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Definitions for Micro-Economics Midterm Flashcards

These definitions are from chapters 1-4 of "Principals of Micro Economics 5th ed" by Robert Frank and Ben Bernanke.

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677036932EconomicsThe study of how people make choices under conditions of scarcity and of the results of those choices for society.0
677036933The Scarcity Principal (No-Free-Lunch Principal)Although we have boundless needs and wants, the resources available to us are limited. So having more of one good thing usually means having less of another1
677036934The Cost-Benefit PrincipalAn individual (or a firm or a society) should take an action if, and only if, the extra benefits from taking the action are at least as great as the extra costs.2
677036935Rational PersonSomeone with well-defined goals who tries to fulfill those goals as be he or she can.3
677036936Economic SurplusThe benefit of taking an action minus its cost.4
677036937Opportunity CostThe value of what must be forgone to undertake an activity.5
677036938Marginal CostThe increase in total cost that results from carrying out one additional unit of an activity.6
677036939Marginal BenefitThe increase in total benefit that results from carrying out one additional unit of an activity.7
677036940Average CostThe total cost of undertaking N units of an activity, divided by N.8
677036941Average BenefitThe total benefit of undertaking N units of an activity, divided by N.9
677036942Normative Economic PrincipalOne that SAYS how people SHOULD behave.10
677036943Positive Economic PrincipalOne that PREDICTS how people WILL behave.11
677036944The Incentive PrincipalA person (or a firm or a society) is more likely to take an action if its benefit rises, and less likely to take it if its cost rises. **The Incentive Principal is a POSITIVE economic principal.12
677036945MicroeconomicsThe study of INDIVIDUAL choice under scarcity and its implications for the behavior of prices and quantities in individual markets.13
677036946MacroeconomicsThe study of the performance of NATIONAL economies and the policies that governments use to try to improve that performance.14
677040634EquationA mathematical expression that describes the relationship between two or more variables.15
677040635VariableA quantity that is free to take a range of different values.16
677040636Dependent VariableA variable in an equation whose value is determined by the value taken by another variable in the equation.17
677040637Independent VariableA variable in an equation whose value determines the value taken by another variable in the equation.18
677040638Constant (or parameter)A quantity that is fixed in a value.19
677040639Vertical InterceptIn a straight line, the value taken by the dependent variable when the independent variable equals zero.20
677040640SlopeIn a straight line, the ratio of the vertical distance the straight line travels between any two points (rise) to the corresponding horizontal distance (run). **Simply, the change in Y over the change in X21
677040641Absolute AdvantageOne person has an absolute advantage over another if he or she takes fewer hours to perform a task than the other person.22
677040642Comparative AdvantageOne person has a comparative advantage over another if his or her opportunity cost of performing a task is lower than the other persons opportunity cost.23
677040643The Principal of Comparative AdvantageEveryone does best when each person (or each country) concentrates on the activities for which his or her opportunity cost is lowest.24
677040644Attainable PointAny combination of goods that can be produced using currently available resources.25
677040645Unattainable PointAny combination of goods that cannot be produced using currently available resources.26
677040646Inefficient PointAny combination of goods for which currently available resources enable an increase in the production of one good without a reduction in the production of another.27
677040647Efficient PointAny combination of goods for which currently available resources do not allow an increase in the production of one good without a reduction in the production of the other.28
677040648The Principal of Increasing Opportunity Cost (low-hanging-fruit principal)In expanding the production of any good, first employ those resources with the lowest opportunity cost, and only afterward turn to resources with higher opportunity costs.29
677041820OutsourcingA term increasingly used to connote having services performed by low-wage workers overseas.30
677041821MarketThe market for any good consists of all buyers and sellers of that good.31
677041822Demand CurveA schedule or graph showing the quantity of a good that buyers wish to buy at each price.32
677041823Substitution EffectThe change in the quantity demanded of a good that results because buyers switch to or from substitutes when the price of the good changes.33
677041824Income EffectThe change in the quantity demanded of a good that results because a change in the price of a good changes to buyer's purchasing power.34
677043945Buyer's Reservation PriceThe larges dollar amount the buyer would be willing to pay for a good.35
677043946Supply CurveA graph or schedule showing the quantity of a good that sellers wish to sell at each price.36
677043947Seller's Reservation PriceThe smallest dollar amount for which a seller would be willing to sell an additional unit, generally equal to marginal cost.37
677043948EquilibriumA balanced or unchanging situation in which all forces at work withing a system are canceled by others.38
677043949Equilibrium and Equilibrium QuantityThe price and quantity at the intersection of the supply and demand curves for the good.39
677043950Market EquilibriumOccurs in a market when all buyers and sellers are satisfied with their respective quantities at the market place.40
677043951Excess SupplyThe amount by which quantity supplied exceeds quantity demanded when the price of a good exceeds the equilibrium price.41
677043952Excess DemandThe amount by which quantity demanded exceeds quantity supplied when the price of a good lies below the equilibrium price.42
677043953Price CeilingA maximum allowable price, specified by law.43
677043954Change in the Quantity DemandedA movement along the demand curve that occurs in response to a change in price.44
677043955Change in DemandA shift of the entire demand curve.45
677043956Change in the Quantity SuppliedA movement along the supply curve that occurs in response to a change in price.46
677043957Change in SupplyA shift in the entire supply curve.47
677047736ComplementsTwo goods are complements in consumption if an increase in the price of one causes a leftward shift in the demand curve for the other. (or if a decrease causes a rightward shift) **EXAMPLE: If the price of LETTUCE goes up, you wont be making salads so the demand for SALAD DRESSING goes down.48
677047737SubstitutesTwo goods are substitutes in consumption if an increase in the price of one causes a rightward shift in the demand curve for the other. (or if a decrease causes a leftward shift) **EXAMPLE: If the price of COFFEE goes up, you wont be buying coffee so the demand for TEA (or soda or whatever) goes up.49
677047738Normal GoodA good whose demand curve shifts rightward when the incomes of buyers increase and leftward when the incomes of buyers decrease.50
677047739Inferior GoodA good whose demand curve shifts leftward when the incomes of buyers increase and rightward when the incomes of buyers decrease.51
677047740An Increase in Demand will lead to...An increase in both the equilibrium price and quantity.52
677047741A Decrease in Demand will lead to...A decrease in both the equilibrium price and quantity.53
677047742An Increase in Supply will lead to...A decrease in the equilibrium price and an increase in the equilibrium quantity.54
677047743A Decrease in Supply will lead to...An increase in the equilibrium price and a decrease in the equilibrium quantity.55
677050091Buyer's SurplusThe difference between the buyer's reservation price and the price he or she actually pays.56
677050092Seller's SurplusThe difference between the price received by the seller and his or her reservation price.57
677050093Total SurplusThe difference between the buyer's reservation price and the seller's reservation price.58
677050094Cash on the TableAn economic metaphor for unexploited gains from exchange.59
677050095Socially Optimal QuantityThe quantity of a good that results in the maximum possible economic surplus from producing and consuming the good.60
677050096Efficiency (or economic efficiency)A condition that occurs when all goods and services are produced and consumed at their respective socially optimal levels.61
677050097The Equilibrium Principal (no-cash-on-table principal)A market in equilibrium leaves no unexploited opportunities for individuals but may not exploit all gains achievable through collective action.62
677058896Concept of ElasticityA measure of the extent to which quantity demanded and quantity supplied respond to variations in price, income and other factors.63
677058897Price Elasticity or DemandThe percentage change in the quantity demanded of a good or service that results from a 1% change in its price.64
677058898Price Elasticity of Demand EquationPercentage Change in Quantity Demanded ___________________________________ Percentage Change in Price65
677058899ElasticThe demand for a good is elastic with respect to price if its price elasticity of demand is GREATER than 1.66
677058900InelasticThe demand for a good is inelastic with respect to price if its price elasticity of demand is LESS than 1.67
677058901Unit-ElasticThe demand for a good is unit-elastic with respect to price if its price elasticity of demand equals 1.68
677058902Price Elasticity Equation∆Quantity Demanded ÷ Original Quantity Demanded ____________________________________________ ∆Price ÷ Original Price of good69
677058903Price Elasticity Equation to find Elasticity at ANY POINTPrice 1 _______________ X __________ Quantity Demanded Slope70
677058904Perfectly Elastic DemandDemand is perfectly elastic with respect to price if price elasticity of demand is infinite.71
677058905Perfectly Inelastic DemandDemand is perfectly inelastic with respect to price if price elasticity of demand is zero.72
677058906Total Expenditure = Total RevenueThe dollar amount that consumers spend on a product (Total expenditure P X Q) is equal to the dollar amount that sellers receive.(Total Revenue)73
677058907Cross-Price Elasticity of DemandThe percentage by which the quantity demanded of the first good changes in response to a 1% change in the price of the second.74
677058908Income Elasticity of DemandThe percentage by which quantity demanded changes in response to a 1% change in income.75
677058909Price Elasticity of SupplyThe percentage change in quantity supplied tat occurs in response to a 1% change in price.76
677058910Perfectly Inelastic SupplySupply is perfectly inelastic with respect to price if elasticity is zero.77
677058911Perfectly Elastic SupplySupply is perfectly elastic with respect to price if elasticity is infinite.78

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