed costs were 5 million. What are the average variable costs of this firm? AVC
answer
Total Costs- Fixed Costs/ Quantity
question
What characteristic of the airline industry make consumers better off if the industry is an oligopoly?
answer
high fixed costs
question
The Justice Department required AMR and US Airways to _______________ in order to approve the merger.
answer
eliminate some gates at airports
question
Critics of the merger maintain that the merger will:
answer
result in higher prices to consumers.
question
A measure of industry concentration used by the Justice Department to evaluate potential merger is the:
answer
Herfindahl-Hirschman Index.
question
Some mergers can benefit consumers if the:
answer
marginal cost of providing the good or service falls post-merger.
question
What is the pre-merger and post-merger HHI of an industry with 10 firms that each have 10% market share if two of these firms are allowed to merge?
answer
pre-merger =1,000 & post-merger = 1,200
question
The European Union is banning mango imports from India due to:
answer
pests found in the mango seeds.
question
The variety of mango that is banned by the EU currently retails for:
answer
$7 each.
question
True or False: The Middle Eastern market for Indian mangos is approximately ten times larger than the European market.
answer
True
question
If the price of a product increases too much consumers may reduce consumption if ___________ goods are available.
answer
substitute
question
What is the dominant strategy in this situation?
answer
Both firms offer extended warranties.
question
A dominant strategy
answer
always yields the unique best action for the decision maker no matter what action the other firms undertake.
question
One of the three shops on campus that sell university logo clothing has found that if it sells a sweatshirt for $30 or more, the other two shops keep their prices constant and the store loses revenues. If, however, the shop reduces its price below $30, the other stores react by lowering their prices. What kind of market structure does this store face?
answer
oligopoly
question
If the store's marginal costs fluctuate up and down very slightly, how should the store adjust its prices?
answer
Prices should stay the same since the store expects lost revenue whether it raises or lowers the price.
question
Consider the payoff matrix to the right. Firm 1 and Firm 2 are seeking to choose between Format A and Format B for their products. Which of the following statements best describes their profit-maximization?
answer
Since there are network effects, the firms would maximize profits if they both produced format B.
question
What is the only market structure that does not have non-price competition?
answer
Perfect Competition.
question
Which of the market structures has unrestricted entry and exit, many sellers of the product and some ability to set the price?
answer
Monopolistic competition.
question
As long as their products are
answer
not too differentiated, conditions are favorable to form a cartel since there are relatively few firms and prices are observable.
question
If the firms successfully establish a cartel, why will there naturally be pressures for the cartel to break down, either from within or from outside?
answer
Firms in the cartel, especially the small ones, have an incentive to cheat by expanding output at the higher cartel price, and positive economic profits will induce non cartel firms to enter the market.
question
Which of the following is not one of the conditions that make it more likely that firms will be able to coordinate their efforts to restrain output and detect cheating?
answer
Market demand tends to be volatile.
question
When network effects are important then an industry can experience
answer
positive market feedback.
question
Which of the following would best "solve" the asymmetric information problem in this market?
answer
High-quality sellers could offer warranties or product guarantees.
question
Which of the following is an explanation of the capture theory?
answer
People who have been in an industry are most likely to be asked to be regulators of the industry.
question
Which of the following is not a key antitrust law?
answer
The Contestable Markets Act.
question
Recently, the U.S. Justice Department initiated an antitrust investigation of Homestore.com, a web site containing the listings of thousands of real estate agents in the United States. In cities and even in local communities, there is considerable rivalry among realtors. Nevertheless, nearly all belong to the National Association of Realtors, which is the majority owner of Homestore.com. In 2000, Homestore.com purchased a rival site, Move.com, which left the Microsoft Network's Homeadvisor.com as its only remaining key rival. The Justice Department became concerned with the activities of Homestore.com because
answer
of the growing concentration of ownership within this single association, exhibiting cartel-like behavior.
question
The Justice Department will consider it a violation of antitrust laws if
answer
the internet realtor listings are considered to be a part of the relevant market.
question
_______ regulation applies to specific industries, whereas _____ regulation applies to businesses throughout the economy. Governments commonly regulate the prices and quality of services provided by electric, gas, and other utilities, which traditionally have been considered _____ monopolies. Governments also single out various nonmonopolistic industries, such as the financial and transportation industries, for special forms of _____ regulation. Among the common forms of _____ regulation covering all industries are the occupational, health, and safety rules that federal and state governments impose on producers.
answer
Economic, Social, natural economic social
question
If the natural monopoly shown in the accompanying graph uses marginal cost pricing, then
answer
it will make an economic loss.
question
Which of the following is an explanation of the feedback effect?
answer
When products have too many warning labels comma consumers may not read any of them.
question
A monopolist will employ ________ workers than a perfectly competitive industry because for a monopolist, marginal revenue is _____ price.
answer
fewer; less than
question
Currently, the wage rate is $5 per worker hour, and the price of capital is $10 per machine hour. If the marginal productivity of labor is 66 units per hour and the marginal productivity of capital is 88 units per hour, how should a cost-minimizing firm adjust its input mix, assuming that it does not want to increase output?
answer
The firm should decrease its use of capital and increase its use of labor.
question
Why do younger workers make less than workers who are older?
answer
Younger workers earn less because their productivity is lower than that of older workers.
question
The principle that suggests that the distribution of income should be based on the contribution made by individuals to society's total output is known as
answer
the productivity standard.
question
The productivity standard fails to yield an equal distribution of income because
answer
individuals have different abilities and skills.
question
Which of the following is not an approach to measuring poverty?
answer
The marginal poverty standard that looks at the marginal increases in income
question
In the long run, imports are paid for by exports because
answer
for the most part, foreigners want U.S. produced goods in exchange for the goods that are shipped to the United States.
question
The United States economy is considered by the Institute for Management Development to be the most competitive economy because
answer
of widespread entrepreneurship.
question
One reason why "protecting domestic jobs" is a poor argument against free trade is because
answer
the cost of protecting jobs is much higher than the value of jobs
question
Critics of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) suggest that much of the increase in exports from Mexico to the United States now involves goods that Mexico otherwise would have exported to other nations. Mexican firms choose to export the goods to the United States, the critics argue, solely because the items receive preferential treatment under NAFTA tariff rules. This can be described as
answer
a diversion of trade.