Economics & Scarcity Quiz
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Questions and Answers

What is the opportunity cost associated with a choice?

  • The cost of the least valued option.
  • The cost of producing a good.
  • The cost related to the next best alternative. (correct)
  • The total cost associated with all alternatives.
  • Which of the following is considered a factor of production?

  • Labour. (correct)
  • Consumer preferences.
  • Business profits.
  • Market demand.
  • What does a point inside the Production Possibility Boundary (PPB) indicate?

  • Efficient use of resources.
  • Unattainable production levels.
  • Inefficient use of resources. (correct)
  • Maximum productivity.
  • How does an increase in factors of production affect the PPB?

    <p>Shifts the PPB outward on both axes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In which economic system are the four economic questions answered by a single central authority?

    <p>Command economy.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of decision involves comparing the cost with the value of producing one more unit?

    <p>Marginal decision.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT considered a key economic issue?

    <p>Seasonal Employment.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does productivity growth refer to in economics?

    <p>Increase in output per input used.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to the equilibrium price and quantity when there is an increase in demand?

    <p>Both price and quantity increase.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    If demand decreases while the price remains the same, what immediate market condition is created?

    <p>A surplus.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following will cause the supply curve to shift outwards?

    <p>A decrease in input prices.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    When equilibrium is disrupted by a decrease in supply, what effect does it have on price and quantity?

    <p>Price increases, quantity decreases.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the equilibrium price when Qd = 100 - 3P and Qs = 20 + 2P?

    <p>$16</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How is excess demand at a given price impacted in the market?

    <p>It causes prices to rise.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What necessitates a movement along the supply and demand curves to establish a new equilibrium?

    <p>A shift in either supply or demand.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following describes the adjustment process after a decrease in demand?

    <p>The quantity supplied exceeds the quantity demanded causing prices to increase.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of statements express opinions that cannot be tested?

    <p>Normative statements</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which variable is affected by changes in an exogenous variable?

    <p>Dependent variable</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does a negative correlation between two variables imply?

    <p>One variable decreases while the other increases</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the term 'ceteris paribus' mean in economic analysis?

    <p>Holding one variable constant while changing others</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following correctly calculates the tuition index for 2025 based on the given values?

    <p>125</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does an increase in price typically affect the quantity demanded for a good?

    <p>It decreases quantity demanded</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the index value of a good in the base year?

    <p>100</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What factors can influence demand for a particular good?

    <p>All of the above</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Own Price Elasticity of Demand measure?

    <p>The responsiveness of quantity demanded to changes in the good's own price.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    When the Own Price Elasticity of Demand is equal to 1, what does this indicate?

    <p>Percentage changes in quantity demanded and price are equal.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does total revenue (TE) change for an elastic good when its price increases?

    <p>TE will decrease.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    If the Own Price Elasticity of Demand is less than 1, how is the good classified?

    <p>As inelastic.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to Total Expenditure (TE) for an inelastic good when the price decreases?

    <p>TE decreases because quantity demanded increases less than the price decrease.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What characteristic defines elastic demand?

    <p>Percentage change in quantity demanded is greater than the percentage change in price.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How is Supply Elasticity best defined?

    <p>As the responsiveness of quantity supplied to a change in price.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In what situation would total revenue increase for a good?

    <p>When the good has elastic demand and price decreases.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does an elasticity of supply greater than 1 indicate?

    <p>Supply is elastic.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    When a good is considered inelastic, what happens to the burden of a tax placed on that good?

    <p>The consumer bears more of the tax burden.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does cross price elasticity behave when two goods are complements?

    <p>Exy &lt; 0.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements about elastic supply is true?

    <p>Elastic supply allows firms to respond quickly to price changes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which scenario illustrates a good with elastic supply?

    <p>A farmer growing crops that can be switched easily.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to demand for inferior goods when consumer income rises?

    <p>Demand decreases.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    If the cross price elasticity (Exy) between two goods is greater than 0, what is the relationship between the goods?

    <p>They are substitutes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does an elasticity of supply less than 1 indicate?

    <p>The good has an inelastic supply.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does the burden of a tax shift when applied to a good with inelastic supply?

    <p>Consumers assume the entire burden of the tax.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What outcome occurs when the price of a substitute good increases?

    <p>The quantity demanded of the original good increases.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which situation describes a normal good in terms of income elasticity?

    <p>An increase in income leads to an increase in quantity demanded.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In what scenario would cross price elasticity of demand be negative?

    <p>When the goods are complements.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to equilibrium price and quantity when there is an increase in demand?

    <p>Both price and quantity increase.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What market condition is created when demand decreases and the price remains unchanged?

    <p>A surplus in the market.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    When the supply curve shifts outward, which of the following occurs?

    <p>Equilibrium price decreases, and quantity increases.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What occurs in the market when there is a decrease in supply?

    <p>A surplus develops, resulting in higher prices.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    If the initial demand curve is represented by $Q_d = 100 - 3P$ and a shift causes a new equilibrium price of $P^* = 16$, what is the quantity demanded at this price?

    <p>52</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In which scenario would both equilibrium price and quantity decrease?

    <p>Decrease in demand.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What would be the outcome of a shift in the supply curve due to a technological improvement?

    <p>Increase in supply and decrease in equilibrium price.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to equilibrium price (P*) and quantity (Q*) when the demand decreases?

    <p>Both P* and Q* decrease.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What effect does a constant price have on quantity supplied when there is an increase in supply?

    <p>Quantity supplied increases.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What best defines an exogenous variable in economic models?

    <p>An independent variable that influences dependent variables.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the term 'ceteris paribus' allow in economic analysis?

    <p>To hold one variable constant while examining another.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What defines the efficiency of points on the Production Possibility Boundary (PPB)?

    <p>They utilize all available resources without waste.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the context of demand, what is the consequence of a price increase?

    <p>Quantity demanded decreases.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which statement represents a positive correlation between two variables?

    <p>As income decreases, spending decreases.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes opportunity cost?

    <p>The potential gains from an alternative that are forfeited.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements is an example of a normative statement?

    <p>The government should implement a higher minimum wage.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does accelerated technological change impact economic systems?

    <p>It often results in increased efficiency and productivity.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In microeconomics, marginal decisions are primarily concerned with which of the following?

    <p>The impact of increasing the total quantity produced or consumed.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does an index value of 100 represent?

    <p>The base value itself for comparison.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following economic systems focuses on the interaction of consumers and producers to answer economic questions?

    <p>Free Market Economy</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does an increase in the price of a good typically affect the demand curve?

    <p>There is a movement along the curve but the curve itself does not shift.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a defining characteristic of an endogenous variable?

    <p>It is affected by changes in exogenous variables.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What implication does a point inside the Production Possibility Boundary (PPB) have?

    <p>It demonstrates inefficiency due to unused resources.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which outcome is indicative of negative correlation between two variables?

    <p>As taxation increases, expenditure declines.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to the Production Possibility Boundary (PPB) when there is an increase in factors of production?

    <p>The PPB shifts outward on both axes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which key economic issue refers to disparities in wealth distribution within a society?

    <p>Growing Income Inequality</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What result does a change in demand yield when all other factors remain constant?

    <p>It shifts the demand curve to the right or left.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does an absolute value of the Own Price Elasticity of Demand signify?

    <p>It simplifies calculations when determining changes in demand.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    If the Own Price Elasticity of Demand is greater than 1, what can we conclude about the relationship between price and quantity demanded?

    <p>Demand is considered elastic.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does total expenditure (TE) behave for an elastic good when the price of the good increases?

    <p>TE will decrease due to a larger proportional change in quantity demanded.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the context of total expenditure, what is the expected outcome when the price of an inelastic good decreases?

    <p>Total revenue will decrease due to a small increase in quantity demanded.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which statement best represents the relationship between price and elasticity of demand?

    <p>Elastic goods demonstrate a higher percentage change in quantity demanded compared to price changes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What effect does a higher own price elasticity of supply indicate regarding producer responsiveness?

    <p>Producers will significantly increase supply with minimal price changes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary metric used to measure the responsiveness of quantity supplied to price changes?

    <p>Own Price Elasticity of Supply</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which scenario would demonstrate a good with inelastic demand?

    <p>Quantity demanded changes very little in response to price increases.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Under what condition does total revenue move in the direction of quantity demanded?

    <p>When demand is elastic and price decreases.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Economics & Scarcity

    • Economics is the study of how people make choices in the face of scarcity.
    • Scarcity exists because resources (land, labor, capital) are limited, but wants and needs are unlimited.
    • Opportunity cost is the value of the best alternative forgone when making a choice.

    Key Economic Issues

    • Productivity growth
    • Population aging
    • Climate change
    • Accelerated technological change
    • Rising protectionism
    • Growing Income inequality

    Production Possibility Boundary (PPB)

    • A graphical representation of all possible combinations of goods and services that can be produced using available resources.
    • Points on the PPB are considered efficient, meaning all resources are fully utilized.
    • Points inside the PPB are attainable but inefficient, indicating unused resources.
    • Points outside the PPB are unattainable due to insufficient resources.
    • Increases in resources or productivity cause the PPB to shift outwards, representing greater production potential.

    Types of Economic Systems

    • Traditional Economy: Economic decisions are based on customs and traditions.
    • Command Economy: A central authority controls all economic decisions.
    • Free Market Economy: Economic decisions result from interactions between consumers and producers in markets.
    • Mixed Economy: Combines elements of all three systems.

    Positive & Normative Statements

    • Positive statements: Based on facts and are testable.
    • Normative statements: Express opinions, beliefs, or values and are not testable.

    Variables in Economic Models

    • Exogenous variables: Independent variables that affect other variables within the model.
    • Endogenous variables: Dependent variables that are influenced by exogenous variables.
    • Assumptions: Simplifying statements used in models to simplify analysis.

    Correlation & Causation

    • Correlation: Two or more things occurring simultaneously.
    • Causation: One thing directly influencing another.
    • Positive Correlation: Two variables move in the same direction.
    • Negative Correlation: Two variables move in opposite directions.

    Index Numbers

    • Express the value of a variable in a given year relative to a base year.
    • Calculated as (Value in Current Year / Value in Base Year) * 100.
    • The index number in the base year is always 100.

    Demand

    • Demand: The entire relationship between the price of a good and the quantity demanded at each price.
    • Quantity Demanded: The specific quantity demanded at a given price.
    • Law of Demand: Price and quantity demanded have an inverse relationship.
    • Ceteris Paribus: The assumption that all other factors affecting demand are held constant to isolate the impact of price changes.

    Factors Affecting Demand

    • Increase in Demand: Shifts the demand curve outwards. Caused by increased income, population, tastes, favorable weather, rising prices of substitutes, or falling prices of complements.
    • Decrease in Demand: Shifts the demand curve inwards. Caused by the opposite factors: decreased income, population, tastes, unfavorable weather, falling prices of substitutes, or rising prices of complements.

    Supply

    • Supply: The relationship between the price of a good and the quantity supplied at each price.
    • Quantity Supplied: The specific quantity supplied at a given price.
    • Factors Affecting Supply: Input prices, technology, weather, number of firms, and prices of complements and substitutes.
    • Increase in Supply: The supply curve shifts outwards due to factors like decreased input prices, improved technology, favorable weather, more firms entering the market, or rising prices of complements.
    • Decrease in Supply: The supply curve shifts inwards due to factors like increased input prices, technological setbacks, unfavorable weather, firms exiting the market, or falling prices of complements.

    Elasticity

    • Measures the responsiveness of one variable to changes in another.
    • Own Price Elasticity of Demand: Measures the sensitivity of quantity demanded to changes in the good's own price.
    • Elasticity Formula: (Percentage change in quantity demanded) / (Percentage change in price)
    • Elastic Demand: E > 1. Meaning the percentage change in quantity demanded is greater than the percentage change in price.
    • Inelastic Demand: E < 1. Meaning the percentage change in quantity demanded is less than the percentage change in price.
    • Unitary Demand: E = 1. Meaning the percentage change in quantity demanded equals the percentage change in price.

    Total Revenue and Elasticity

    • Total Revenue (TR) = Price x Quantity
    • TR changes in the direction of the larger change in price or quantity.
    • For elastic goods (E>1), TR moves with the change in quantity.
    • For inelastic goods (E<1), TR moves with the change in price.

    Supply Elasticity

    • Measures the responsiveness of quantity supplied to changes in price.
    • Supply Elasticity Formula: (% change in quantity supplied)/(% change in price).
    • Elastic Supply: Es > 1. Quantity supplied is highly responsive to price changes.
    • Inelastic Supply: Es < 1. Quantity supplied is less responsive to price changes.

    Elasticity and Taxes

    • Taxes cause supply curves to shift left, reducing quantity supplied.
    • Tax Incidence: Refers to how the burden of a tax is distributed between buyers and sellers.
    • Inelastic goods tend to have a higher tax incidence on consumers, as they are less able to reduce their demand when prices increase.

    Income Elasticity of Demand

    • Measures how quantity demanded changes in response to changes in income.
    • Income Elasticity of Demand Formula: (% change in quantity demande)/(% change in income).
    • Normal Goods: Ey > 0. Quantity demanded increases as income increases.
    • Inferior Goods: Ey < 0. Quantity demanded decreases as income increases.

    Cross Price Elasticity of Demand

    • Measures how the quantity demanded of one good is affected by changes in the price of another good.
    • Cross Price Elasticity of Demand Formula: (% change in quantity demanded of good X) / (% change in the price of good Y)
    • Complements: Exy < 0. Quantity demanded of one good decreases when the price of a complementary good increases.
    • Substitutes: Exy > 0. Quantity demanded of one good increases when the price of a substitute good increases.

    Introduction to Economics

    • The study of choice involves allocating scarce resources to satisfy unlimited wants and needs.
    • Scarce resources, also known as factors of production, include land, labor, and capital.
    • Opportunity cost represents the value of the next best alternative forgone when making a choice.

    Key Economic Issues

    • Productivity growth, population aging, climate change, accelerated technological change, rising protectionism, and growing income inequality are crucial economic issues.

    Production Possibility Boundary (PPB)

    • Illustrates the maximum combinations of goods and services an economy can produce with its available resources.
    • Points on the PPB represent efficient production, utilizing all available resources.
    • Points inside the PPB signify attainable but inefficient outcomes, suggesting that some resources are idle.
    • Points outside the PPB are unattainable due to insufficient resources.
    • An increase in resources or productivity expands the PPB, enabling the production of more goods and services.

    Decision Makers and Choices

    • Consumers strive to maximize utility, or satisfaction.
    • Producers seek to maximize profits.
    • Marginal decisions involve the choice to consume or produce one additional unit, comparing its cost to its value.

    Types of Economic Systems

    • Traditional: Economic activities are based on established traditions and customs.
    • Command: A central authority makes all economic decisions.
    • Free Market: The interaction of consumers and producers determines economic outcomes.
    • Mixed Market: Combines elements of traditional, command, and free market systems.

    Positive and Normative Statements

    • Positive statements: Empirical and testable using data.
    • Normative statements: Express opinions or values, not necessarily testable.

    Variables

    • Exogenous variables: Independent variables that influence the behavior of other variables in a model.
    • Endogenous variables: Dependent variables that are influenced by exogenous variables.

    Assumptions

    • Simplifying statements made for analysis, often representing abstractions from reality.

    Correlation and Causation

    • Correlation: Two or more variables occur simultaneously.
    • Causation: One variable directly affects the other.
    • Positive Correlation: Variables move in the same direction.
    • Negative Correlation: Variables move in opposite directions.

    Index Numbers

    • Ratios comparing current values to the value in the base year.
    • The base year has an index value of 100.
    • Calculate index values for a given year by dividing the current year's value by the base year's value and multiplying by 100.

    Demand and Quantity Demanded

    • Demand: Represents the entire relationship between price and the quantity demanded at each price.
    • Quantity Demanded: Refers to the amount of a good desired at a specific price.
    • There exists an inverse relationship between price and quantity demanded, leading to a downward-sloping demand curve.
    • Changes in price only result in movements along the demand curve, altering quantity demanded.
    • Ceteris paribus means "holding everything else constant," allowing analysis of one factor while keeping others fixed.

    Factors Affecting Demand

    • Increase in Demand: Shifts the demand curve outwards; caused by factors like increased income, population growth, favorable tastes, favorable weather, higher prices of substitutes, or lower prices of complements.
    • Decrease in Demand: Shifts the demand curve inwards; caused by factors like decreased income, population decline, unfavorable tastes, unfavorable weather, lower prices of substitutes, or higher prices of complements.

    Supply and Quantity Supplied

    • Supply: Entire relationship between price and the quantity supplied at each price.
    • Quantity Supplied (Qs): Amount of a good a seller is willing and able to produce at a specific price.
    • Changes in price lead to movements along the Supply curve, altering quantity supplied.

    Factors Affecting Supply

    • Increase in Supply: Shifts the supply curve outwards (right), caused by factors like lower input prices, lower prices for substitutes, technological advancements, favorable weather, increased number of firms, or higher prices for complements.
    • Decrease in Supply: Shifts the supply curve inwards (left), caused by factors like higher input prices, higher prices for substitutes, technological setbacks, unfavorable weather, decreased number of firms, or lower prices for complements.

    Equilibrium

    • The point where quantity demanded equals quantity supplied (Qd=Qs).
    • Reaching equilibrium may involve an adjustment process to resolve a surplus or shortage.

    Solving for Equilibrium Price and Quantity

    • Given demand and supply equations, equate Qd and Qs to solve for P*.
    • Substitute P* into either Qd or Qs to find Q*.

    Elasticity

    • Measures the responsiveness of one variable to changes in another variable.

    Own Price Elasticity of Demand

    • Measures how quantity demanded changes in response to a change in the good's own price.
    • Calculate by dividing the percentage change in quantity demanded by the percentage change in price.
    • Take the absolute value of the elasticity.

    Own Price Elasticity of Demand Interpretation

    • Elastic: If E>1, the percentage change in Qd is greater than the percentage change in P.
    • Inelastic: If E<1, the percentage change in Qd is less than the percentage change in P.
    • Unit Elastic: If E=1, the percentage change in Qd equals the percentage change in P.

    Total Revenue and Own Price Elasticity

    • Total Revenue (TE) = Price x Quantity
    • Total Revenue will change in the direction of the larger percentage change in Qd or P.
    • For elastic goods, the change in Qd is larger, so TE moves with Qd.
    • For inelastic goods, the change in P is larger, so TE moves with P.

    Supply Elasticity

    • Measures the responsiveness of quantity supplied to changes in price.
    • Calculate by dividing the percentage change in Qs by the percentage change in P.
    • Elastic Supply: Es>1, Qs is more responsive to changes in P.
    • Inelastic Supply: Es<1, Qs is less responsive to changes in P.

    Factors Influencing Supply Elasticity

    • Production flexibility, ability to expand capacity, and time horizon.
    • Firms with greater flexibility and capacity have more elastic supply over time.

    Taxes and Elasticity

    • A tax on a good shifts the supply curve to the left.
    • The tax burden, or incidence, refers to who bears the larger portion of the tax, buyers or sellers.
    • Inelastic goods tend to have more of the tax burden passed on to buyers.

    Income Elasticity of Demand

    • Measures the responsiveness of Qd to a change in income.
    • Calculate by dividing the percentage change in Qd by the percentage change in Income.
    • Elastic Good: Ey>1, Qd is sensitive to income changes.
    • Inelastic Good: Ey<1, Qd is not as sensitive to income changes.

    Income Elasticity and Goods Classification

    • Normal Good: Ey>0, Qd increases with income.
    • Inferior Good: Ey<0, Qd decreases with income.

    Cross Price Elasticity of Demand

    • Measures the demand responsiveness of one good to a change in the price of a different good.
    • Calculate by dividing the percentage change in Qd of good X by the percentage change in the price of good Y.
    • Complements (used together): Exy<0, a price increase in Y leads to a Qd decrease in X.
    • Substitutes (used in place of each other): Exy>0, a price increase in Y leads to a Qd increase in X.

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