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AP Microeconomics Flashcards

AP Microeconomics vocab from 5 Steps to a 5 Book

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13429986650EconomicsThe study of how people, firms, and societies use their scarce productive resources to best satisfy their unlimited material wants.0
13429986651ResourcesFactors of production, 4 categories: labor, physical capital, land/natural resources, and entrepreneurial ability1
13429986652ScarcityThe imbalance between limited productive resources and unlimited human wants2
13429986653Opportunity CostThe most desirable alternative given up as the result of a decision3
13429986654Marginal Benefit (MB)The additional benefit received from the consumption of the next unit of a good or service4
13429986655Marginal Cost (MC)The additional cost incurred from the consumption of the next unit of a good or a service5
13429986656Marginal AnalysisThe rational decision maker chooses an action if MB ≥ MC6
13429986657Law of Increasing CostsThe more of a good that is produced, the greater the opportunity cost of producing the next unit of that good7
13429986658Absolute AdvantageExists if a producer can produce more of a good than all other producers8
13429986659Comparative AdvantageExists if a producer can produce a good at lower opportunity cost than all other producers9
13429986660SpecializationWhen firms focus their resources on production of goods for which they have comparative advantage10
13429986661Productive EfficiencyProduction of maximum output for a given level of technology and resources. All points on the PPF are productively efficient11
13429986662Allocative EfficiencyProduction of the combination of goods and services that provides the most net benefit to society. The optimal quantity of a good is achieved when the MB = MC of the next unit and only occurs at one point on the PPF12
13429986663Economic GrowthOccurs when an economy's production possibilities increase. This can be a result of more resources, better resources, or improvements in technology.13
13429986664Market Economy (Capitalism)An economic system based upon the fundamentals of private property, freedom, self-interest, and prices14
13429986665Law of DemandHolding all else equal, when the price of a good rises, consumers decrease their quantity demanded for that good15
13429986666Absolute pricesThe price of a good measured in units of currency16
13429986667Relative PricesThe number of units of any other good Y that must be sacrificed to acquire good X. Only relative prices matter17
13429986668Substitution EffectThe change in quantity demanded resulting from a change in the price of one good relative to other goods18
13429986669Income EffectThe change in quantity demanded that results from a change in the consumer's purchasing power (or real income)19
13429986670Determinants of DemandConsumer income, prices of substitute and complementary goods, consumer tastes and preferences, consumer speculation, and number of buyers in the market all influence demand20
13429986671Normal GoodsA good for which higher income increases demand21
13429986672Inferior GoodsA good for which higher income decreases demand22
13429986673Substitute GoodsTwo goods are consumer substitutes if they provide essentially the same utility to consumers23
13429986674Complementary GoodsTwo goods are consumer complements if they provide more utility when consumed together than when consumed separately24
13429986675Law of SupplyHolding all else equal, when the price of a good rises, suppliers increase their quantity supplied for that good25
13429986676Determinants of SupplyCosts of inputs, technology and productivity, taxes/subsidies, producer speculation, price of other goods that could be produced, and number of sellers all influence supply26
13429986677Market EquilibriumExists at the point where the quantity supplied equals the quantity demanded27
13429986678ShortageExcess demand; a shortage exists at a market price when the quantity demanded exceeds the quantity supplied28
13429986679SurplusExcess supply; exists at a market price when the quantity supplied exceeds the quantity demanded.29
13429986680Total WelfareThe sum of consumer surplus and producer surplus30
13429986681Consumer surplusThe difference between your willingness to pay and the price you actually pay. It is the area below the demand curve and above the price31
13429986682Producer surplusThe difference between the price received and the marginal cost of producing the good. It is the area above the supply curve and under the price32
13429986683Price elasticityEd = (%dQd)/(%dP). Ignore negative sign33
13429986684Price elastic demandEd > 1, meaning consumers are price sensitive34
13429986685Price inelastic demandEd < 135
13429986686Unit elastic demandEd = 136
13429986687Perfectly inelasticEd = 0, no response to price change37
13429986688Perfectly elasticEd = ∞, infinite change in demand to price change38
13429986689Determinants of elasticitySubstitutes, cost as percentage of income, and time to adjust to price changes all influence price elasticity39
13429986690Total RevenueTR = P * Qd40
13429986691Total Revenue TestTotal revenue rises with a price increase if demand is price inelastic and falls with a price increase if demand is price elastic41
13429986692Income ElasticityEi = (%dQd good X)/(%d Income)42
13429986693LuxuryEi > 143
13429986694Necessity0 < Ei < 144
13429986695Cross-Price Elasticity of DemandEx,y = (%dQd good X) / (%d Price Y). If Ex,y > 0, goods X and Y are substitutes. If Ex,y < 0, goods X and Y are complementary45
13429986696Price Elasticity of SupplyEs = (%dQs) / (%dPrice)46
13429986697Excise TaxA per unit tax on production results in a vertical shift in the supply curve by the amount of the tax47
13429986698Incidence of TaxThe proportion of the tax paid by the consumers in the form of a higher price for the taxed good is greater if demand for the good is inelastic and supply is elastic48
13429986699Dead Weight LossThe lost net benefit to society caused by a movement away from the competitive market equilibrium49
13429986700SubsidyHas opposite effect of an excise tax, as it lowers the marginal cost of production, forcing the supply curve down50
13429986701Price floorA legal minimum price below which the product cannot be sold. If a floor is installed at some level above the equilibrium price, it creates a permanent surplus51
13429986702Price CeilingA legal maximum price above which the product cannot be sold. If a floor is installed at some level above the equilibrium price, it creates a permanent shortage52
13429986703Law of Diminishing Marginal UtilityThe marginal utility from consumption of more and more of that item falls over time53
13429986704Constrained Utility MaximizationFor one good, constrained by prices and income, a consumer stops consuming a good when the price paid for the next unit is equal to the marginal benefit received54
13429986705Utility Maximizing RuleMUx / Px = MUy/Py or MUx/MUy = Px/Py55
13429986706Accounting ProfitThe difference between total revenue and total explicit costs56
13429986707Economic ProfitThe difference between total revenue and total explicit and implicit costs57
13429986708Explicit costsDirect, purchased, out-of-pocket costs paid to resource suppliers provided by the entrepreneur58
13429986709Implicit costsIndirect, non-purchased, or opportunity costs of resources provided by the entrepreneur59
13429986710Short runA period of time too short to change the size of the plant, but many other, more variable resources can be changed to meet demand60
13429986711Long RunA period of time long enough to alter the plant size. New firms can enter the industry and existing firms can liquidate and exit61
13429986712Production functionThe mechanism for combining production resources, with existing technology, into finished goods and services62
13429986713Fixed inputsProduction inputs that cannot be changed in the short run. Usually this is the plant size or capital63
13429986714Variable inputsProduction inputs that the firm can adjust in the short run to meet changes in demand for their output. Often this is labor and/or raw materials64
13429986715Total Product of Labor (TPL)The total quantity, or total output of a good produced at each quantity of labor employed65
13429986716Marginal Product of Labor (MPL)The change in total product resulting from a change in the labor input. MPL = dTPL/dL, or the slope of total product66
13429986717Average Product of Labor (APL)Total product divided by labor employed. APL = TPL/L67
13429986718Total Fixed Costs (TFC)Costs that do not vary with changes in short-run output. They must be paid even when output is zero.68
13429986719Total variable costs (TVC)Costs that change with the level of output. If output is zero, so are TVCs.69
13429986720Average Fixed Cost (AFC)AFC = TFC/Q70
13429986721Average Variable Cost (AVC)AVC = TVC/Q71
13429986722Average Total Cost (ATC)ATC = TC/Q = AFC + AVC72
13429986723Economies of ScaleThe downward part of the LRAC curve where LRAC falls as plan size increases. This is the result of specialization, lower cost of inputs, or other efficiencies of larger scale.73
13429986724Constant Returns to ScaleOccurs when LRAC is constant over a variety of plant sizes74
13429986725Diseconomies of ScaleThe upward part of the LRAC curve where LRAC rises as plant size increases. This is usually the result of the increased difficulty of managing larger firms, which results in lost efficiency and rising per unit costs.75
13429986726Perfect competitionCharacterized by many small price-taking firms producing a standardized product in an industry in which there are no barriers to entry or exit76
13429986727Profit Maximizing RuleAll firms maximize profit by producing where MR = MC77
13429986728Break-even PointThe output where ATC is minimized and economic profit is zero78
13429986729Shutdown PointThe output where AVC is minimized. If the price falls below this point, the firm chooses to shut down or produce zero units in the short run79
13429986730Perfectly competitive long-run equilibriumOccurs when there is no more incentive for firms to enter or exit. P=MR=MC=ATC and profit = 080
13429986731Normal ProfitAnother way of saying that firms are earning zero economic profits or a fair rate of return on invested resources81
13429986732Constant cost industryEntry (or exit) of firms does not shift the cost curves of firms in the industry82
13429986733Increasing Cost IndustryEntry of new firms shifts the cost curves for all firms upward83
13429986734Decreasing Cost industryEntry of new firms shifts the cost curves for all firms downward84
13429986735MonopolyThe least competitive market structure, characterized by a single producer, with no close substitutes, barriers to entry, and price making power85
13429986736Market powerThe ability to set the price above the perfectly competitive level86
13429986737Natural MonopolyThe case where economies of scale are so extensive that it is less costly for one firm to supply the entire range of demand87
13429986738Monopoly long-run equilibriumPm > MR = MC, which is not allocatively efficient and dead weight loss exists. Pm > ATC, which is not productively efficient. Profit > 0 so consumer surplus is transferred to the monopolist as profit88
13429986739Price discriminationThe practice of selling essentially the same good to different groups of consumers at different prices89
13429986740Monopolistic competitionA market structure characterized by a few small firms producing a differentiated product with easy entry into the market90
13429986741Monopolistic competition long-run equilibriumPmc < MR = MC and Pmc > minimum ATC so outcome is not efficient, but profit = 0.91
13429986742Excess CapacityThe difference between the monopolistic competition output Qmc and the output at minimum ATC. Excess capacity is underused plant and equipment92
13429986743OligopolyA very diverse market structure characterized by a small number of interdependent large firms, producing a standardized or differentiated product in a market with a barrier to entry93
13429986744Four-firm concentration ratioA measure of industry market power. Sum the market share of the four largest firms and a ratio above 40% is a good indicator of oligopoly94
13429986745Non-collusive oligopolyModels where firms are competitive rivals seeking to gain at the expense of their rivals95
13429986746Collusive oligopolyModels where firms agree to mutually improve their situation96
13429986747CartelA group of firms that agree not to compete with each other on the basis of price, production, or other competitive dimensions. Cartel members operate as a monopolist to maximize their joint profits97
13429986748Marginal Revenue Product (MRP)Measures the value of what the next unit of a resource (e.g., labor) brings to the firm. MRPL = MR x MPL. In a perfectly competitive product market, MRPL = P x MPL. In a monopoly product market, MR < P so MRPm < MRPc.98
13429986749Marginal Resource Cost (MRC)Measures the cost the firm incurs from using an additional unit of input. In a perfectly competitive labor market, MRC = Wage. In a monopsony labor market, the MRC > Wage99
13429986750Profit Maximizing Resource EmploymentThe firm hires the profit maximizing amount of a resource at the point where MRP = MRC100
13429986751Demand for LaborLabor demand for the firm is MRPL curve. The labor demanded for the entire market DL = ∑MRPL of all firms101
13429986752Derived DemandDemand for a resource like labor is derived from the demand for the goods produced by the resource102
13429986753Determinants of Labor DemandProduct demand, productivity, prices of other resources, and complementary resources103
13429986754Least-Cost RuleThe combination of labor and capital that minimizes total costs for a given production rate. Hire L and K so that MPL / PL = MPK / PK or MPL/MPK = PL/PK104
13429986755MonopsonistA firm that has market power in the factor market (a wage-setter)105
13429986756Private goodsGoods that are both rival and excludable. Only one person can consume the good at a time and consumers who do not pay for the good are excluded from consumption106
13429986757Public goodsGoods that are both nonrival and nonexcludable. One person's consumption does not prevent another from also consuming that good and if it is provided to some, it is necessarily provided to all, even if they do not pay for that good107
13429986758Free-Rider ProblemIn the case of a public good, some members of the community know that they can consume the public good while others provide for it. This results in a lack of private funding and forces the government to provide it108
13429986759Spillover benefitsAdditional benefits to society not captured by the market demand curve from the production of a good, result in a price that is too high and a market quantity that is too low. Resources are underallocated to the production of this good109
13429986760Positive externalityExists when the production of a good creates utility for third parties not directly involved in the consumption of production of the good110
13429986761Spillover costsAdditional costs to society not captured by the market supply curve from the production of a good, result in a price that is too low and a market quantity that is too high. Resources are overallocated to the production of this good111
13429986762Negative externalityExists when the production of a good imposes disutility upon third parties not directly involved in the consumption or production of the good112
13429986763Marginal Productivity TheoryThe philosophy that a citizen should receive a share of economic resources proportional to the marginal revenue product of his or her productivity113
13429986764Marginal tax rateThe rate paid on the last dollar earned. This is found by taking the ratio of the change in taxes divided by the change in income114

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