ECO105Y1 Lecture Notes - Sunk Costs, Opportunity Cost, Ebay

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champagnegerbil876

23 Nov 2012

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Chapter 3: show me the money (the law of supply) 3. 1- explain why marginal costs are ultimately opportunity costs. 3. 2- define sunk costs and explain why they do no influence smart, forward-looking decisions. 3. 3-decreibe the relationship between price and quantity supplied, and identify the roles of higher profits and marginal opportunity costs of production. 3. 4- explain the difference between a change in quantity supplied and a change in supply, and list all five factors that change supply. 3. 5- explain elasticity of supply and how it helps businesses avoid disappointed customers. Costs are opportunity costs: what is the real cost to a business of hiring or purchasing any input, microsoft released a limited supply of xbox 360"s in 2005 with a list price or real price of--. The unit"s immediately started selling on ebay and other online auction websites for far more than .

Related Questions

I've completed this but I want to check my answers. Thanks

1) List and briefly explain three economic variables that shift the Demand Curve.

2) Define opportunity cost. How is opportunity cost used to determine comparative advantage?

3) In the market for calculators we observe that the price has fallen and more calculators are being sold. What might have happened to cause this change?

4) The price of gasoline rises. What would we expect to see happen in the market for cars with high gas mileage (like the Prius)?

5) What is the effect of a price floor (a price set above equilibrium) in the sugar market. Why does the government impose price floors?

6) Define the price elasticity of demand. Why is this concept important in economics?

7) Define the income elasticity of demand. Why is this concept important in economics?

8) List and briefly explain three economic variables that shift the Supply Curve.

9) A firm lowers of price of its product by 10% and consumers buy 5% more of the product. What is the price elasticity of demand for the product?

10) If the price elasticity of demand for a product is elastic, explain what will happen to total revenue when the price is decreased.

11) What is the difference between a change in quantity supplied and a shift in supply?

12) Write out the equation for the arc price elasticity of demand using symbols. Then write out the equation using the following numbers: the price increases from $8 to $10 and the quantity demanded falls from 3 units to 2 units. (Do not calculate the equation.)
Three Questions (no choice)

Long Answer Questions (20 points each)

Be certain to label all graphs. Write all explanations in complete sentences.

1) Draw a supply and demand graph for the market for oranges.

Illustrate and explain what happens with when a freeze destroys part of the crop.

2) Draw an increasing cost Production Possibilities Curve (PPC) for the U.S. with computers on the horizontal axis and textiles on the vertical axis.
a) What is the definition of a PPC

b) Choose a point on the PPC. What does this point represent?

c) Illustrate the opportunity cost of producing more computers.

d) Explain a point inside the PPC.

e) Explain a point outside the PPC.

f) Technological change reduces the cost of producing computers and textiles, illustrate and explain what happens in the graph.

g) Choose a new point that represents production and consumption after technological change.

h) Where does the U.S. produce and consume relative to before technological change.

i) Illustrate and explain the opportunity cost of producing more computers after technological change.

3) Define the price elasticity of demand. What does elastic, inelastic and unitary price elasticity of demand mean? For each of the three values of the price elasticity of demand explain what happens to quantity demanded and total revenue when the price of the product is increased? What about when the price of the product is decreased?

4) Using a supply and demand graph in the market for bread, illustrate and explain the effect of a price ceiling (Price set below equilibrium price).

Why would the government impose such a price ceiling?

How is the available bread distributed to consumers when there is a price ceilin

1. Suppose that there is a tax of $1 per unit, and the elasticity of supply is 3 and the elasticity of demand is 2 (in absolute value). How much of the $1 tax is paid by sellers?

		$0.60
		$0.40
		$0.75
		$0.67

2. In Market X, the external benefit of consumption is $5. In Market Y, the external cost of consumption is $10. Efficiency in both markets could be achieved by:

		a tax of $5 in Market X and a subsidy of $10 in Market Y.
		subsidizing both markets.
		taxing Market Y and subsidizing Market X.
		taxing both markets.

3.Economic theory suggests that a natural monopoly should be:

		eliminated whenever it arises.
		regulated to take advantage of economies of scale.
		left alone to operate with excess capacity.
		taken over by the government.

4.When the size of the production is the most efficient:

		total cost is at the minimum.
		average cost is at the minimum.
		marginal cost is at the minimum.
		fixed cost is at the minimum.

5.A firm should exit the industry if which of the following conditions apply?

		TR > TC
		P < AC
		Lifetime expected profit is positive.
		Prices are low now but expected to rise.

6.Figure: Costs

Reference: Ref 11-6

(Figure: Costs) Use the figure. At a price of $20, the firm earns profit of:

		$75.
		$300.
		$225.
		$0, because P = MC at P = $20.

7.When external benefits are present, the market price is ________, however when external costs are present, the market price is ________.

		too low; too high
		equal to the efficient price; too low
		too high; too low
		equal to the efficient price; too high

8.Which of the following statements is TRUE?

I. The EPA's tradeable allowances program for sulfur dioxide establishes property rights to pollute and helps reduce transaction costs by distributing allowances, maintaining databases, and monitoring emissions.

II. One criticism of tradeable allowances is that they prohibit non-businesses and environmental groups from purchasing the allowances.

III. The tradeable allowances for sulfur dioxide have performed poorly because electricity output has increased, causing a rise in sulfur dioxide levels.

		I only
		II and III only
		I, II, and III
		III only

9.Price floors make it illegal to compete for more customers by lowering prices, so firms compete by offering customers:

		various options.
		more quantity.
		more discount.
		higher quality.

10.Figure: Government Price Controls

Reference: Ref 8-3

(Figure: Government Price Controls) Refer to the figure. If the government sets the price ceiling at $31, there will be:

		a shortage of 15 units.
		a surplus of 15 units.
		a supply of 20 units.
		no effect on the market.

11.In which of these instances does price function as a signal in the market?

		Suppliers invest more in exploration when the price of oil increases.
		Consumers complain of price gouging as the price of oil skyrockets.
		Government imposes price controls on the skyrocketing price of oil.
		All of the answers are correct.

12.Ethanol and sugar are both made from sugar cane, and ethanol can be used as substitute fuel for oil. Increasing oil prices cause the demand for ethanol to increase. This will cause the ______ sugar to ______ and its price to ______.

		demand for; decrease; decrease
		supply of; increase; increase
		supply of; decrease; increase
		demand for; increase; increase

13.Why do cotton growers spend billions of dollars to dam rivers and transport water hundreds of miles to grow cotton in California deserts?

		Cotton growers in California don't pay payroll taxes.
		The water used to grow California cotton is highly subsidized by the government.
		Cotton growers in California are mostly operated as nonprofit enterprises.
		The water used to grow California cotton is high in mineral contents, making for a bigger cotton yield.

14.Suppose that the equilibrium price in the market is $10. If the current market price is $7.50:

		the equilibrium price will fall to $7.50.
		competition among buyers will increase the current price.
		the current price will fall below $7.50 as sellers compete for market share.
		There is not enough information provided to answer the question.

15.Which of the following would increase the demand for beef?

		lower pork prices
		higher consumer income
		higher prices of feed grains used to feed beef cattle
		an increase in the price of beef

16.A change in quantity supplied is reflected by a movement along the same supply curve while a change in supply refers to a shift in the entire supply curve.

True

False

17.Table: Production in the United States and Germany

Labor units required to produce:

One Clock

One Sofa

United States		2	5
Germany		3	9

Reference: Ref 2-8

(Table: Production in the United States and Germany) According to the table, the opportunity cost of producing one sofa in the United States is _________, and the opportunity cost of producing one sofa in Germany is _______.

		two clocks; three clocks
		10 clocks; 27 clocks
		0.4 clocks; 0.33 clocks
		2.5 clocks; three clocks

18.Mark values his drum set at $800 and Ella values her guitar at $1,000. Suppose that Mark trades his drum set for Ella's guitar.

		This trade makes Ella worse off by $200.
		This trade makes Mark better off by $200.
		Mark must value Ella's guitar for at least $1,000, and Ella must value Mark's drum set for at least $800.
		This trade creates value by moving the guitar and drum set to people who value them more.