Deck 3: The Theory of Consumer Choice

Question 1

Value judgments:

A)always produce predictable results.
B)are subjective opinions that cannot be proven correct on the basis of objective facts or evidence.
C)should be the basis for all serious policy discussions.
D)can always be tested and verified using accepted standards of logic and evidence.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Which of the following is true of positive analysis?

A)It draws on accepted bodies of theory and evidence to ascertain the likely consequences of a policy or action.
B)It is always used to evaluate proposed policy changes in the most positive way.
C)It is sufficient to determine whether a policy is desirable or undesirable.
D)It claims that the impact of policies cannot be quantified.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

If the nominal price of apples has increased by 20 percent over a year in which the average price level has risen by 10 percent,then the real price of apples:

A)has increased.
B)has stayed the same.
C)has decreased.
D)cannot be determined without further information.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

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

A)Students who miss more classes tend to earn lower grades.
B)Students should make better use of their time by attending every class.
C)The increasing price of textbooks has caused students to purchase fewer texts.
D)Increasing government grants and loans to college students have caused tuition fees to rise faster than the rate of inflation.

Question 5

Theory A is considered to be better than Theory B if:

A)the assumptions of B are more realistic than the assumptions of A.
B)A takes into consideration more facts than B.
C)A predicts or explains a certain phenomenon better than B.
D)A uses more mathematics than B.

Question 6

Consider the following theory: the more one practices for the SAT test,the higher the person will score.This theory:

A)is complete and very useful for high school students.
B)is incomplete because it leaves out many other factors that will influence SAT scores.
C)is not useful since it is hard to measure practice time.
D)is useful because more practice will guarantee higher SAT scores.

Question 7

Which of the following best describes the difference between micro and macroeconomics?

A)Macroeconomics deals with bigger,more important issues,while microeconomics deals with the smaller,less significant details.
B)Macroeconomics studies the actions of large firms while microeconomics studies the behavior of small firms and individuals.
C)Macroeconomics is the study of aggregate factors while microeconomics is the study of individuals and individual firms.
D)Macroeconomics studies long-run behavior (one-year or more)while microeconomics studies short-run or immediate behavior.

Question 8

Which of the following steps in evaluating a public policy is not in the realm of positive analysis?

A)Determination of the effects of the policy
B)Determination of the magnitudes of the effects
C)A judgment that the effects of the policy are desirable or undesirable
D)Stating a hypothesis based on sound economic theory

Question 9

Which of the following is generally considered to be a microeconomic question?

A)The relationship between the money supply and nominal GDP
B)The responsiveness of aggregate demand to change in government expenditure
C)The relationship between productivity of workers and wages received by them
D)The relationship between inflation and unemployment

Question 10

Microeconomics is also known as price theory because:

A)everything has a price.
B)prices have important effects on individual and firm decisions.
C)prices are the only determinant of economic outcomes.
D)prices change constantly.

Question 11

The test of a theory is whether:

A)its assumptions are realistic.
B)it predicts the outcomes well.
C)it explains the observed data perfectly.
D)it incorporates every relevant factor bearing on the analysis.

Question 12

Which of the following is a positive statement?

A)The minimum wage should be raised to $7.50.
B)If the military draft were re-instituted,military salaries would probably fall.
C)Customers should not be required to show ID to buy alcohol.
D)Immigration laws are bad for the economy.

Question 13

Macroeconomics deals primarily with:

A)aggregate economic factors.
B)the behavior of rational consumers.
C)the role of politics in economics.
D)a society's economic and cultural environment.

Question 14

In judging the value of a theory,the most important criteria is:

A)how realistic or valid the assumptions of the theory are as compared to real world circumstances.
B)how well the theory predicts that which it is designed to predict.
C)how well the theory builds upon the theorists' experiences.
D)how simple the theory is for the average people to understand.

Question 15

Economic theory:

A)can determine which public policy is the most desirable.
B)tries to account for all possible influences.
C)is a tool for understanding economic relationships.
D)uses no assumptions in deriving results.

Question 16

Positive economics differs from normative economics in that:

A)positive economics involves subjective outcomes.
B)positive economics deals with propositions that can be tested.
C)normative economics involves economic theory.
D)normative economics can be proved correct or incorrect.

Question 17

Which of the following economic decisions is not a part of the study of microeconomics?

A)A consumer's decision regarding how much of a good to purchase
B)A worker's decision concerning which job to take
C)A business firm's decision regarding how many machines to purchase
D)The government's decision regarding the use of monetary or fiscal policy to control increasing prices

Question 18

Which of the following is generally considered a microeconomic question?

A)The relationship between the money supply and nominal GDP
B)The relationship between the unemployment and inflation
C)The impact of a tax cut on public saving
D)The effect of anti-discrimination laws on employers' hiring practices.

Question 19

Which of the following is an example of a positive economic statement?

A)The distribution of income in the United States should be more equal.
B)The after-tax distribution of income is more equal than the pre-tax distribution of income.
C)The tax system should be more progressive so that the after-tax distribution of income can be more equal.
D)The government should not be involved in the income redistribution schemes.

Question 20

Positive economic analysis utilizes:

A)value judgments of highly trained professional economists.
B)economic theories and empirical tests of the theories.
C)normative economic theories in arriving at judgments on the suitability of a change in government economic policy.
D)the same criteria as normative economics,but does not take into consideration the value judgments of the policy makers.

Question 21

What does the consumer price index measure?

A)The average price of a good over five years
B)The change in nominal prices of goods and services
C)The change in the value of a currency
D)The change in the average price level in the economy

Question 22

In microeconomics,the term price generally refers to the:

A)relative price of an item.
B)dollar price of an item.
C)absolute price of an item.
D)choke price of an item.

Question 23

The _____ is the absolute price of a good or service that has been adjusted for the changing value of money.

A)market price
B)choke price
C)nominal price
D)real price

Question 24

The real price of a good reflects:

A)the purchasing power of consumers.
B)its nominal price adjusted for the changing value of money.
C)the absolute average price of goods and services.
D)the total amount of money in circulation in the economy.

Question 25

"Goal-oriented behavior" can best be described as:

A)market participants using complete information to achieve objective ends.
B)market participants using available information to achieve their personal aims.
C)market participants trying to maximize social welfare.
D)all market participants maximizing their efficiency to improve aggregate income.

Question 26

The opportunity cost of traffic congestion includes:

A)lower use of gasoline.
B)longer commuting time to work.
C)more fuel efficient cars.
D)more freeways being built.

Question 27

Suppose the consumer price index was 100 in 2000 and 300 in 2010.This implies that the average price level:

A)increased by 20 percent during this period.
B)increased by 100 percent during this period.
C)increased by 200 percent during this period.
D)increased by 300 percent during this period.

Question 28

The relative price of a good:

A)is always measured in current dollars.
B)is a measure of the relative share of the consumer's income devoted to its purchase.
C)reflects its price compared to prices of other goods.
D)is equal to the average price of the good over the last five years.

Question 29

Petroleum oil is an example of:

A)a renewable resource.
B)a composite good.
C)a biodegradable resource.
D)a scarce resource.

Question 30

The implicit cost of time spent on shopping:

A)has decreased because of the growth of single-wage-earner families.
B)has increased because of the decline in average income levels.
C)has increased,contributing to the growth of fast-food restaurants.
D)has decreased,contributing to the growth of convenience stores at gas stations.

Question 31

What would be the impact on the real price of automobiles if the nominal price increases by 60 percent over a ten year period?

A)The real price will increase by 60 percent.
B)The real price will increase,but by less than 60 percent.
C)The real price will decrease.
D)The real price cannot be determined without more information.

Question 32

The explicit cost of production equals:

A)opportunity cost minus sunk cost.
B)implicit cost minus sunk cost.
C)economic cost minus opportunity cost.
D)opportunity cost minus implicit cost.

Question 33

Which of the following is not an assumption usually made about markets and market participants?

A)Collective welfare maximization
B)Self-interested behavior
C)Scarce resources
D)Rational behavior

Question 34

Opportunity cost is calculated as:

A)sunk cost plus implicit cost.
B)explicit cost plus economic cost.
C)implicit cost plus explicit cost.
D)explicit cost plus sunk cost.

Question 35

Opportunity cost is the equivalent of:

A)explicit cost.
B)implicit cost.
C)economic cost.
D)sunk cost.

Question 36

Which one of the following is not an opportunity cost of owning a house?

A)The mortgage payment made each month to own the house
B)The money you would receive from selling your house
C)The membership fee paid to join the neighborhood pool
D)The property taxes paid to the local government

Question 37

The assumption of rationality implies that market participants:

A)always choose the option with the highest gross benefit.
B)assess expected benefits and expected costs.
C)do not make decisions under uncertainty.
D)do not care about benefits or costs accruing in the future.

Question 38

Suppose the consumer price index was 100 in the year 2000 and 200 in the year 2010.If the nominal price of apples has increased from 100 to 150 over this period,the real price of apples has:

A)fallen by 25 percent.
B)fallen by 50 percent.
C)risen by 50 percent.
D)risen by 25 percent.

Question 39

When analyzing events across time,economists measure consumer behavior based on:

A)nominal prices.
B)real prices.
C)complete information about buyer preferences.
D)current income.

Question 40

Which of the following is an assumption usually made about markets and market participants by economists?

A)Market participants are interested in maximizing social welfare.
B)Market participants are generally altruistic.
C)Market participants engage in irrational behavior.
D)Market participants confront scarce resources.

Question 41

Consider the production possibility frontier of an economy in Figure 1-1.If the economy is governed by rational actors,it is likely to choose between how many of the production points labeled in the figure?

A)5
B)4
C)3
D)2

Question 42

Which one of the following represents an economic,but not an accounting,cost of owning a restaurant?

A)The interest foregone by the owner on the personal savings invested in the restaurant
B)The labor hired used to operate the restaurant
C)The linens used to cover tables
D)The ingredients used to prepare the meals

Question 43

If a production possibility frontier is drawn concave to the origin with the quantity of shoes on the X-axis and the quantity of T-shirts on the Y-axis,a movement upward along the PPF reflects:

A)an increasing opportunity cost of T-shirts.
B)an increasing opportunity cost of both shoes and T-shirts.
C)a decreasing opportunity cost of T-shirts.
D)a decreasing opportunity cost of both shoes and T-shirts.

Question 44

After spending $5 million developing a new MP3 player,you discover that a competitor is about to introduce a new model similar to yours at a lower per unit price.The $5 million development cost:

A)should be factored into your decision on whether or not to introduce your new MP3 player.
B)should be ignored in your decision on whether or not to introduce your new MP3 player.
C)should not be included while determining the opportunity cost of this investment.
D)should be considered as fixed cost for the firm.

Question 45

A linear production possibility frontier exhibits a(n)_____ opportunity cost of producing either good.

A)increasing
B)decreasing
C)constant
D)variable

Question 46

Choosing a combination of goods represented by a point inside the production possibilities frontier indicates:

A)that resources are not scarce.
B)that resources are scarce.
C)rational behavior.
D)irrational behavior.

Question 47

Relative to a linear production possibilities curve,one that is more concave to the origin indicates a(n):

A)greater resource availability.
B)reduced resource availability.
C)decreasing opportunity cost of specializing in production.
D)increasing opportunity cost of specializing in production.

Question 48

Which of the following is true of sunk costs?

A)It is a type of opportunity cost.
B)It is a type of implicit cost.
C)It should be ignored when making decisions.
D)It includes annual costs like payroll,insurance expenses,etc.

Question 49

In the production possibility frontier in Figure 1-1,which point(s)is (are)infeasible?

A)D,A,and E
B)A and E
C)B and C
D)D

Question 50

If a production possibility frontier is drawn concave to the origin with the quantity of shoes on the X-axis and the quantity of T-shirts on the Y-axis,a movement downward along the PPF reflects:

A)a decreasing opportunity cost of both shoes and T-shirts.
B)an increasing opportunity cost of both shoes and T-shirts.
C)an increasing opportunity cost of shoes.
D)a decreasing opportunity cost of shoes.

Question 51

In the production possibility frontier in Figure 1-1,which point(s)is (are)efficient?

A)A,B,and C
B)A and E
C)B and C
D)E

Question 52

The opportunity cost of a good is always constant if the production possibility frontier is:

A)a downward-sloping straight line.
B)concave to the origin.
C)convex to the origin.
D)negatively sloped.

Question 53

Refer to the production possibility frontier in Figure 1-1.What will be the opportunity cost of moving from point B to point A to produce 10 more computers?

A)15 apples
B)10 apples
C)5 apples
D)The economy cannot move to point A.

Question 54

If a production possibility frontier (PPF)is drawn concave to the origin,with the quantity of shoes on the X-axis and the quantity of T-shirts on the Y-axis,a movement upward along the PPF reflects:

A)an increasing opportunity cost of producing T-shirts.
B)an increasing opportunity cost of producing shoes.
C)constant opportunity cost of producing T-shirts.
D)constant opportunity cost of producing shoes.

Question 55

Which of the following can be categorized as a sunk cost of a firm?

A)The retirement benefit provided to the workers
B)The investment on a research project that failed to take-off
C)The higher wages paid to workers for working extra hours
D)The value of the closing stock of inventory

Question 56

Consider the production possibility frontier of an economy in Figure 1-1.What is the opportunity cost of moving from point B to point C to produce 5 more apples?

A)25 computers.
B)15 computers.
C)5 computers.
D)10 computers.

Question 57

If a production possibility frontier (PPF)is drawn concave to the origin with the quantity of shoes on the X-axis and the quantity of T-shirts on the Y-axis,a movement downward along the PPF reflects:

A)an increasing opportunity cost of producing T-shirts.
B)an increasing opportunity cost of producing shoes.
C)constant opportunity cost of producing T-shirts.
D)constant opportunity cost of producing shoes.

Question 58

Consider the production possibility frontier of an economy in Figure 1-1.Which of the following point(s)will be considered inefficient?

A)A and E
B)A,B,and C
C)B and C
D)D

Question 59

In which of the following cases will the production possibility frontier depict an increasing opportunity cost of producing one good relative to another?

A)The PPF becoming more linear
B)The PPF becoming more convex to the origin
C)The PPF becoming more concave to the origin
D)The PPF curve becoming flatter

Question 60

The production possibility frontier in Figure 1-1 exhibits _____ opportunity cost of apples.

A)increasing
B)decreasing
C)constant
D)zero

Question 61

Explain why ticket prices sold by scalpers near the venue where an event will take place increase the closer you get to the venue.

Question 62

Compare the behavior of a person who has a hobby of stamp collection with that of an athlete who undergoes regular training.Who do you think is more rational and why?

Question 63

Using a real life example explain why price is an important element affecting consumer choice.

Question 64

Draw a production possibility frontier for the production of corn and steel,identifying the efficient points,feasible points,and infeasible points.Illustrate and explain increasing opportunity cost.

Question 65

Along a concave production possibility frontier,the per-unit opportunity cost of increasing output typically:

A)increasing because specializing in the production of just one good is irrational.
B)decreasing because resources are difficult to move from one sector to another.
C)increasing because some resources are better-suited to producing one good than to the other.
D)decreasing because resource productivity increases naturally over time.

Question 66

The annual income of a worker in the construction sector increased by 30 percent between 2010 and 2011.Does this necessarily imply that the worker's purchasing power had increased? Explain your answer.

Question 67

The downward slope of the production possibility frontier indicates that:

A)resources are scarce.
B)individual decisions are based on self-interested behavior.
C)individual decisions are rational.
D)resources increase over time.

Question 68

Write down a normative statement and a positive statement with reference to the minimum wage and then explain each.

Question 69

Differences in the _____ of resources in the production of various commodities explain the per-unit opportunity cost associated with a concave production possibility frontier.

A)cost
B)relative productivity
C)availability
D)supply elasticity

Question 70

A farmer can produce 10,000 pears if he uses the whole of his one acre farmland.If he uses the same land for apple cultivation,a total of 5,000 apples can be produced.However,he decides to produce both and the opportunity cost of producing either fruit is constant.If his production possibility frontier (PPF)is graphed with apples on the Y-axis and pears on the X-axis,what will be the slope of this PPF?

A)-2
B)-1
C)-1.5
D)-0.5

Question 71

A farmer can produce 10,000 pears on his one acre farmland.When he uses the same land for apple cultivation,a total of 5,000 apples can be produced.He realizes that with the introduction of a new fertilizer,he can increase the maximum production of apples to 7,000.The maximum production of pears,however,remains unchanged.Given that his production possibility frontier (PPF)is linear and apples are graphed on the Y-axis and pears on the X-axis,calculate the slope of his PPF.

A)-1.4
B)-0.2
C)-0.7
D)-0.4

Question 72

Rubber,a major cash crop in Country X,reported a significant decline in production during a certain year.The government set up two committees,one of which was assigned the task of investigating the cause of the drop in production while the other was asked to prescribe a recovery policy.Suggest a positive and a normative statement made by each of these two groups within this context.

Question 73

Jane can either bake 10 mango tarts or clean 2 cars in one hour.If Jane decides to do both these jobs within the same hour,what would be her opportunity cost of cleaning one additional car? (Assume that Jane faces constant opportunity cost. )

A)5 mango tarts
B)2 mango tarts
C)4 mango tarts
D)10 mango tarts

Question 74

Do you think that the behavior of a student,who is focused on achieving superior grades and aims to top the class,will be described as goal-oriented behavior by economists?

Question 75

What is the opportunity cost of going to college? What is the opportunity cost of attending class?