Norman
1. [10 total points] Assume that the U.S. economy is currently in long-run equilibrium.
(a) [2 pts] Draw a correctly labeled graph of aggregate demand and aggregate supply
and show each of the following.
(i) The long-run aggregate supply curve
(ii) The current equilibrium output & PL, labeled as YE and PLE, respectively.
PL
PL2
PLE
LRAS SRAS
AD1
E2
E1
AD2
Answer 1(a)(i): 1 pt for correctly labeled graph
with downward-sloping AD, upward-sloping
SRAS, PLE and YE.
(ii) 1 pt for showing a vertical LRAS at YE.
YE YI Real GDP
(b) [2 pts] Assume that the government increases spending on national defense without
raising taxes.
(i) On your graph in part (a), show how the government action affects AD.
(ii) How will this government action affect the unemployment rate in the short run?
Explain.
Answer: 1. (b) (i) As can be seen on the graph, the increase in G would increase
AD to AD2, increasing PL and Y.
1. (b) (II) The increase in AD to AD2 would decrease unemployment in
the short run, as the increase in AD would lead to an increase in output & profits,
resulting in more workers being hired and therefore the decrease in unemployment.
1. (c) [2 pts] Assume that the economy adjusts to a new long-run equilibrium after the
increase in government spending.
(i) How will the short-run aggregate supply curve in the new long-run equilibrium
compare with that in the initial long-run equilibrium in part (a) ? Explain.
(ii) On your graph in part (a), label the new long-run equilibrium price level as PL2.
LRAS
PL
PL2
PLE
SRAS2 SRAS1
E2
E1
AD
YE YI Real GDP
Answer 1.(c)(i): 1 pt for stating that the SRAS will shift to the left because the
Increase in AD would result in more inflation so workers will demand higher
wages AND showing PL2 correctly in part (a)’s graph.
1.(c)(ii) 1 pt for explaining that the actual PL is higher than the expected PL, or
wages and commodity prices adjust to higher PL[flexible wages], causing the
SRAS curve to shift to the left.
Real Interest Rate, (%)
1. (d) [2 pts] In order to finance the increase in government spending on national defense
from part (b), the government borrows funds from the public. Using a correctly
labeled graph of the loanable funds market, show the effect of the government’s
borrowing on the real interest rate.
(e) [2 pts] Given the change in the real interest rate in part (d), what is the impact
on each of the following?
Answer to 1. (d) 1 pt for correctly labeled graph
(i) Investment
of the LFM.
(ii) Economic growth rate. Explain.
1 pt for showing a rightward shift of the demand
D2 LFM
D1
r2
r1
S
curve resulting in a higher interest rate OR a
leftward shift of the supply curve resulting in a
higher RIR.
E2
E1
F1 F2
Quantity of Loanable Funds
Answer to 1. (e) (i) [1 pt] The higher RIR will result in less investment in tools and machinery.
1. (e) (ii) [1 pt] The decrease in tools and machinery will decrease overall
productivity and economic growth [capital stock].
Nominal Interest Rate
2. [6 total points] A drop in credit card fees causes people to use
credit cards more often for transactions and demand less money.
(a) [2 pts] Using a correctly labeled graph of the money market, show how the nominal
interest rate will be affected.
(b) [1 pt] Given the interest rate change in part (a), what will happen to bond prices in
the short run?
Dm
1
MS
Answer to 2. (a) The decrease in Dt for money
would decrease the Dm curve resulting in a
lower NIR and RIR.
2. (b) Bond prices are inverse to the interest
rate so bond prices would increase
n1
Answer to 2. (c) The lower IR will increase
AD due to more investment and interest
n2
sensitive consumption [the lower IR would
Dm2 also depreciate the dollar and increase Xn].
All 3 cause an increase in AD & PL in the SR.
Quantity of Money 2. (d) Selling bonds would be the OMO as
[Money Market]
it would decr MS, incr NIR and decr AD & PL.
(c) [2 pt] Given the interest rate change in part (a), what will happen to the price level
in the short run? Explain.
(d) [1 pt] Identify an open-market operation the Fed could use to keep the nominal interest
rate constant at the level that existed before the drop in credit card fees. Explain.
3. [6 total points] A U.S. firm sells $10 million worth of goods to a firm in
Argentina, where the currency is the peso.
(a) [1 pt] How will the transaction above affect Argentina’s aggregate
demand? Explain.
(b) [1 pt] Assume that the U.S. current account balance with Argentina is
initially zero. How will the transaction above affect the United States current
account balance? Explain.
Answer to 3. (a) The selling of $10 M of U.S. goods to Argentina would
decrease Argentina’s net exports which would decrease their AD.
AD = C+I+G+X-M, when M gets larger, GDP gets smaller.
3. (b) The $10 million increase in net exports would cause a flow of $10
million worth of pesos into the U.S. [recorded as a +$10 million]
and would cause a current account balance of ZERO to become a
+$10 million surplus account balance.
Price
D1$
Peso Price of Dollar
P looking for $’s
P100
P50
S2$
S1$
Answer to 3. (c) (i): If the U.S.
decrease financial investment
$’s looking for P
in Argentina, the U.S. would
decrease their supply of
E2
D
dollars to Argentina, resulting
in a decrease in demand for
the peso.
(c) (ii) As shown on the graph,
Peso
depreciates
E1
the dollar would appreciate.
Quantity of Dollars
A
(d) The cheaper prices in the
U.S. will result in more
demand for U.S. goods and
therefore the dollar,
appreciating the dollar and
depreciating the peso.
3. (c) [2pt] Using a correctly labeled graph of the foreign exchange market for the U.S.
dollar, show how a decrease in the U.S. financial investment in Argentina affects each.
(i) The supply of United States dollars
(ii) The value of the United States dollar relative to the peso
(d) [2 pt] Suppose that the inflation rate is 3% in the U.S. and 5% in Argentina.
What will happen to the value of the peso relative to the United States dollar as
a result of the difference in inflation rates?
Explain.
FRQs for Dummies
2010 FRQ
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