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ECON 1B03 Lecture Notes - Absolute Advantage, Opportunity Cost, Comparative Advantage

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rubylizard989
14 Dec 2012
School
McMaster University
Department
Economics
Course
ECON 1B03
Professor
Hannah Holmes

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ECON 1B03 Full Course Notes
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ECON 1B03 Full Course Notes
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Document Summary

Chapter three: interdependence and the gains from trade. Concepts (tested on: absolute advantage, comparative advantage. : canada has 50,000 hours of labour available for production, per month. Producing one computer requires 100 hours of labour. Producing one ton of wheat requires 10 hours of labour. Japan has 30,000 hours of labour available for production per month. Producing one computer requires 125 hours of labour. Producing one ton of wheat requires 25 hours of labour. Without trade canadian consumers get 250 computers and 2500 tons of wheat and without trade japanese consumers get 120 computers and 600 tons of wheat. Exports: goods produce domestically and sold abroad to export means to sell domestically produced goods abroad. Imports: goods produced abroad and sold domestically to import means to purchase goods produced in other countries. Absolute advantage: the ability to produce a good using fewer inputs than another producer.

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Related Questions

Gain from trade

Consider two neighboring island countries, Arcadia and Felicidad. Each has 72,000 labor hours available per month that it can use to produce jeans, wheat , or a combination of both. The following table shows the amount of labor hours required to produce one pair of jeans or one bushel of wheat.

 

Jeans

(Labor hours per pair)

Wheat

(Labor hours per bushel)
Arcadia 80 16
Felicidad 24 12

Initially , suppose Arcadia uses 54,000 hours of labor per month to produce jeans and 18,000 hours per month to produce Wheat, while Felicidad uses 18,000 hours of labor per month to produce jeans and 54,000 hours per month to produce wheat. Consequently, Arcadia produces 675 pairs of jeans and 1,125 bushels of wheat, and Felicidad produces 750 pairs of jeans and 4,500 busheis of wheat. Assume there are no other countries willing to trade goods, so in the absence of trade between the two countries, each country consumes the amount the of jeans and wheat it produces.

Arcadia's opportunity cost of prducing on pair of jeans is (1) ____________ ((5 bushels - 1/2 bushel - 2 bushels - 1/5 bushels )) of wheat, and Felicidad's opportunity cost of producing one pair of jeans is (2)_______________ (( 1/5 bushel - 1/2 bushel - 5 bushels - 2 bushels )) of wheat. Therefore,(3)_____________(( Arcadia - Felicidad )) has a comparative advantage in the production of jeans, and (4)______________(( Arcadia - Felicidad )) has a comparative advantage in the production of wheat.

Suppose that Arcadia completely specializes in the production of the good in which it has a comparative advantage, producing only that good. It will produce (5)____________(( 4500 - 3000 - 6000 - 900 )) (6)______________ ((Bushels of wheat - pairs of jeans )) .

Suppose also that Felicidad does not specialize and uses 54,000 hours of labor to produce jeans and 18,000 hours of labor to produce wheat. It will produce (7) __________(( 900 - 2250 - 3000 )) pairs of jeans and (8)__________(( 1500 - 4500 - 6000 )) bushels of wheat.

Suppose Arcadia and Felicidad agree to trade with each other, exchanging 1,100 pairs of jeans for 3,300 bushels of wheat. In particular, Arcadia will export the goods it produces and Felicidad will expor the goods that Arcadia does not produce.

With trade, Arcadia will (9)____________(( export - import )) jeans and (10)_____________(( export - import )) wheat. Felicidad will (11)__________(( export - import )) jeans and (12)___________(( export - import )) wheat .

When neithen country specializes, the total production of jeans is (13) _____________ (( 5625 - 2250 - 1425 - 6000 )) pairs per month, and the total production of wheat is (14) ___________ ((5625 - 2250 - 1425 - 6000 )) bushels per month .

When Arcadia specializes and Felicidad still produces the combination of goods using 54,000 hours of labor to produce jeans and 18,000 hours of labor to produce wheat, the total production of jeans becomes (15)___________ (( 2250 - 1425 - 5625 - 6000 )) pairs pers month , and the total production of wheat became (16)__________(( 2250 - 1425 - 5625 - 6000 )) bushels per month.

Gain from trade

Consider two neighboring island countries, Arcadia and Felicidad. Each has 72,000 labor hours available per month that it can use to produce jeans, wheat , or a combination of both. The following table shows the amount of labor hours required to produce one pair of jeans or one bushel of wheat.

 

Jeans

(Labor hours per pair)

Wheat

(Labor hours per bushel)
Arcadia 80 16
Felicidad 24 12

Initially , suppose Arcadia uses 54,000 hours of labor per month to produce jeans and 18,000 hours per month to produce Wheat, while Felicidad uses 18,000 hours of labor per month to produce jeans and 54,000 hours per month to produce wheat. Consequently, Arcadia produces 675 pairs of jeans and 1,125 bushels of wheat, and Felicidad produces 750 pairs of jeans and 4,500 busheis of wheat. Assume there are no other countries willing to trade goods, so in the absence of trade between the two countries, each country consumes the amount the of jeans and wheat it produces.

Arcadia's opportunity cost of prducing on pair of jeans is (1) ____________ ((5 bushels - 1/2 bushel - 2 bushels - 1/5 bushels )) of wheat, and Felicidad's opportunity cost of producing one pair of jeans is (2)_______________ (( 1/5 bushel - 1/2 bushel - 5 bushels - 2 bushels )) of wheat. Therefore,(3)_____________(( Arcadia - Felicidad )) has a comparative advantage in the production of jeans, and (4)______________(( Arcadia - Felicidad )) has a comparative advantage in the production of wheat.

Suppose that Arcadia completely specializes in the production of the good in which it has a comparative advantage, producing only that good. It will produce (5)____________(( 4500 - 3000 - 6000 - 900 )) (6)______________ ((Bushels of wheat - pairs of jeans )) .

Suppose also that Felicidad does not specialize and uses 54,000 hours of labor to produce jeans and 18,000 hours of labor to produce wheat. It will produce (7) __________(( 900 - 2250 - 3000 )) pairs of jeans and (8)__________(( 1500 - 4500 - 6000 )) bushels of wheat.

Suppose Arcadia and Felicidad agree to trade with each other, exchanging 1,100 pairs of jeans for 3,300 bushels of wheat. In particular, Arcadia will export the goods it produces and Felicidad will expor the goods that Arcadia does not produce.

With trade, Arcadia will (9)____________(( export - import )) jeans and (10)_____________(( export - import )) wheat. Felicidad will (11)__________(( export - import )) jeans and (12)___________(( export - import )) wheat .

When neithen country specializes, the total production of jeans is (13) _____________ (( 5625 - 2250 - 1425 - 6000 )) pairs per month, and the total production of wheat is (14) ___________ ((5625 - 2250 - 1425 - 6000 )) bushels per month .

When Arcadia specializes and Felicidad still produces the combination of goods using 54,000 hours of labor to produce jeans and 18,000 hours of labor to produce wheat, the total production of jeans becomes (15)___________ (( 2250 - 1425 - 5625 - 6000 )) pairs pers month , and the total production of wheat became (16)__________(( 2250 - 1425 - 5625 - 6000 )) bushels per month.

For which of the following nations does international trade account for the largest percentage of GDP?
A) Japan
B) The Netherlands
C) Germany
D) Great Britain
E) the United States

2. Suppose that workers in Transylvania can produce only two goods-- yo-yos or sweat socks. The Transylvanian currency is the dealer. In what unit is the opportunity cost of yo-yos measured?
A) dealers
B) dealers per yo-yo
C) dealers per sweat sock
D) yo-yos
E) sweat socks

3. For each watch Denmark produces, it gives up the opportunity to make 50 pounds of cheese. Germany can produce one watch for every100 pounds of cheese it produces. Which of the following is true with regard to opportunity costs in the two countries?
A) The opportunity cost of producing watches is lower in Denmark.
B) The opportunity cost of producing cheese is lower in Denmark.
C) The opportunity cost of producing watches is identical in both countries.
D) It is impossible to compare opportunity costs because the two countries use different currencies.
E) In Germany the opportunity cost of producing one pound of cheese is one watch.

4. For each bow the Romans are producing, they give up the opportunity to make 10 arrows. The Dacians are giving up producing2 bows for every 40 arrows they are producing. Which of the following is true regarding comparative advantage?
A) The Romans have a comparative advantage in producing arrows
B) The Romans have a comparative advantage in producing bows
C) The Romans have a comparative advantage in producing arrows and bows
D) The Dacians have a comparative advantage in producing arrows and bows
E) The Dacians have a comparative advantage in producing bows

5. Which of the following is not a basis for trade between two nations?
A) different skill levels of the labor forces
B) one nation's absolute advantage
C) a difference in tastes between countries
D) economies of scale
E) different capital stocks

6. The opportunity cost of producing one car in Germany is 2,000bushels of wheat, and the opportunity cost of producing one car in Canada is 1,200 bushels of wheat. The two countries can realize mutual gains from trade if they agree on terms of trade that are
A) greater than 2,000 bushels of wheat per car
B) less than 1,200 bushels of wheat per car
C) greater than 1,200 bushels of wheat per car and less than 2,000bushels of wheat per car, and Germany produces wheat
D) greater than 1,200 bushels of wheat per car and less than 2,000bushels of wheat per car, and Germany produces cars
E) greater than 1,200 bushels of wheat per car and less than 2,000bushels of wheat per car, and each country produces both goods

7. The rate at which two countries trade one good for another
A) is known as the foreign exchange rate
B) is known as the terms of trade
C) is known as the export line
D) equals the slope of the import line
E) equals the common slope of the countries' production possibilities frontiers

8. Which of the following is true?
A) International trade makes it possible for a country's consumption possibilities to exceed its production possibilities.
B) International trade requires that a country's production possibilities exceed its consumption possibilities.
C) A country's production possibilities always equal its consumption possibilities.
D) A country's consumption possibilities can never equal its production possibilities because of leakages in the system.
E) As long as there is full employment of resources, a country's production possibilities will exceed its consumption possibilities even with trade.

9. Which of the following is not a reason for international specialization?
A) some countries have educated, trained workers, while other countries have unskilled workers
B) tastes and preferences tend to be different in different countries
C) economies of scale can allow larger, specialized producers to operate at a lower average cost
D) mineral resources are often concentrated in particular countries
E) the world price of a good is determined by the world supply and demand for it

10. Ad valorem tariffs on imports are based on a percentage of an import's value; specific tariffs are based on a lump sum per physical unit imported.
A) True
B) False