Exam 1 Homework Problems
Your savings account pays 6%per year: Each $100 in the bank grows to $106 over a one-year period. If prices increase by 5% per year, by keeping $100 in the bank for a year you actually gain $_____
$1 Since prices increase by 5% per year, what could be purchased today for a $100 will cost $105 a year from now.
Suppose you currently live and work in Cleveland, earning a salary of $65,000 per year and spending $20,000 for housing. You just heard that you will be transferred to a city in California where housing is 50% more expensive. In negotiating a new salary, your objective is to keep your real income constant. Your new target salary is $______
$75,000 Your salary needs to increase by the dollar value of the percentage increase for housing.
The Cost of a Flower Business. Jen left a job paying $50,000 per year to start her own florist shop in a building she owns. The market value of the building is $80,000. She pays $35,000 per year for flowers and other supplies, and has a bank account that pays 6% interest. What is the economic cost of Jen's business?
$89,800 $50,000 + $35,000 + (80,000 x .06)= $89,800 The economic cost, or total opportunity cost, of Jen's business includes all the costs of operating the business: These include forgone income (from the job she left), cost of supplies and inventory, and the forgone interest income (from the building). If she sold the building and put the proceeds in the bank, she would earn 6%interest, or $80,000 times×6% = $4,800 dollars of interest per year.
Approximately ________ percent of job losses in the first three months of 2004 were caused by outsourcing.
2%
If she added a third worker, holding the number of copiers fixed, her output would increase by fewer than____ pages.
300 pages Xena reached the point of diminishing marginal returns with the first worker. After that, each additional worker increases output, but at a decreasing rate.
A change in demand causes a ___________ the demand curve. A change in quantity demanded causes a ______________ the demand curve.
A change in demand causes a shift of the demand curve. A change in quantity demanded causes a movement along the demand curve.
A change in price causes movement along a supply curve and a change in____________________ .
A change in price causes movement along a supply curve and a change in the quantity supplied . A movement along a single supply curve is called a change in quantity supplied. This is a change in the quantity a producer is willing and able to sell when the price changes. A change in supply is caused by changes in a variable other than the price of the good and shifts the entire supply curve.
Marty and Terry run a landscaping firm that cuts lawns and prunes trees. Marty is more productive than TerryTerry at both tasks. Martyshould cut lawns and Terryshould prune trees if Marty has a__________ in cutting lawns.
A comparative advantage Marty and Terry can be more productive when each one specializes. It is sensible for a person to produce the product for which he or she has a comparative advantage, that is, a lower opportunity cost than another person.
A decrease in the market interest rate________ the economic cost of holding a $500 collectible for a year.
A decrease in the market interest rate decreases the economic cost of holding a $500 collectible for a year. Part of the economic cost of the collectible is the interest that could be earned from selling it and putting the money in the bank. A lower interest rate decreases the economic cost of holding onto the item.
Consider a transaction in which a consumer buys a book for $8. The value of the book to the buyer is at least $______, and the cost of producing the book is no more than $___ (enter an integer value).
A person will not voluntarily buy the book unless the value to him or her is at least as great as the purchase price. The merchant will sell the book as long as the cost of producing it is no greater than the price.
Suppose the United States eliminates steel tariffs. How does the change in steel import restrictions affect automobile manufacturers who use steel as an input? A. The automobile industry will experience job growth as manufacturers are less likely to relocate to other countries. B. Automobile manufacturers will become lessless profitable as the price of steel fallsfalls. C. The tariff change will prompt automobile manufacturers to raiseraise the price of vehicles. D. The cost of producing automobiles will increaseincrease.
A. The automobile industry will experience job growth as manufacturers are less likely to relocate to other countries.
Continental Airlines Goes Marginal. In the 1960s, Continental Airlines puzzled observers of the airline industry and dismayed its stockholders by running flights with up to half the seats empty. The average cost of running a flight was $4,000, a figure that includes fixed costs such as airport fees and the cost of running the reservation system. A half-full aircraft generated only $3,100 of revenue. Continental ran half-empty flights because A. the marginal benefit was greater than the marginal cost. B. the marginal cost of adding more flights was increasing. C. the average cost would be higher with full flights. D. they own the reservation system so they pay themselves for that.
A. the marginal benefit was greater than the marginal cost. Since the given costs are fixed, they do not change when passengers are added. An additional passenger does not add any cost. As long as another passenger buys a ticket, the marginal benefit exceeds the marginal cost.
Consider a bicycle producer that initially employs 200 production workers and 10 customer-service workers. When the firm outsources its customer-service operation to India, the 10 customer-service workers lose their jobs. a. The net effect from outsourcing could be a loss of fewer than 10 jobs in the firm because A. the savings may allow the firm to hire more production workers. B. the savings may allow the firm to hire more customer-service workers. C. local laws may prevent employment reductions. D. the 200 production workers will work harder.
A. the savings may allow the firm to hire more production workers.
Solving a Tree Cutting Problem. Consider a hilly neighborhood where large trees provide shade but also block views. When a resident announces plans to cut down several trees to improve her view, her neighbors object and announce plans to block the tree cutting. One week later, the trees are gone, but everyone is happy. Use the principle of voluntary exchange to explain what could have happened. A. The resident bought her neighbors seedlings to plant in their yards. B. The resident paid for a block party for her neighbors. C. The resident paid her neighbors to let her cut down the trees. D. All of the above.
All of the above are possible exchanges that made both parties better off.
An excess demand for a product will cause the price to ________ . As a consequence of the price change, the quantity demanded will ________ and the quantity supplied will ___________
An excess demand for a product will cause the price to increase . As a consequence of the price change, the quantity demanded will decrease and the quantity supplied will increase .
Consider the market fornbsp restaurant meals. If consumer income increasesincreases, andnbsp restaurant meals are normalnormal goods, what happens to the demand fornbsp restaurant meals? As a result of the change in consumer income, equilibrium price of meals will ____________ and equilibrium quantity of meals will _____________ .
As a result of the change in consumer income, equilibrium price of meals will increase and equilibrium quantity of meals will increase .
Normative statements answer questions like "What will happen if..." A. True B. False
B. False
Positive Statements answer questions like " What ought to happen to..." A. True B. False
B. False
Interest Rates and ATM Trips. KevinKevin, who lives in a country where interest rates are very high, goes to an ATM every day to get $10 of spending money. JohnJohn, who lives in a country with relatively low interest rates, goes to the ATM once a month to get $300 of spending money. Why does KevinKevin use the ATM more frequently? (Assume they both have interest bearing checking accounts.) A. Kevin doesn't like to carry a lot of cash. B. Kevin's opportunity cost of holding cash is higher. C. High interest rates imply low banking fees. D. John's opportunity cost of holding cash is higher.
B. Kevin's opportunity cost of holding cash is higher. The opportunity cost of holding cash is the forgone interest. The higher the interest rate, the higher the opportunity cost.
Which of the following is not a factor of production? A. Entrepreneurship. B. Money. C. Land. D. Human capital.
B. Money.
Why might pollution from a paper mill be an example of a market failure? A. People living near the paper mill are not offered jobs there. B. People living downwind of the mill bear part of the cost of production. C. The paper mill is ignoring property rights by polluting. D. None of the above.
B. People living downwind of the mill bear part of the cost of production.
b. There will be a net gain in jobs in the firm if A. other countries stop outsourcing. B. additional demand for bicycles creates a large boost in production. C. India stops outsourcing. D. the company develops a comparative advantage at producing bicycles.
B. additional demand for bicycles creates a large boost in production. If the cost savings from outsourcing are substantial, it will lead to lower prices for consumers and more demand for the firm. If demand for bicycles increases as a result of more income by consumers in the U.S. or India, more production workers will be needed.
Pirating Textbooks? The government protects intellectual property rights by enforcing copyright rules on textbooks. Suppose Google scans the pages of this and other introductory economics textbooks and makes them available for downloading at no charge. a. Supposing you are a current textbook consumer, you would be_______ . b. What are the implications for the next generation of economics students? A. Fewer textbook titles will be available for copy over the internet. B. Textbook publishers will not create as many new textbooks. C. Textbook producers will not supply as many textbooks. D. All of the above.
Better off D. All of the above.
What is the economist's solution to the congestion problem? A. Require people to carpool. B. Require people to move closer to their jobs. C. Charge a toll during rush hour. D. No economist would suggest any of the above.
C. Charge a toll during rush hour.
What is the economic cost of a pair of warships purchased by Malaysia? A. 200 tanks. B. The cost of materials and labor plus interest on loans from the IMF. C. Safe drinking water for 5 million people who lack it. D. None of the above.
C. Safe drinking water for 5 million people who lack it. Your answer is correct. The opportunity cost of something is what you sacrifice to get it. In this case, the mostly highly valued alternative was safe drinking water for 5 million people.
Which of the following does not expand economic growth? A. Widen economic opportunities B. Production facilities C. Scarcity D. New technology
C. Scarcity
Rising Price of Used Organs. Over the past few years, the price of used organs (livers, kidneys, and hearts) in the United States has increased dramatically. Which of the following is a possible explanation for the price increase? A. The population, in general, is healthier requiring less medical treatment. B. The U.S. government encourages the importation of organs donated from outside the U.S. C. The U.S. government banned imported organs AND demand for used organs is increasing. D. Demand for used organs is at an all-time low while the supply of used organs has not changed.
C. The U.S. government banned imported organs AND demand for used organs is increasing.
Marginal Cost of Housing. When the price of a standard three bedroom housethree bedroom house increases from $120 comma 000120,000 to $135 comma 000135,000, a building company increases its production of houseshouses from 20 houseshouses per year to 21 houseshouses per year. What does this increase in the price of housing reveal about the cost of producing housing? A. The marginal benefit of the 21st househouse is just under $135 comma 000135,000. B. The marginal cost of the 21st househouse produced is greater than $135 comma 000135,000. C. The building company will only produce the 21st househouse if the marginal benefit from producing it exceeds the marginal cost. D. All of the above are correct.
C. The building company will only produce the 21st househouse if the marginal benefit from producing it exceeds the marginal cost.
Some markets are dominated by a few large firms, leading to A. large quantities and high profits. B. high prices and many choices. C. high prices and small quantities. D. intense competition and low profits.
C. high prices and small quantities. Markets dominated by only a few firms typically lack competition, which leads to high prices, small quantities, larger profits, and limited consumer choice.
In your decision about how much output to produce two years from now, would you use the principle of diminishing returns? A. Yes, because it is difficult to forecast 2 years into the future. B. No, because it is difficult to forecast 2 years into the future. C. No, because in the long run all inputs are variable. D. Yes, because in the long run some inputs are fixed.
C. No, because in the long run all inputs are variable. The principle of diminishing marginal returns is only relevant when at least one input of the production process is fixed. The entire facility could be expanded in two years.
Should a Heart Surgeon Do Her Own Plumbing? A heart surgeon is skillful at unplugging arteries and rerouting the flow of blood, and these skills also make her a very skillful plumber. She can clear a clogged drain in 6 minutes, about 10 times faster than the most skillful plumber in town. Suppose the surgeon earns $20 per minute in heart surgery and the best plumber in town charges $100 per hour. Should the surgeon clear her own clogged drains? A. No, her opportunity cost is too low. B. Yes, her opportunity cost is too low. C. No, her opportunity cost is too high. D. Yes, her opportunity cost is too high.
C. No, her opportunity cost is too high. In the time it will take her to clear the drain, she can earn more doing surgery than it will cost to have a plumber clear it. Hence, the surgeon should not clear her own drains because her opportunity cost is too high.
Change in Demand or Supply How does the equilibrium price change? How does the equilibrium quantity change? Increase in supply Decrease in demand Decrease in supply Increase in demand
Change in Demand or Supply How does the equilibrium price change? How does the equilibrium quantity change? Increase in supply decreases increases Decrease in demand decreases decreases Decrease in supply increases decreases Increase in demand increases increases
Conservationists have a new strategy for preserving rainforests: ________ loggers and other developers for the land, paying as little as $________ per hectare per year.
Conservationists have a new strategy for preserving rainforests: bidding against loggers and other developers for the land, paying as little as $1 per hectare per year.
Which of the following is one of the three basic questions a society must answer? A. How do we produce the products? B. Who consumes the products? C. What products do we produce? D. All of the above.
D. All of the above.
The Opportunity Cost of a Mission to Mars. The United States has plans to spend billions of dollars on a mission to Mars. Various resources will be used to execute the mission, and sacrifices will be made to use those resources. Which of the following are possible opportunity costs of the mission? A. Hiring 1.8 million additional teachers for one year. B. Colonizing the moon. C. Setting up a missile defense system. D. All of the above.
D. All of the above. Most decisions involve several alternatives. To determine the opportunity cost of a trip to Mars, we must consider which of these is the next best alternative. All of the above are possible opportunity costs of a trip to Mars.
What Caused the Higher Gasoline Price? In the last month, the price of gasoline increased substantially and your job is to determine whether the increase is due to a change in demand or a change in supply. a. Which of the following questions would you ask to make your determination? A. Did equilibrium quantity increase or decrease? B. Did wages paid to oil refinery workers increase? C. Did the price of cars fall substantially? D. Any of the above.
D. Any of the above.
When to Use the Principle of Diminishing Returns? You are the manager of a firm that produces memory chips for mobile phones. In your decision about how much output to produce this week, would you use the principle of diminishing returns? A. Only if I were free to vary all my inputs. B. No, because I'm flexible in choosing my inputs. C. No, because in the short run some inputs are variable. D. Yes, because in the short run some inputs are fixed.
D. Given the short time period, you may be able to vary some inputs, but most likely at least one input would be fixed. The principle of diminishing marginal returns is only relevant when at least one input of the production process is fixed.
What does the Latin expression ceteris paribus mean? A. A measure of something that can take on different values. B. Resources are limited. C. Seize the day. D. Other things being held fixed.
D. Other things being held fixed.
Which of the following is not an element of the economic way of thinking? A. Rational people respond to incentives. B. Thinking at the margin. C. Use assumptions to simplify complex behavior. D. Use normative statements.
D. Use normative statements.
Meteorites travel from Mars to science laboratories on earth with the help of markets that involve A. astronauts, meteorite hunters, and local dealers. B. meteorite hunters, local dealers, and NASA. C. bio-geologists, local dealers, and the internet. D. meteorite hunters, local dealers, and the internet.
D. meteorite hunters, local dealers, and the internet.
Adam Smith listed three reasons for specialization to increase productivity. What are they? A. Repetition, Continuity, and Motivation. B. Repetition, Determination, and Innovation. C. Determination, Motivation, and Innovation. D. Repetition, Continuity, and Innovation.
D. Repetition, Continuity, and Innovation. Adam Smith asserts that specialization increases repetition, continuity, and innovation by allowing each worker to perform a single production task.
Determine which of the following variables "changes" or "remains fixed" as we move along the demand curve for pencils. The quantity of pencils demanded ___________ as we move along the demand curve for pencils. The number of consumers _____________ as we move along the demand curve for pencils. The price of pencils __________________ as we move along the demand curve for pencils. The price of pens ______________________ as we move along the demand curve for pencils. Consumer income _________________________ as we move along the demand curve for pencils.
Determine which of the following variables "changes" or "remains fixed" as we move along the demand curve for pencils. The quantity of pencils demanded changes as we move along the demand curve for pencils. The number of consumers remains fixed as we move along the demand curve for pencils. The price of pencils changes as we move along the demand curve for pencils. The price of pens remains fixed as we move along the demand curve for pencils. Consumer income remains fixed as we move along the demand curve for pencils.
Diminishing marginal returns is applicable when a firm is_________ in choosing inputs, but does not apply when a firm is______ in choosing its inputs.
Diminishing marginal returns is only relevant when a firm is inflexible in choosing inputs--It means that at least one input is fixed. For example, when we add workers to a facility with fixed inputs, each worker becomes less productive because she works with a smaller piece of the facility
Maps are a good non-economic example of using assumptions to make things simpler. Which of the following are assumptions used to make maps useful? A. The earth is flat. B. The roads are flat. C. Directions, such as north and south, can not be determined. D. All of the above. E. A and B are both correct.
E. A and B are both correct.
Excess demand occurs when the price is _______ than the equilibrium price; excess supply occurs when the price is _______ than the equilibrium price.
Excess demand occurs when the price is less than the equilibrium price; excess supply occurs when the price is greater than the equilibrium price.
Excess supply of a product will cause the price to _________ . As a consequence of the price change, the quantity demanded will ____________ , and the quantity supplied will ______________
Excess supply of a product will cause the price to decrease . As a consequence of the price change, the quantity demanded will increase , and the quantity supplied will decrease .
Four social inventions that support markets are _________ which specify the terms of exchange; ____________which reduces the risk of entrepreneurs; _________which increase the profitability of inventions; and _________ rules, which provide potential investors with reliable information about the financial performance of firms.
Four social inventions that support markets are contracts , which specify the terms of exchange; insurance , which reduces the risk of entrepreneurs; patents , which increase the profitability of inventions; and accounting rules, which provide potential investors with reliable information about the financial performance of firms.
From the following list, choose the variables that are "held fixed" or "not held fixed" when drawing a market supply curve. The price of the product is ______ when drawing a market supply curve. Wages paid to workers are _______ when drawing a market supply curve. The price of materials used in production is _______________ when drawing a market supply curve. Taxes paid by producers are __________________ when drawing a market supply curve. The quantity of the good produced is ________________________ when drawing a market supply curve.
From the following list, choose the variables that are "held fixed" or "not held fixed" when drawing a market supply curve. The price of the product is not held fixed when drawing a market supply curve. Wages paid to workers are held fixed when drawing a market supply curve. The price of materials used in production is held fixed when drawing a market supply curve. Taxes paid by producers are held fixed when drawing a market supply curve. The quantity of the good produced is not held fixed when drawing a market supply curve.
From the following list, use the drop-down menu to choose the variables that are "held fixed" in drawing a market demand curve. The price of the product is_____ in drawing a market demand curve. Consumer income is____ in drawing a market demand curve. The price of other related goods is _______ in drawing a market demand curve. Consumer expectations about future prices are ________ in drawing a market demand curve. The quantity of the product purchased is _________ in drawing a market demand curve.
From the following list, use the drop-down menu to choose the variables that are "held fixed" in drawing a market demand curve. The price of the product is not held fixed in drawing a market demand curve. Consumer income is held fixed in drawing a market demand curve. The price of other related goods is held fixed in drawing a market demand curve. Consumer expectations about future prices are held fixed in drawing a market demand curve. The quantity of the product purchased is not held fixed in drawing a market demand curve.
How much does the surgeon gain by hiring the plumber to clear a clogged drain? $_______
Her gain is the difference between the opportunity cost of clearing the drain herself and the cost of paying a plumber to do it. Opportunity cost for the surgeon is equal to her wage per minute times the amount of time it takes her to clear the drain (in minutes). Cost of paying the plumber to do it is equal to the plumber's wage per hour times the amount of time(in hours) it takes the plumber to clean the drain. Gain=$20 x 6 minutes−100×1 hour=$20
Suppose that over a one-year period, the nominal wage increases by 11 percent and consumer prices increase by 10 percent. The real wage________ by _______ %
If consumer prices rise by more than the nominal wage, the real wage (the wage in terms of how much can be purchased) will purchase fewer goods and services. The percentage change in the real wage is the percentage change in the nominal wage minus the percentage change in the price level.
Responses to Higher Soybean Prices. Suppose that in initial equilibrium in the soybean market, each of the 1,000 farmers produces 50 units, for a total of 50,000 units of soybeans. Suppose the price of soybeans increases, and everyone expects the price to stay at the higher level for many years. a. Over a period of several years, we expect the quantity of soybeans supplied to______ as the number of soybean farmers ______ and the output per farmer ____ . b. A farmer who enters the market is likely to have a _________ marginal cost of production than an original firm.
Increase, increase, increase higher marginal cost At higher prices, soybean farmers will be willing to add land to the production of soybeans, supplying more soybeans. Since higher prices are expected to persist, more farmers will become soybean farmers. A higher price encourages farmers to increase output by purchasing more supplies and hiring more workers. To increase the workforce, farmers might be forced to pay overtime or hire workers who are more costly or less productive than the original workers. But the higher soybean price makes it worthwhile to incur these higher costs.
It will be sensible to run a half-empty flight if the marginal ______ of the flight is ________ than ____ .
It will be sensible to run a half-empty flight if the marginal cost of the flight is less than the marginal benefit. Since the marginal benefit of the flight is the revenue, it would only be sensible to run the half-empty flight if the marginal cost is less than $3,100.
Indicate whether each of the following is a normative or positive question. Who is the United States largest trading partner? Is the president doing a good job? Should the highway speed limit be raised? What will happen to my income if I have to pay more taxes? Should the government raise taxes?
Positive, normative, normative, normative, positive, normative
The market demand curve for a normal good will shift to the rightright (increaseincrease) when the price of a substitute good ___________ , the price of a complementary good _____________ , consumer income ____________ , and population ___________________ .
The market demand curve for a normal good will shift to the rightright (increaseincrease) when the price of a substitute good increases , the price of a complementary good decreases , consumer income increases , and population increases .
The market demand curve is the________ sum of the individual demand curves.
The market demand curve is the horizontal sum of the individual demand curves. The market demand curve shows the relationship between the price of the good and the quantity demanded by all individual consumers, ceteris paribus.
Adam Smith suggested that people act in their own self−interest True/false
True
Economists may differ in their conclusions from positive analysis. A. True B. False
True
Feeding the World from a Flowerpot? Comment on the following statement: "If agriculture did not experience diminishing returns, we could feed the world using the soil from a small flowerpot." True or False
True
Increased economic growth would reduce poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa. true/false
True
The legal system is an example of an institution that plays a key role in economic growth. True/false
True, Institutions, such as the legal system and the regulatory environment, that encourage and promote entrepreneurship help create an environment for economic growth.
The government protects intellectual property rights by enforcing patents on new pharmaceutical drugs. Suppose the government, by enforcing patent laws, prevents a new drug by Merck from being copied by another company and made available at a dramatically reduced price. If you were a current consumer of this new pharmaceutical drug, you would initially be________ as a result of the government's action. What are the implications for the next generation of pharmaceutical drug users? A. Pharmaceutical companies will no longer face pressure to create, test, and bring to market new drugs. B. Pharmaceutical companies will have more revenue to cover research and development costs. C. Fewer pharmaceutical drugs will be available in the future. D. All of the above.
Worse off B. Pharmaceutical companies will have more revenue to cover research and development costs.
A taxi company currently has nine cabs in its fleet, and its total daily cost is $4,600. If a taxi company adds a tenth cab, the company's total daily cost will increase to $4,750 and its total revenue will increase by $200 per day. Should the company add the tenth cab?
Yes The company should add a tenth cab if the marginal benefit is greater than the marginal cost. The marginal benefit is $200 and the marginal cost is $150 (marginal cost equals the change in total cost: $4,750− $4,600=$150).
As a result of the financial crisis that began in late 2007, economic activity around the world________
contracted
Trade between different prisoner of war (POW) compounds __________ the difference in the price of beef across the compounds.
decreased
An in the supply of a product ____________ the equilibrium price and ____________ the equilibrium quantity.
decreases, increases
As a farmer adds more and more fertilizer to the soil, the crop yield______, but at a ______ rate.
increases at a decreasing rate As long as the additional fertilizer doesn't overwhelm the other nutrients in the soil, output will increase.
In the first three months of 2004, the number of jobs moving to another statestate was _______ than the number of jobs moving to another country
larger
By promoting competition the government generates _____ product prices
lower
A change in a variable measured on an axis of a graph causes a ________, while a change in a relevant variable that is not measured on an axis causes a______________.
movement along the curve; shift in the curve
Percent Change
percent change= (second value-first value)/(first value) * 100