ECON 208 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Inferior Good, Normal Good, Economic Surplus

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7 Nov 2017

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ECON 208 Full Course Notes

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Ceteris paribus, the utility that any consumer derives from successive units of a particular product, is assumed to diminish as total consumption of the product increases. That is, marginal utility falls as the level of consumption rises. Important assumption to be able to compare total and marginal utility: Individuals can compare the utility from different actions. Total utility, marginal utility and demand curve: shape of the marginal utility = shape of the demand curve. If marginal utility decreases, willingness to pay for each additional item decreases (demand decreases: marginal utility is the slope of the total utility function. The theory of consumer behaviour predicts a negatively sloped market demand curve in addition to a negatively sloped demand curve for each individual. Consumers must decide how to adjust their expenditure to maximize total utility. A utility-maximizing consumer allocates expenditures so that the utility obtained from the last dollar spent on each product is equal. U = f(x,y: t. income = pxx+pyy.

Related Questions

1. Economists use ____________ as a measure of the relative level of satisfaction when someone consumes a good or service.

2. Sue likes brownies. However, Sue notices that the more brownies she eats the less satisfaction she receives from each extra brownie. We can say that Sue is experiencing ___________________ from each extra brownie.

sugar sickness

total utility

diminishing marginal utility

increasing marginal utility

3. When total utility is maximized, the marginal utility will be

4. Consider Dirk and Lee. They are both eating pizza. Which of the following statements is true regarding their satisfaction and utility?

Dirk and Lee both receive 10 utils from eating pizza.

Dirk and Lee both receive the same level of satisfaction from eating pizza.

Dirk gets more twice as much satisfaction as Lee from eating pizza.

It is difficult to determine because the utility is subjective.

5. For many products, the total utility curve is

strictly increasing because of increasing marginal utility.

strictly decreasing because of diminishing marginal utility.

increasing initially because of increasing marginal utility, but eventually decreases.

increasing initially at a decreasing rate because of diminishing marginal utility but eventually decreases.

6. When consumers get the biggest bang for the buck, we say they

used the loudest gun in hunting season.

reached a consumer optimum.

minimized consumer satisfaction.

maximized marginal utility.

7. By choosing to consume at the consumer optimum, consumers will

maximize their total utility.

minimize their total utility.

maximize the amount they spend on each good.

minimize the amount they spend on each good.

8. A consumer is in equilibrium when consuming two goods when which of the following holds?

MU_a/ P_a = MU_b/ P_b

MU_a/ P_h =MU_b/ P_a

P_a/ MU_a = P_b/ MU_b

MU_a x P_a = MU_bxP_b

9. If the marginal utility of good 1 is 15 and its price is $3, and the marginal utility of good 2 is 12, and its price is $4, then the consumer

has achieved a consumer optimum.

should increase his or her consumption of good 1.

should increase his or her consumption of good 2.

should decrease his or her consumption of good 1.

10.Suppose the price of an iPod decrease and the price of HD TVs remains the same; what noticeable effect(s) occur(s)?

the substitution effect only

the real-income effect only

the substitution effect and real-income effect, if there is a noticeable change in purchasing power

the substitution effect and real-income effect, if there isnât a noticeable change in purchasing power

11. The ______________ paradox was described by Adam Smith in 1776.

12. What is the key to solving the diamond-water paradox?

more water and fewer diamonds

marginal utility

total utility

consumer demand

13. When solving the diamond-water paradox we notice that the marginal utility of

diamonds are equal to the marginal utility of water.

diamonds are greater than the marginal utility of water.

diamonds are less than the marginal utility of water.

water is equal to its price, and therefore lower than the marginal utility of diamonds.

14. The consumer surplus for water is

greater than that for diamonds because water is nonessential.

greater than that for diamonds because water is essential.

less than that for diamonds because water is nonessential.

less than that for diamonds because water is essential.

15. Suppose a consumer consumes only diamonds and water, and the price of diamonds increases. All else being equal, a consumerâs marginal utility for diamonds

decreases and the marginal utility for water stays the same.

increases and the marginal utility for water decreases.

decreases and the marginal utility for water increases.

increases and the marginal utility for water stays the same.