ECO 3152 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Money Supply, Comparative Advantage, Fisher Equation

1/ All the problems studied in economics arise from

a. the unequal distribution of income

b. the scarcity of resources

c. inappropriate government action

d. overpopulation

e. war

2/ The overall performance of the economic system as a whole is the focus of

a. macroeconomics

b. public economics

c. international finance

d. labor economics

e. microeconomics

3/ After graduating from high school, Steve had the following three choices for his immediate future, listed in order of preference: (1) attend our campus, (2) work in a printed circuit board factory, or (3) attend a rival college. His opportunity cost of going to college here includes which of the following?

a. The income he could have earned at the printed circuit board factory plus the direct cost of attending college here (tuition, textbooks, etc.)

b. The benefits he could have received from going to the rival college.

c. Only the tuition and fees paid for taking classes here.

d. Cannot be determined from the information given.

e. The cost of books and supplies at the rival college.

4/ The question of scarce resources and unlimited wants are addressed in

a. psychology

b. history

c. anthropology

d. political science

e. economics

5/ Consider an economic model designed to analyze the purchasing decisions of households. An assumption that a household chooses between only two goods would be an example of an

a. positive assumption

b. simplifying assumption

c. macroeconomic assumption

d. financial assumption

e. critical assumption

6/ Which of the following explains why economists may disagree over normative issues?

a. They have different beliefs and values.

b. They often employ different statistical techniques when examining data.

c. Some work only on microeconomic issues, while others focus exclusively on macroeconomic issues.

d. They examine the same data to draw their conclusions.

e. They need to disagree to publish their research findings.

7/ Suppose your friends take you out for dinner on your birthday, and you have a much better time than you would have had to do anything else. There is still an opportunity cost, even though they will not let you pay for anything. True/False

8/ Microeconomics

a. addresses scarcity from a global perspective

b. is purely theoretical and has little value in explaining real-world phenomena

c. focuses on what is happening in the economy as a whole

d. examines how individuals, households, and firms make economic decisions

e. answers the fundamental economic questions of how, when, where, and why.

9/ People and organizations have to make choices about how to allocate time and money because

a. religious values conflict with economics

b. time and money are both scarce

c. government require it

d. there are unlimited resources

e. corporations control our lives

10/ The objective of an economic model is to

a. yield a better understanding of important relationships

b. use simplifying assumptions to make positive economic statements

c. be an accurate description of reality

d. predict real-world occurrences with complete accuracy

e. use basic principles of economics to derive fundamental assumptions about human behavior.

1. According to economists today, economic growth depends on:

1) resources.

2) technology.

3) institutions.

4) resources and technology.

5) resources, technology, and institutions.

2. Which of the following is FALSE?

1) Real-world observations shape economic theory.

2) Economic theory shapes policy decisions.

3) Policies affect real-world events.

4) Economic theory has no impact on real-world events.

5) None of these statements is false.

3. After the Great Depression, the main focus of macroeconomics was:

1) growth theory.

2) the study of business cycles.

3) the study of stock markets.

4) the study of why businesses fail.

4. The Solow Growth Model serves as a foundation of:

1) macroeconomic theory.

2) microeconomic theory.

3) growth theory.

4) all economic theory.

5. According to the Solow Growth Model, which of the following is/are the primary source(s) of economic growth?

A - Natural resources

B - Human capital

C - Physical capital

D - A and B

E - A and C

F- B and C

G- A, B, and C

6. According to the Solow Growth Model, the marginal product of capital is:

1) zero and increases as the quantity of capital increases

2) zero and decreases as the quantity of capital increases.

3) negative and increases as the quantity of capital increases.

4) negative and decreases as the quantity of capital increases.

5) positive and increases as the quantity of capital increases.

6) positive and decreases as the quantity of capital increases.

7. If building new capital is costless and the capital depreciation rate is zero, then an economy will reach a steady state in which the marginal product of capital is:

1) equal to zero.

2) greater than zero.

3) less than zero.

8. Which of the following is true for an economy before it reaches the steady-state?

1) Investment and net investment are both positive.

2) Investment is positive but net investment is zero.

3) Investment is zero but net investment is positive.

4) Investment and net investment are both zero.

9. The idea of convergence suggests that when underdeveloped nations begin to develop, they typically have _____________ growth rates as they catch up to the developed nations.

1) higher

2) lower

3) similar

4) very low

10. Which of the following is true after allowing for sustained technological advance in the Solow Growth Model?

I. The steady-state situation is avoidable.

II. The marginal product of each unit of capital will increase.

III. A diminishing marginal product is avoidable.

Only I only II

Only III

I and II

I and III

II and III

I, II, and III

11. What is the primary difference between the basic Solow model and the second Solow model?

1) The models are theoretically similar. The second Solow model is only more mathematically complex than the basic model.

2) The second Solow model allows for technological change, while the basic model doesn't.

3) The basic Solow model features diminishing returns, in contrast to the second model.

4) The marginal product eventually becomes zero in the basic model, while such a situation is avoidable in the second Solow model.

12. All of the following can result in economic growth except:

1) improved schools and colleges.

2) a boost in population growth.

3) a favorable climate.

4) an improved health care system.

13. Which of the following will result in a movement along with the aggregate production function?

I. a technological advancement

II. training of the workforce

III. an increase in the country's capital stock

I and II

I and III

II and III

I, II, and III

14. Which of the following is NOT true about technological change in the Solow model?

1) Technological change is random.

2) Technological change occurs exogenously.

3) Technological change is driven by the incentives of the innovators.

4) Technological change is not due to any inherent characteristics of the economy.

15. What is the key difference between the new growth theory and the growth theory as envisioned by Solow?

1) There is no difference; technological change is endogenous in both these theories.

2) There is no difference; technological change is exogenous in both these theories.

3) Technological change is endogenous in the new growth theory and exogenous in the Solow theory.

4) Technological change is exogenous in the new growth theory and endogenous in the Solow theory.

16. Which of the following was proposed by the new growth theory?

I. Capital resources cannot grow indefinitely.

II. Technological change is caused by factors inside the economy.

III. Technological changes are entirely unpredictable events.

IV. Institutions matter.

I and II

I and IV

II and IV

III and IV

I, II, III, and IV

17. All of the following except _____________ are barriers to natural growth.

1) corruption

2) political instability

3) high tax rates

4) free markets

5) All of these are barriers to natural growth.

18. Which of the following is supported by the modern growth theory?

A - Population growth is an obstacle to economic growth.

B - Competition encourages the discovery of new goods and services, which leads to economic growth.

C - A country can grow faster if it disengages itself from international trade with foreign nations.

D - Taxes should be abolished, as they hurt incentives necessary for economic growth.

All of these. A and B

A, B, and D

19. According to the new growth theory, the low living standards in many developing countries can be explained by a lack of:

A - natural resources.

B - free markets.

C - sound institutions.

D - strong military resources.

all of these.

B and C.

A and D.

1.The production possibilities frontier can be used to demonstrate which of the following?
(i) The best tradeoffs that individuals and societies should make
(ii) The tradeoffs forced on individuals and societies because of scarcity
(iii) The wealth maximizing output combination that an individual or society should choose

Select one:

a. (ii) only

b. (i), (ii) and (ii)

c. (i) only

d. (iii) only

2. Unlimited wants and limited resources:

Select one:

a. Can be overcome through innovation

b. Are not problems faced by wealthy industrialized nations

c. Necessitate choices about the goods to services to consume

d. Can be overcome by increasing wealth

3. What are the two sub-fields of economics?

Select one:

a. For-profit economics and not-for-profit economics

b. Private markets and the public sector

c. Microeconomics and macroeconomics

d. Market and non-market economics

4. What do economists mean by "self-interested behavior"?

Select one:

a. It means undertaking activities that benefit yourself and a small group of others who are important to you

b. It means undertaking activities motivated by greed

c. It means undertaking activities that maximize one's own welfare

d. It means wanting to pursue a life of leisure

5. When economists say that people act rationally, they mean that:

Select one:

a. People do not make incorrect choices

b. People are governed by what others think about them and act accordingly

c. People consider the significant consequences of their actions and make decisions that further their self-interests

d. There are certain common codes of conduct that everyone adheres to

6. Which of the following actions reflect self-interested behavior?
(i) Warren Buffett, one of the world's wealthiest individuals, donated more than $30 billion to humanitarian causes such as AIDS and tuberculosis initiatives.
(ii) Pfizer Inc., a private pharmaceutical company, sponsored a disease-management program for Florida's Medicaid patients with chronic illnesses such as asthma, diabetes and heart disease.
(iii) You agree to babysit your 8-year-old brother instead of going to a kick-boxing class.
(iv) You agree to babysit your 8-year-old brother instead of going to a kick-boxing class only if your mother pays you $8 an hour.

Select one:

a. All of the above actions except (iii)

b. All of the above actions

c. (ii) and (iii) only

d. (iv) only

7. Which of the following does not qualify as a market?

Select one:

a. Bloomingdales Department Store

b. The underground drug trade

c. Amazon.com

d. The French Immigration Department

8. Which of the following is not a key assumption of economics?

Select one:

a. People do not undertake activities that make others better off

b. People are self-interested

c. People have limited resources to acquire their wants

d. People are rational

9. Which of the following is not likely to cause the production possibility frontier to shift out?

Select one:

a. An increase in the quantity of innovations

b. An increase in specialization which allows people to develop higher levels of skill at their chosen profession

c. Developing markets where self-interested individuals can interact

d. Relying only on governments to allocate resources

10. Which of the following statements is false?

Select one:

a. Scarcity affects everyone, including very wealthy people

b. Rational people never make mistakes

c. Economists assume people are rational

d. Economists assume people have unlimited desires

11. Which of the following statements is false?

Select one:

a. When you volunteer to help at a soup kitchen, you face an opportunity cost of your time

b. Mother Teresa faced trade-offs when deciding to help lepers in India rather than some other needy group

c. Economics brings tradeoffs to light but does not inform us of which trade-offs society should make

d. When the government funds research into cancer, it is able to avoid trade-offs because public funds are used rather than private funds

12. Which of the following topics does economics study: (i) the study of human behavior; (ii) the market for organ transplants; (iii) cost and benefits of building a suicide barrier in the Golden Gate Bridge; (iv) the functioning of political institutions.

Select one:

a. (i) and (iii) only

b. (ii) and (iii) only

c. All of the topics listed

d. All of the topics except (iv)

13. Which the following would be likely to raise your opportunity cost of going to college full-time?
(i) You have been offered a full-time job as wardrobe assistant to Paris Hilton that pays $60,000 per year.
(ii) You have been offered a merit scholarship that pays for two years of tuition.
(iii) Your landlord increases the rent on the apartment you are currently living in and will continue to live in even if you choose to attend college full-time.
(iv) An increase in the value of your college trust fund set up by your grandfather.

Select one:

a. All of the above

b. (i) and (iii) only

c. All of the above except (ii)

d. (i) only

14. While microeconomics is concerned with the behavior of individuals and firms, macroeconomics:

Select one:

a. Does not make use of "micro" ideas such as opportunity cost or self-interest

b. Is concerned with the performance of entire economies

c. Is concerned with normative matters such as fairness, equality and ethics

d. Is only concerned with government activity

15. You own a Ford car that has lousy gas mileage. You finally trade it for a Hyundai, which is equal in virtually every aspect except that the Hyundai gets much better mileage. What is likely to happen to your gas consumption?

Select one:

a. I get better gas mileage and since the cost of driving has gone down, I will drive more so my gas consumption will remain the same

b. It will fall since I will now use less gas

c. I get better gas mileage and since the cost of driving has gone down, I will drive more so the effect on my gas consumption is indeterminate

d. It will go up since I will now drive more