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Econ test three
heck
48
Economics
Undergraduate 1
03/06/2013

Additional Economics Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
Why do we buy stuff?
Definition
To maximize utility
Term
Utility
Definition
the satisfaction a consumer obtains from the consumption of a good or service
Term
Utility facts
Definition

-Utility is measured in utils

-we CANNOT compare the utils assigned to a good by multiple people

-we CAN compare the utils assigned to multiple goods by one person

Term
Total Utility
Definition

The total satisfaction a person derives from comsuming some specific quantity; TU increases as Qd increases;

TU=ΣMU

Term
Marginal Utility
Definition

The additional utility a consumer derives from an additional unit of a good

MU=ΔTU

Term
Law of diminishing MU
Definition

As Qd rises, MU falls

(As MU falls, willingness to pay falls as well)

Term
When do we stop buying stuff?
Definition
When we run out of money
Term
Budget line/constraint
Definition

line that shows the different consumption bundles a consumer can purchase with a specific money income

 

(the price of a consumption bundle cannot exceed consumer's total income)

Term
Consumption bundle
Definition
the combination of goods and services consumed by an individual
Term
Income (formula)
Definition
(Qx*Px)+(Qy*Py)
Term

Opportunity cost of X

(formula)

Definition
max Qy/max Qx= Px/Py
Term
Factors that change the budget line
Definition

1. Income

2. Price of Y

3.Price of X

 

Term
What do we buy first?
Definition

The good that gives us the most marginal utility per dollar

 

MU/P

Term
Utility maximization rule (consumer equilibrium)
Definition

TU is maximized when:

1. All income is spent

2. MUx/Px=MUy/Py

Term
Optimal consumption bundle
Definition
the bundle that maximizes total utility
Term
Indifference curves
Definition
a line that shows the consumption budles that yield the same amount of total utility
Term
Properties of (most) indifference curves
Definition

1. IC's are downward sloping

2. IC's farther from the origin represent a greater level of TU

3. IC's never cross

4. IC's are bowed inward

Term
Calculating the slope of IC's
Definition

slope= ΔQy/ΔQx

OR

(along an IC) -MUx/MUy

Term
Marginal rate of substitution
Definition

the ratio of the marginal utility of one good to the marginal utility of another;

MRs=MUx/MUy

Term
Principle of diminishing MRs
Definition

The more of good x a person consumes in proportion to good y, the less y the consumer is willing to substitute for x

MRs decreases as Qx increases

Term
Relative price
Definition

The ratio of the price of one good to the price of the other;

RP=Px/Py

Term

Optimal bundle

(formula in terms of RP)

Definition

MRs=RP

MUx/MUy=Px/Py

Term
Relative price rule
Definition

at the optimal consumption bundle,

MRs=RP

Term
Special indifference curves
Definition

Perfect substitutes

Perfect complements

Term
Perfect substitutes
Definition
goods for which the marginal rate of substitution is constant, no matter how much of each is consumed
Term
Perfect Complements
Definition
Goods that a consumer will consume in the same ratio regardless of their relative price
Term

Profit (∏)

(formula)

Definition
Total revenue- Total cost
Term

Total revenue

(formula)

Definition
P*Q
Term

Total cost

(2 formulas)

Definition

1. Accounting- ∏=TR-explicit cost

2. Economic- ∏= TR-economic cost

Term

Economic cost

(used in economic profit)

Definition
includes the implicit cost, which for a producer is the forgone income from employing resources in their next best use
Term
Normal profit
Definition

1. the firm is doing just as good as it could in another industry

2. Accounting profit=implicit cost

3. Economic profit=$0

Term
short run
Definition
an amount of time insufficient to allow plant capacity to vary. Also, firms can shut down production, but they cannot exit the market.
Term
Plant capacity
Definition
the size of the building and amount of capital equipment
Term
long run
Definition
all costs are variable, entry and exit are possible
Term
Short run costs
Definition

Fixed

Variable

Total 

Avg fixed

Avg variable

Avt total

Marginal

Term
Fixed costs
Definition

1. Cannot be varied in the SR

2. Do not change as output changes

3. Still exist when output falls to zero

4. Usually associated with capital

Term
Variable cost
Definition
Costs that change as output changes; go to zero during shutdown
Term

Total Cost 

(formula)

Definition
Total fixed+total variable
Term
Average fixed Cost
Definition
TFC/Quantity
Term
AVG variable cost
Definition
TVC/Q
Term
AVG total cost
Definition

TC/Q

or

afc+avc

Term
Marginal cost
Definition
ΔTC/ΔQ
Term

Law of diminishing (marginal) returns

LDMR

Definition
as successive units of a variable resource are added to a fixed resource, the marginal product of the variable resource eventually decreases
Term
Marginal product of labor
Definition

The additional output produced by one more unit of a variable imput;

MPl=ΔQ/ΔL

Term

Total product

(formula)

Definition
Q=ΣMPl
Term
Economies of scale/increasing returns of scale
Definition
as q rises, LRATC falls
Term
Diseconomies of scale/ decreasing returns to scale
Definition
as q rises, LRATC rises
Term
Factors that shift LR cost curves
Definition

1. input prices- input prices and cost curves move together

2. regulation/taxes- taxes and cost move together

3. technology- as technology improves, costs fall

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