Log in
HomeClass Notes1,200,000US530,000

ECON 1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Ebay, Standard-Definition Television, Opportunity Cost

34 views3 pages
Verified Note
whitemarten979
4 Oct 2018
School
UCSB
Department
Economics
Course
ECON 1
Professor
Ryan Oprea

For unlimited access to Class Notes, a Class+ subscription is required.

ECON 1 verified notes
3/31View all
2

ECON 1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Opportunity Cost, Absolute Advantage, Comparative Advantage

3

ECON 1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Ebay, Standard-Definition Television, Opportunity Cost

4

ECON 1 Lecture 4: Econ note day 4 10/5/18

Document Summary

Econ 1 - lecture 3 - opportunity cost. The poor family had a comparative advantage in baking, and the rich family had a comparative advantage in fishing. If both specialize in comparative advantage, both can benefit. Suppose anyone can buy and sell bread for a loaf, and that the same thing was true for fish. Everyone should produce the combination of bread and fish that yields the highest income and buy the combination he or she wants to consume. The poor family produces 3/2 loaves if he gives up one fish. If he does so, he would profit sh. 50 from each fish he gives up, because: The poor family should make more bread and less fish because it would make them the most money. The rich family produces 2/3 loaves if they give up one fish, Profit = (2/3) - = -sh. 33 which would lead to a loss of sh. 33.

Get access

Grade+
$40 USD/m
Billed monthly
Grade+
Homework Help
Study Guides
Textbook Solutions
Class Notes
Textbook Notes
Booster Class
10 Verified Answers
Class+
$30 USD/m
Billed monthly
Class+
Homework Help
Study Guides
Textbook Solutions
Class Notes
Textbook Notes
Booster Class
7 Verified Answers

Related Documents

ECON 1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Standard-Definition Television, Ebay, Starbucks
pinkhedgehog498
ECON 1 Lecture 2: ECON 1-Lecture 3-Supply and Demand
limesnail761
ECON 1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Competitive Equilibrium, Demand Curve, Comparative Advantage
jadefox251

Related Questions

The opportunity cost of one more slice of pizza in terms of sodas is the

   

the total number of pizza slices that we have divided by the total number of sodas that we have.
   

the number of sodas we have to give up to get one extra pizza slice.
   

the number of pizza slices we have to give up to get one extra soda.
   

the total number of sodas that we have divided by the total number of pizza slices that we have.

1 point

QUESTION 2

A production possibilities frontier shows

   

how money can be allocated among two kinds of goods.
   

the limits to the future growth of a nation.
   

the various combinations of output a nation can produce at a certain time, given its available resources and technology.
   

that if the price of one good decreases, the price of the other has to increase.

1 point

QUESTION 3

When a production possibilities frontier is bowed outward, as more of one good is produced, its opportunity cost

   

remains constant.
   

might increase, decrease, or remain constant depending on how much people value the additional units of the good.
   

increases.
   

decreases.

1 point

QUESTION 4

When all of the available factors of production are being efficiently employed, the

   

the economy is producing at a point within its PPF.
   

PPF disappears.
   

the economy is producing at a point beyond its PPF.
   

the economy is producing at a point on its PPF.

1 point

QUESTION 5

If a nation devotes a larger share of its current production to consumer goods, then

   

its PPF will shift inward.
   

its economic growth will slow down.
   

its PPF will shift outward.
   

some productive factors will become unemployed.

1 point

QUESTION 6

A point on the production possibilities frontier reflects an

   

the attainable point with full employment of all resources.
   

attainable point without full employment of all resources.
   

unattainable point without full employment of all resources.
   

the unattainable point with full employment of all resources.

1 point

QUESTION 7

When drawing a production possibilities frontier, which of the following is held constant?

   

the available factors of production and the state of technology
   

the amount of money in the economy
   

the prices of goods and services
   

the quantity of the goods and services that are produced

1 point

QUESTION 8

As we move along the production possibilities frontier,

   

more of both goods can be produced.
   

the possibilities of tradeoffs diminish.
   

a tradeoff is not possible because nations need all goods.
   

the production of one good increases as the production of the other good decreases.

1 point

QUESTION 9

Which of the following is an assumption used when drawing a production possibilities frontier?

i.Human wants and desires are limited to what is available.

ii. Only two goods are considered.

iii. The level of technology is fixed and unchanging.

   

I and iii
   

ii only
   

I, ii, and iii
   

I only

1 point

QUESTION 10

To achieve gains from trade, a country

   

needs to have an absolute advantage in the production of all goods.
   

specializes in producing a good in which it has a lower opportunity cost.
   

must produce at a point beyond its PPF.
   

should produce at the midpoint of its PPF.

1 point

QUESTION 11

Relative to Al, Joe has ________ if Joe can produce a good at a lower opportunity cost than Al.

   

a comparative advantage
   

more production efficiency
   

a marginal benefit
   

a comparative benefit

1 point

QUESTION 12

Does economic growth depend upon which of the following?

i.Improving the quality of labor

ii. Technological advancement

iii. Increasing the amount of capital

   

iii only
   

ii only
   

I only
   

I, ii, and iii

1 point

QUESTION 13

In one hour John can produce 20 loaves of bread or 18 cakes. In one hour Phyllis can produce 30 loaves of bread or 15 cakes. Which of the following statements is true?

   

John has a comparative advantage in producing cakes.
   

Phyllis has an absolute advantage in both goods.
   

Phyllis has a comparative advantage in producing cakes.
   

John has an absolute advantage in both goods.

1 point

QUESTION 14

As an economy produces more of one of the goods on a bowed out production possibilities frontier, what happens to the opportunity cost of producing the good?

   

It decreases.
   

It might increase, decrease, or remain constant depending on how much people value the additional units of the good.
   

It remains constant.
   

It increases.

1 point

QUESTION 15

The production possibilities frontier illustrates the

   

goods and services that people want.
   

maximum combinations of goods and services that can be produced.
   

resources the economy possesses, but not it is the level of technology.
   

limits to people's wants.

1 point

QUESTION 16

The United States produced approximately ________ worth of goods and services in 2007.

   

$14 billion
   

$14 trillion
   

$140 billion
   

$140 trillion

1 point

QUESTION 17

The fact of increasing opportunity cost when moving on the PPF means that

   

to increase the production of one product requires smaller and smaller sacrifices of the other good.
   

to decrease the production of one product requires smaller and smaller sacrifices of the other good.
   

to increase the production of one product requires larger and larger sacrifices of the other good.
   

when the government forces a movement from one point on the PPF to another point, no production is lost.

1 point

QUESTION 18

Other things equal, if India devotes more resources to educate its population than China,

   

China will grow faster than India.
   

India will be able to eliminate scarcity faster than China.
   

India will be able to eliminate opportunity cost faster than China.
   

India will grow faster than China.

1 point

QUESTION 19

For Ireland to grow more potatoes, wool production must decrease. This situation is an example of

   

zero opportunity cost.
   

producing at a point that lies beyond the PPF.
   

opportunity benefit.
   

a tradeoff.

1 point

QUESTION 20

Moving from one point to another on a production possibilities frontier implies

   

increasing the production of both goods.
   

increasing the production of one good and decreasing the production of another.
   

holding the production levels of both goods constant.
   

decreasing the production of both goods.

1 point

QUESTION 21

The United States is one of the richest nations in the world,

   

but it can still benefit from specialization and trade.
   

so does not need to trade with poor nations to achieve any gains from trade.
   

so might not have a comparative advantage in producing any goods.
   

so it must have a comparative advantage in the production of all goods.

1 point

QUESTION 22

"Comparative advantage" is defined as a situation in which one person can produce

   

more of all goods than another person.
   

a good for a lower opportunity cost than another person.
   

a good for a lower dollar cost than another person.
   

more of a good than another person.

1 point

QUESTION 23

The idea of increasing opportunity cost is reflected in the

   

the linear shape of the production possibilities frontier.
   

bowed in the shape of the production possibilities frontier.
   

bowed out the shape of the production possibilities frontier.
   

the positive slope of the production possibilities frontier.

1 point

QUESTION 24

Suppose that after specializing according to comparative advantage, a country is trading with another nation that also specializes according to its comparative advantage. Which of the following statements are true for the first country?

i)It enjoys gains from trade.

ii)It must have an absolute advantage in the production of the good it produces.

iii)It is producing at a point beyond its PPF.

   

I only.
   

I and ii.
   

I and iii.
   

ii and iii.

1 point

QUESTION 25

If society moves from a period of time with significant unemployment to a time with full employment, its production possibilities frontier will

   

shift rightward.
   

not shift because the society moves from one point on the frontier to a point inside the frontier.
   

not shift because the society moves from a point inside the frontier to a point on the frontier.
   

shift leftward.

1 point

Question 6: Which of the following economic goals focuses on equal opportunities for education? (5 points)

-Equity

-Freedom

-Growth

-Security

Question 7: Marcel takes out student loans and works part-time to put himself through college. In time, he earns an advanced medical degree and goes to work in an understaffed city -hospital. Marcel's economic decisions benefit the goal of efficiency by (5 points)

-making his own job

-related decisions

-paying back loans to reduce the debt

-contributing to the nation's productivity

-taking advantage of equal opportunities

Question 8: Two countries produce milk and dairy products efficiently. Neither has an absolute advantage. However, Country A exports milk to Country B, and Country A imports cotton from Country B. Which of the following is inferred? (5 points)

-The opportunity cost of producing milk is lower for Country A.

-The opportunity cost of producing cotton is higher for Country B.

-Country A has a natural resource advantage in cotton.

-Country B has a natural resource advantage in milk.

Question 9: Worker hours to produce one unit of natural gas; Worker hours to produce one unit of oil; Brazil 4 9; Argentina 2 10; Mexico 3 7; United States 1 6. According to the chart, which country has the comparative advantage in oil production? (5 points)

-Brazil

-Mexico

-Argentina

-United States

Question 10: The United States can manufacture books at a much more rapid pace than manufacturers in Indonesia. Which of the following is a reason? (5 points)

-Indonesia, as a developed country, has a highly paid and experienced workforce

-Indonesia, as a developing country, has a less advanced manufacturing infrastructure

-The United States, as a developing country, has a high comparative advantage in manufacturing.

-The United States, as a developed country, has a lower cost of living than Indonesia

Question 11: A group of nations establishes a free-trade zone. What is the most likely effect? (5 points)

-Cost of trade increases

-Exports decrease

-Imports decrease

-Trade increases

Question 12: The United States may have a tariff on cotton products from China in order to (5 points)

-prevent Chinese manufacturers from losing profit because of low prices

-protect the business of the American cotton growers and manufacturers

-stop trade due to political disagreement on economic policy

-promote sales in the United States of cotton products from China

Question 13: A Chinese international salesperson hoping to increase exports to the U.S. may worry about the inflation of the U.S. dollar because the inflation may (5 points)

-increase the United States' supply of Chinese products

-decrease tariffs on Chinese products sold to the United States

-increase taxes on the United States' products sold to China

-reduce the United States' demand for Chinese products

Question 14: How would a strong U.S. dollar impact the trade of grain produced in the United States? (5 points)

-U.S. grain exports decrease

-U.S. grain exports increase

-U.S. grain imports decrease

-U.S. grain imports stagnate

Question 15: Which of these can be a result of inflation? (5 points)

-Businesses grow cautious about spending

-The government has to cut spending

-The price of household items increases

-Workers benefit from a lower cost of living

Question 16: If the inflation rate increases faster than their income, people will most likely (5 points)

-use a higher proportion of their incomes on basic needs

-spend a lower proportion of their incomes on basic needs

-get more goods and services for less money

-obtain fewer goods and services for less money

Question 17: To increase your standard of living, your wages must (5 points)

-rise faster than the inflation rate

-rise more slowly than the inflation rate

-keep pace with the inflation rate

-have a negative inflation rate

Question 18: Look at the map showing the European Union (EU) and its free-trade agreement (FTA) countries. Which is true about most current EU free-trade agreements? (5 points)

-The European Union's free-trade agreements are with all of the most developed nations in the world.

-The European Union's free-trade agreements include agreements with both developed and developing nations.

-The European Union's free-trade agreements focus on nations with access to overland trade routes

-The European Union's free-trade agreements focus on the Southern Hemisphere, as distant countries have access to goods not grown in Europe.

Need help revising, and recommendation for a conclusion.

Throughout this paper is my understanding of what I have learned in class chapters 1-4, expressing my understanding and opinions. Economics is the study of how we deal with scarce resources. Microeconomics specially deals with business in the home country exclusively. This type of economics affects small businesses in the home country only. On the other hand, macroeconomics concerns our national welfare concerning trade and international business.

I believe that many things affect our economy on a microeconomics level. Things such as our understanding of our country in reflection to the world are very important. That is why we study ourselves before we study the macroeconomic principle of the world. Understanding ourselves is what microeconomics teaches us. Working from the inside out. The world is a place where there are differences in our wants and what we get. That is what makes items scarce. That is what positive economics is. Positive economics deals with what is and what we have. The other type of economics is called normative statements. This deals with what we should receive instead of what is and deserved to some extent. It's our scarce resources that determine our allocation of resources and how we use our resources and time. This is where opportunity costs come in, giving up something to do something. A successful business or country never ignores opportunity costs. We must ensure that we have a comparative advantage instead of the absolute advantage. Our resources must be used to achieve maximum output. Comparative is met when we have fewer opportunity costs to make some certain products than the other person or entity.

My initial understanding was scarcity was oil potentially running out, but we have so much of it that you can always find more with techniques such as fracking. Now it's obvious to me, one of our most scarce resources is time. You cannot avoid the 8,760 hours in a year. I understand that people have unlimited wants but limited resources. Everything has a cost and we must make a choice as we don't have unlimited farms, factories workers, etc. scarcity forces choices and this ties in with opportunity cost, for every gun made, a theft from the hungry is made.€ The opportunity cost not being used to feed the poor, but to make guns. And I find it easy to understand no one can have everything choices must be made on benefits. If I'm going to school, imp giving up making cash, as I'm giving up money for an education, I value education more. Scarcity is also related to the invisible hand. As it's an achievement that leads free markets and capitalism through competition for scarce resources.

My understanding of the invisible hand is a person neither intends to promote public interest and does not know how much he is promoting it. Only intending on his own gain. Without being his intention a person can be lead by the invisible hand to do good for society by pursuing one's own self-interest. Going into equity and efficiency the invisible hand does ensure both equity and efficiency. People work in their selfish ways to maximize profit while also contributing to the economy as a whole. It can also be argued that as the invisible hand wants to ensure efficiency, it cannot guarantee efficiency, because it can fail to produce an efficient allocation of resources, which in turn lead to a market failure. It can also be argued that it can't guarantee equity because not everyone gets a fair price. The way I like to remember efficiency is with a real-life example, like a reduction in the number of workers needed to produce a particular good for a particular amount. Equity refers to the ownership interest in an asset, for example, if a person owns a house with a market value of $800,000 and owes $100,000 on the mortgage leaving a $700,000 equity in the home.

It can be predicted that if the price of beef increases - ceteris paribus-the quantity of beef demanded by buys will decrease. In other words, if the price of beef increases, then the quantity of beef increases, then the quantity of beef demanded will decrease because all things have to be equal. In-class lecture thought me all other things remaining the same.€ Economists use ceteris paribus to determine the effect of a factor when all other factors have been held the same and helps simplify the study and get a more refined data set.

Economists deal with many issues that pertain to assuring that both a countries domestic output is efficient and that there is an effective trade balance. This means that there are a balance and limit on the amount of imports. Also, this means home production must be able to meet export demands. There are many factors that affect the production of goods and their effect on shifting the production possibilities frontier. This involves evaluating every detail including knowing the products and any close substitutes and compliments. It also involves knowing how an action or other external force will affect demand. This is called price elasticity; Substitutes are products that can replace any given product or service. An example of this would be Coke and Pepsi. The presence of substitutes affects price elasticity because if there are other options, then any change to the price or quality of the product will cause a shift of the demand curve. O course, price is a huge reason why the demand for a product decreases or increases yet it doesn't shift the curve because of the price only. This price change will cause a domino effect that will end with the shifting of the demand curve because it will cause an increase or decrease in demand of the substitute good if the price change is either lower or higher respectively. This price change serves as a catalyst that will change people's desire to spend more money on a more expensive product and that will instead choose to buy the substitute good for cheaper or buy more of the desired product. The change in the price of actual products will not shift the demand curve yet the change of the price of substitutes will because it serves to change people's purchasing behavior. On the other hand, compliments serve to boost demand when there is a decrease in price. The use of complementary goods is dependent upon another product. An example of this would be hot dogs and buns. If the price of hotdogs decreases then, conversely, the demand for hot dog buns will increase because of this change in price. In this scenario, the decrease in price will cause a positive shift in the demand curve because of people's desire and willingness to buy more buns. This is an example of a demand shifter. There are a few other demand shifters. The shifters of the demand curve are changes in expectations, disposable income, price of substitute goods and complements, tastes and preferences, and population size and composition. Changes in income affect the demand curve because if income is lower then people tend to save any extra income instead of wasting it. Disposable income is minimized and spending is lower. This also causes people to see a perceived value of things and distinguishing between what is necessary and what is a relative luxury. The lower the income, the higher the saving and avoidance to spend. An example of this would be if someone needs to buy some medication and it is relatively expensive, that doesn't mean that someone won't buy the medication just because it is expensive. It is necessary. Other factors that contribute to spending and demand are having a price ceiling and price floor. Having a price ceiling is a limit on the price of the product this is a government-imposed idea that is meant to protect consumers from unfair pricing and other conditions that may be malicious or obscure. This affects demand because if there is a price ceiling there is a limit on profit on a unit-to-unit basis. The other factor is the price floor. This price floor was created to encourage competition and affect consumers' willingness to pay because sometimes this new price may be higher than the original price. This causes a negative impact on a product that has a less than wanted perceived value. Many factors contribute to economic prosperity and certainly do help assure that information is analyzed and implemented into an economic and business plan.