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Principles of Microeconomics, 12e (Case/Fair/Oster)
Chapter 2 The Economic Problem: Scarcity and Choice
2.1 Scarcity, Choice, and Opportunity Cost
1) The process by which resources are transformed into useful forms is
A) capitalization.
B) consumption.
C) production.
D) allocation.
Topic: Scarcity, Choice, and Opportunity Cost
Skill: Definition
Learning Outcome: Micro-1
2) Outputs in the production process are
A) pollution.
B) money.
C) goods and services of value to households.
D) resources.
Topic: Scarcity, Choice, and Opportunity Cost
Skill: Definition
Learning Outcome: Micro-1
3) Which of the following is not a resource as the term is used by economists?
A) land
B) labor
C) buildings
D) money
Topic: Scarcity, Choice, and Opportunity Cost
Skill: Conceptual
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Learning Outcome: Micro-1
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4) Which of the following would an economist classify as capital?
A) a $50 bill
B) a corporate bond
C) a post office employee
D) a guitar used by a musician
Topic: Scarcity, Choice, and Opportunity Cost
Skill: Conceptual
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Learning Outcome: Micro-1
5) Capital, as economists use the term,
A) is the money the firm spends to hire resources.
B) is money the firm raises from selling stock.
C) refers to the process by which resources are transformed into useful forms.
D) refers to things that have already been produced that are in turn used to produce other goods and
services.
Topic: Scarcity, Choice, and Opportunity Cost
Skill: Definition
Learning Outcome: Micro-1
6) The concept of opportunity cost is based on the principle of
A) need.
B) consumption.
C) scarcity.
D) profit.
Topic: Scarcity, Choice, and Opportunity Cost
Skill: Conceptual
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Learning Outcome: Micro–20
7) The concept of trade–offs would become irrelevant if
A) we were dealing with a very simple, one–person economy.
B) poverty were eliminated.
C) scarcity were eliminated.
D) capital were eliminated.
Topic: Scarcity, Choice, and Opportunity Cost
Skill: Conceptual
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Learning Outcome: Micro-4
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8) Suppose you are deciding whether to spend your tax rebate check on a new iPod or a new digital
camera. You are dealing with the concept of
A) equity.
B) comparative advantage.
C) opportunity costs.
D) the fallacy of composition.
Topic: Scarcity, Choice, and Opportunity Cost
Skill: Conceptual
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Learning Outcome: Micro–20
9) According to the theory of comparative advantage, specialization and free trade will benefit
A) only that trading party that has both an absolute advantage and a comparative advantage in the
production of all goods.
B) all trading parties, even when some are absolutely more efficient producers than others.
C) only that trading party that has an absolute advantage in the production of all goods.
D) only that trading party that has a comparative advantage in the production of all goods.
Topic: Scarcity, Choice, and Opportunity Cost
Skill: Conceptual
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Learning Outcome: Micro-3
Refer to the information provided in Table 2.1 below to answer the following question(s).
Table 2.1
Krystal
Mark
Writing Poems
8
12
Writing TV Commercials
2
4
10) Refer to Table 2.1. For Krystal, the opportunity cost of writing one TV commercial is
A) 1/4 of a poem.
B) 2 poems.
C) 4 poems.
D) 6 poems.
Topic: Scarcity, Choice, and Opportunity Cost
Skill: Analytical
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Learning Outcome: Micro–20
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11) Refer to Table 2.1. For Mark, the opportunity cost of writing one TV commercial is
A) 1/3 of a poem.
B) 2 poems.
C) 3 poems.
D) 8 poems.
Topic: Scarcity, Choice, and Opportunity Cost
Skill: Analytical
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Learning Outcome: Micro–20
12) Refer to Table 2.1. Which of the following statements is true?
A) Krystal has a comparative advantage in both writing TV commercials and writing poems.
B) Mark has a comparative advantage in both writing TV commercials and writing poems.
C) Krystal has a comparative advantage in writing TV commercials, and Mark has a comparative
advantage in writing poems.
D) Mark has a comparative advantage in writing TV commercials, and Krystal has a comparative
advantage in writing poems.
Topic: Scarcity, Choice, and Opportunity Cost
Skill: Analytical
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Learning Outcome: Micro–20
13) Refer to Table 2.1. To maximize total production,
A) Krystal should specialize in writing TV commercials, and Mark should specialize in writing poems.
B) Mark should specialize in writing TV commercials, and Krystal should specialize in writing poems.
C) Krystal and Mark should both split their time between writing poems and writing TV commercials.
D) Krystal should write poems and write TV commercials, but Mark should only write poems.
Topic: Scarcity, Choice, and Opportunity Cost
Skill: Analytical
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Learning Outcome: Micro–20
14) Refer to Table 2.1. For Mark, the opportunity cost of writing six TV commercials is ________ poems.
A) 2
B) 18
C) 24
D) an indeterminate number of
Topic: Scarcity, Choice, and Opportunity Cost
Skill: Analytical
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Learning Outcome: Micro–20
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15) Refer to Table 2.1. For Krystal, the opportunity cost of writing four TV commercials is ________
poems.
A) 2
B) 8
C) 16
D) 32
Topic: Scarcity, Choice, and Opportunity Cost
Skill: Analytical
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Learning Outcome: Micro–20
16) According to the theory of comparative advantage, ________ raise(s) productivity by lowering
opportunity costs.
A) trade and specialization
B) investment in capital goods
C) economic growth
D) exchange and consumption
Topic: Scarcity, Choice, and Opportunity Cost
Skill: Conceptual
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Learning Outcome: Micro-3
17) When two people trade,
A) both of them expect to be made worse off by the exchange.
B) they are trying to help out each other.
C) they know one of them will get the better of the other.
D) they both expect to be made better off by the exchange.
Topic: Scarcity, Choice, and Opportunity Cost
Skill: Conceptual
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Learning Outcome: Micro–20
18) Someone has a comparative advantage in producing a good if she can produce that good
A) in greater quantities.
B) at a lower opportunity cost.
C) using more capital and less labor.
D) using more labor and less capital.
Topic: Scarcity, Choice, and Opportunity Cost
Skill: Conceptual
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Learning Outcome: Micro–20
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19) If someone has a comparative advantage in growing pineapples,
A) she can grow pineapples at a lower opportunity cost than other pineapple growers.
B) she also has an absolute advantage in growing pineapples.
C) she can grow more pineapples using the same resources than other pineapple growers.
D) pineapples are the only product she can grow.
Topic: Scarcity, Choice, and Opportunity Cost
Skill: Conceptual
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Learning Outcome: Micro–20
20) Which of the following does not constitute an act of “investment” as economists use the term?
A) The city council authorizes the construction of a new fire station.
B) A retiree buys 50 shares of stock at $10 a share and then sells the stock at a profit for $20 a share.
C) An accountant attends a seminar on changes in the federal tax code.
D) A department store increases its inventory of football jerseys before the Super Bowl.
Topic: Scarcity, Choice, and Opportunity Cost
Skill: Conceptual
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Learning Outcome: Micro-1
21) In economics, investment always refers to
A) the act of buying stocks or bonds.
B) the creation of capital.
C) increasing the quantity of labor.
D) an increase in per capita output.
Topic: Scarcity, Choice, and Opportunity Cost
Skill: Definition
Learning Outcome: Micro–18
22) The process of using resources to produce new capital is
A) research and development.
B) investment.
C) consumption.
D) economic growth.
Topic: Scarcity, Choice, and Opportunity Cost
Skill: Definition
Learning Outcome: Micro–18
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23) An example of forgoing present benefits in order to receive future benefits is
A) production.
B) saving.
C) consumption.
D) growth.
Topic: Scarcity, Choice, and Opportunity Cost
Skill: Definition
Learning Outcome: Micro–18
24) Because resources are scarce, the opportunity cost of investment in capital is
A) zero.
B) forgone future consumption.
C) forgone present consumption.
D) infinite.
Topic: Scarcity, Choice, and Opportunity Cost
Skill: Conceptual
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Learning Outcome: Micro–20
25) An example of an investment is
A) the purchase of a share of Google stock.
B) the purchase of an ExxonMobil bond.
C) the purchase of a Hewlett Packard laser printer for use by a business.
D) all of the above.
Topic: Scarcity, Choice, and Opportunity Cost
Skill: Conceptual
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Learning Outcome: Micro–18
26) The opportunity cost of investment in capital is forgone present consumption because
A) capital takes a long time to produce.
B) capital increases the productivity of labor.
C) resources are scarce.
D) capital is an intangible good.
Topic: Scarcity, Choice, and Opportunity Cost
Skill: Conceptual
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Learning Outcome: Micro–20
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27) If the unemployment rate increases from 10% to 14%, the economy will
A) move closer to a point on the ppf.
B) move away from the ppf toward the origin.
C) remain on the ppf.
D) remain on the origin.
Topic: Scarcity, Choice, and Opportunity Cost
Skill: Conceptual
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Learning Outcome: Macro–14
28) Periods of less than full employment correspond to
A) points outside the ppf.
B) points underneath the ppf.
C) points on the ppf.
D) either points inside or outside the ppf.
Topic: Scarcity, Choice, and Opportunity Cost
Skill: Conceptual
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Learning Outcome: Micro–20
Refer to the information provided in Figure 2.1 below for the economy of Macroland to answer the
question(s) that follow.
Figure 2.1
29) Refer to Figure 2.1. Macroland is currently operating at Point A. The best explanation for this is that
A) the economy has very poor technology.
B) the economy’s resources are being used inefficiently.
C) the economy has very few resources.
D) the economy operates as an efficient market.
Topic: Scarcity, Choice, and Opportunity Cost
Skill: Conceptual
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Learning Outcome: Micro–19
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30) Refer to Figure 2.1. Macroland’s production possibility frontier is bowed out from the origin due to
A) decreasing opportunity costs.
B) trade.
C) unemployment.
D) specialized resources.
Topic: Scarcity, Choice, and Opportunity Cost
Skill: Conceptual
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Learning Outcome: Micro–20
31) Refer to Figure 2.1. The shape of Macroland’s production possibility frontier shows
A) increasing opportunity costs.
B) constant opportunity costs.
C) decreasing opportunity costs.
D) random opportunity costs.
Topic: Scarcity, Choice, and Opportunity Cost
Skill: Conceptual
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Learning Outcome: Micro–20
32) Refer to Figure 2.1. If Macroland’s economy is at Point A, it could produce more consumer goods
A) without sacrificing any capital goods.
B) only by sacrificing some capital goods.
C) only with technological improvements.
D) only with additional resources.
Topic: Scarcity, Choice, and Opportunity Cost
Skill: Conceptual
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Learning Outcome: Micro–20
33) Refer to Figure 2.1. If Macroland’s economy is at Point A, it could produce more capital goods
A) without sacrificing any consumer goods.
B) only by sacrificing some consumer goods.
C) only with technological improvements.
D) only with additional resources.
Topic: Scarcity, Choice, and Opportunity Cost
Skill: Conceptual
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Learning Outcome: Micro–20
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34) The production possibility frontier is used to illustrate the concept of
A) the laissez–faire economy.
B) opportunity costs.
C) equilibrium.
D) aggregate demand.
Topic: Scarcity, Choice, and Opportunity Cost
Skill: Conceptual
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Learning Outcome: Micro–20
Refer to the information provided in Figure 2.2 below for the economy of Microland to answer the
question(s) that follow.
Figure 2.2
35) Refer to Figure 2.2. Point B represents a situation of
A) full employment but production inefficiency.
B) less than full employment but production efficiency.
C) both full resource employment and production efficiency.
D) less than full employment and production inefficiency.
Topic: Scarcity, Choice, and Opportunity Cost
Skill: Conceptual
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Learning Outcome: Micro–19
36) Refer to Figure 2.2. Microland is currently operating at Point B. You correctly deduce that
A) in Microland, all resources are fully employed and there are no production inefficiencies.
B) Microland has achieved a position of inefficiency.
C) Microland has recently experienced some type of technological breakthrough.
D) Microland has overcome the problem of scarcity.
Topic: Scarcity, Choice, and Opportunity Cost
Skill: Analytical
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Learning Outcome: Micro–19