Reference no: EM131018547

Homework 2-

1. George and Martha both make meatloaf and bake bread. It takes George three hours to bake six loaves of bread and two hours to make three meatloaves. It takes Martha three hours to bake eight loaves of bread and two hours to make three meatloaves. Currently George and Martha do not trade with one another. For this problem assume that George and Martha have linear production possibility frontiers and that they do not trade with anyone else.

a. Suppose George and Martha each have 60 hours this week that they can devote to bread baking and meatloaf cooking. Construct graphs depicting the production possibility frontiers for George and Martha. In your graphs make sure you label the x-axis and y-axis clearly. In your graphs, measure bread on the vertical axis and meatloaf on the horizontal axis.

b. What is George's opportunity cost of producing one loaf of bread?

c. What is George's opportunity cost of producing one meatloaf?

d. What is Martha's opportunity cost of producing one loaf of bread?

e. What is Martha's opportunity cost of producing one meatloaf?

f. Given the above information, who should produce meatloaf? Explain your answer.

g. Given the above information, who should produce bread? Explain your answer.

h. Provide the range of acceptable prices in terms of meatloaf that twenty loaves of bread will trade for given the above information.

i. Provide the range of acceptable prices in terms of bread that thirty meatloaves will trade for given the above information.

2. For each of the following scenarios sketch a diagram representing the scenario and then answer the given questions.

a. The market for cell phones is initially in equilibrium. Smart Phone introduces a new phone that provides radically improved services for consumers at the same time that the Federal government decides to implement an excise tax on cell phone producers. Describe the effect of these changes on the equilibrium price and quantity in this market. Assume that this new phone only affects consumers' tastes and preferences.

b. The market for bicycles is initially in equilibrium. The Surgeon General announces that a study has been done that indicates bicycling is a major contributor to good health for those who bicycle regularly. At the same time the price of gasoline increases due to political unrest in the major oil producing regions of the world. Describe the effect of these changes on the equilibrium price and quantity in this market.

c. The market for soft drinks is initially in equilibrium. The price of sugar, a major ingredient in soft drinks, increases while at the same time, the number of producers in the industry doubles. Describe the effect of these changes on the equilibrium price and quantity in this market.

d. The market for leather jackets is initially in equilibrium. Then, the price of labor used to manufacture the jackets increases. Describe the effect of this change on the equilibrium price and quantity in this market.

3. Suppose that there are only two consumers, Joan and Dave, in the market for widgets. Joan's demand curve for widgets is given by the equation P = 100 - (1/2)Q while Dave's demand curve for widgets is given by the equation P = 50 - (1/2)Q. The market supply curve in the market for widgets is given by the equation P = 10 + Q.

a. Draw a series of side by side graphs: in the first graph, depict Joan's demand curve for widgets; in the second graph, depict Dave's demand curve for widgets; and in the third graph, depict the market demand curve for widgets. Make sure you label all three graphs completely and carefully; make sure you label any "kink" points with their coordinates as well as labeling any axis intercepts.

b. Write a set of equations and their relevant ranges for the market demand curve.

c. Explain how you will determine which demand curve equation you will need to use in order to find the equilibrium price and quantity in this market.

d. Find the equilibrium price and quantity in this market given the above information.

e. Suppose a price floor of $30 per unit is implemented in this market. What effect will this price floor have on this market? If there is a shortage or surplus, please identify the size of this shortage or surplus.

f. Suppose a price floor of $80 per unit is implemented in this market. What effect will this price floor have on this market? If there is a shortage or surplus, please identify the size of this shortage or surplus.

4. Suppose that there are three identical firms in an industry and that each firm's supply curve is given by the equation P = 10 + Q. Furthermore, suppose that the market demand curve is given by P = 100 - Q.

a. What is the market supply curve given the above information? (Hint: you might find it helpful to draw a sketch to guide your work here.)

b. What is the equilibrium price and quantity in this market?

c. Calculate the value of total revenue in this market.

d. What is the value of consumer surplus in this market?

e. What is the value of producer surplus in this market?

f. What is the value of total surplus in this market?

5. Suppose you have had five assignments in your chem class this semester. You scores on the five assignments are as follows: 1) 40 out of 50 points; 2) 20 out of 25 points; 3) 20 out of 40 points; 4) 50 out of 50 points; and 5) 80 out of 100 points. You have been told that each assignment has the same weight in the calculation of your grade.

a. Convert each of the above scores to a 100 point scale and then calculate the number of points you have out of a possible 500 points.

b. Suppose that the sixth assignment is going to have forty points and you want your average on a 100 point scale to be equal to 80. What score must you make on the sixth assignment in order for your average to be at this level?

6. Joey is taking a class that has ten quizzes over the course of the semester. He has taken five quizzes and his average score on the five quizzes is 78 points on a 100 point scale.

a. Suppose that he takes two more quizzes and scores an 80 on the first of these quizzes and a 90 on the second. What is his average score now?

b. Suppose Joey wants his final quiz score average to be a 83. If he has already taken seven quizzes with the scores discussed earlier, what must his average on the last three quizzes be in order for him to have a final quiz score average of 83 in the class?

7. Consider the small closed economy of Islandia and its market for bananas. Currently, the domestic demand and supply curves for bananas are given by the following equations:

Domestic Demand: P = 1000 - (1/5)Q

Domestic Supply: P = 200 + (1/15)Q

Furthermore, you know that the world price of bananas is equal to $300 per unit of bananas. Hint: you will likely find it helpful to draw a sketch or several sketches as you proceed with this problem.

a. If Islandia remains a closed economy, what will be the equilibrium price and quantity in the market for bananas in this economy?

b. Suppose Islandia opens the banana market to trade. Will Islandia import or export bananas when it changes its status from a closed economy to an open economy? Explain your answer.

c. Calculate the value of consumer surplus in the banana market when Islandia is a closed economy and the value of consumer surplus in the banana market when Islandia is an open economy. Will domestic consumers be in favor of opening the market to trade? Explain your answer.

d. Calculate the value of producer surplus in the banana market when Islandia is a closed economy and the value of producer surplus in the banana market when Islandia is an open economy. Will domestic producers be in favor of opening the market to trade? Explain your answer.

e. Suppose that the market for bananas in Islandia is open to trade but that the government of Islandia wishes to reduce imports of bananas to 1000 units of bananas through the imposition of a tariff. How big will the tariff need to be in order for Islandia to reach their goal? Explain your answer.

f. How much tariff revenue will be raised with the imposition of the tariff described in part (e)?

g. What is the deadweight loss from the imposition of the tariff described in part (e)?