Chapter 7
Each firm can produce at most one car. Suppose the market for electric cars is competitive. Why is the equilibrium price in this market $40,000? Which firms will produce an electric car if the price is $40,000? Which consumers will buy an electric car when the price is $40,000?
All of the above. B, C, and D 1, 3, and 2
The equilibrium rent in a town is $500 per month, and the equilibrium number of apartments is 100. The city now passes a rent control law that sets the maximum rent at $400. The diagram on the right summarizes the supply and demand for apartments in this city. A) consumer surplus B) producer surplus C) social surplus
Before rent control: A) A + B B) C + D + F C) A + B + C + D + F
From the positions the curves hold in each graph, it can be deduced that the older, less efficient facility is ______ If video games are produced in a competitive market and the current price is $70, production in Alpha is ____ thousand units and production in Beta is ____ thousand units. If management sought to transfer 10 thousand units of Beta's production to Alpha, the firm's overall profits would ______, since for those 10 thousand additional units ______.
Beta 70 - 60 decrease, MC Beta < MC Alpha
In Table 3, show the change in consumer surplus, producer surplus and social surplus resulting from the rent control law. A) consumer surplus B) producer surplus C) social surplus
Change A) C-B B) -(C+D) C) -(D+B)
Using the results from Table 3, assess each change from the before value to after value as positive, negative, or unclear. A) consumer surplus B) producer surplus C) social surplus
Direction of Change A) unclear B) negative C) negative
Does price gouging have the same effect as setting prices above equilibrium level?
No, price gouging is actually an equilibrium outcome, while the setting of prices above equilibrium is not.
thinks that the government should intervene to revive declining industries like video stores and print newspapers. The government, she reasons, can resolve the coordination problem of getting the agents in these markets to trade. Do you agree with her? Explain your answer.
No, these industries are declining not because of coordination problems but, rather, because of falling demand.
Using the concept of Pareto efficiency, which of the following statements is likely to be true?
The outcome in the market for cars is Pareto efficient because it is a perfectly competitive market.
Which of the following statements is true of the market for cabs in Beijing? Based on your understanding of how the invisible hand works, which of the following decisions is likely to correct the problem of shortages of cabs in Beijing?
There has been a rightward shift of the demand curve, while the supply curve has remained unchanged. The government should lift the price control imposed on the base fare of cabs.
Are all efficient outcomes also equitable? Explain.
There is really no definitive answer to this question since issues surrounding efficiency and equity are the domain of normative economics, where subjective value judgments are made.
Which of the following would maximize social surplus?
Trade at competitive market equilibrium
Then why are market economies considered more efficient than planned economies?
all of the above
A difficult problem for central planners is bringing together those economic agents whose interests coincide in order to trade. This is known as the _____ problem.
coordination
A weather pattern that produces a bumoer corn crop: This will ______ corn prices by shifting the supply curve for corn ______ A rise in the price of wheat (a substitute for corn). This will ______ corn prices by shifting the demand curve for corn ______ A decrease in the number of demanders in the corn market: This will ______ corn prices by shifting the deamdn curve for the corn ______ An increase in the number of demanders in the corn market. This will ______ corn prices by shifting the demand curve for corn ______
decrease, rightward increase, rightward increase, rightward increase, rightward
in a perfectly competitive market, a firm with multiple production plants will minimize total costs of production when:
each plant produces where marginal revenue equals marginal cost
Once planners have successfully brought economic agents together, a second problem of aligning the interests of the economic agents must be solved.This is known as the ______ problem.
incentive
A flood that destroys a great deal of the corn crop. This will ______ corn prices by shifting the supply curve for corn ______. A fall in the price of wheat (a substitute for corn). This will ______ corn prices by shifting the demand curve for corn ______ A change in consumer tastes away from corn dogs toward hot dogs. This will ______ corn prices by shifting the demand curve for corn ______ An increase in the number of demanders in the corn market. This will ______ corn prices by shifting the demand curve for corn ______
increase, leftward decrease, leftward decrease, leftward increase, rightward
All else being equal, the steeper the supply curve, the the ______ social surplus in a market.
larger
The figure on the right shows the typical firm in a perfectly competitive industry. Equilibrium in the market is currently yielding a price of $30 At this price, the typical firm earns a ___ economic profit As a consequence of the current short-run conditions in this industry, it may be expected that firms will ______ this market. As this movement of firms occurs, economic profits for the typical firm will ______.
negative leave --
The figure on the right shows the typical firm in a perfectly competitive industry. Equilibrium in the market is currently yielding a price of $70 At this price, the typical firm earns a ___ economic profit As a consequence of the current short-run conditions in this industry, it may be expected that firms will ______ this market. As this movement of firms occurs, economic profits for the typical firm will ______.
positive enter approach zero
In a market economy, the alignment of interests is accomplished through the use of ______.
prices
All else being equal, the flatter the demand curve, the ______ the social surplus in a market.
smaller
Social surplus is the ______
total value from trade in the market
Imagine you are a buyer in a double oral auction with a reservation value of $15 and there is a seller asking for $10. If you accept this offer, you will gain $______ If you are the only buyer, and you know that the lowest ask price is $3, should you accept this offer?
5 Both A and C are correct.
Calculate consumer surplus, producer surplus, and social surplus when the price is $40,000.
1+3+4=190k 40k x 3 = 120k consumer surplus: 190-120=70k firms D,A,C: 20+30+40=90k producer surplus: 120-90=30k social surplus: 90+30=100k
The figure on the right displays the market for video game consoles, where nine buyers are interacting with nine sellers. 1. According to this figure, the equilibrium price is $______, and at that price,the equilibrium quantity is ______. 2. When the market is in equilibrium, social surplus is $______ 3. If the number of consoles is restricted to two less than the equilibrium quantity, social surplus is $______ 4. Alternatively, if the government mandated that one more video game console than equilibrium be transacted, social surplus is now $______ 5. From this analysis, it can be concluded that a market in competitive equilibrium ______ social surplus.
1. 250, 5 2. 1000 3. 900 4. 900 5. maximizes
Identify after the rent control: A) consumer surplus B) producer surplus C) social surplus
A) A + C B) F C) A + C + F
Social surplus is maximized when the ______
d. All of the above