Name:________________________
Class Time: ______________
Midterm # 1
“Principles of Microeconomics”
NSCC - Summer 2007
Professor: Moonsu Han
Total 25 points. (Due Date: Monday June 11, 2007)
Question 1 Bring definitions for following terms and bring one example based on our
life. (Total 4 pts., 1 pt. each)
1. Opportunity Cost:
2. Positive Statements vs. Normative Statements:
3. Equilibrium:
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4. Price Ceiling vs. Price Floor
Question 2 American and Italian workers can each produce 5 cars a year. An American
worker can produce 100 bottles of wine a year, whereas an Italian worker can produce
200 bottles of wine a year. Assume that each country has 100 workers. (Total 5pts, 1 pt.
each)
1. Graph the production possibilities frontier of the American and Italian economies.
2. For the US, what is the opportunity cost of a car? Of wine? For Italia, what is the
Opportunity cost of a car? Of wine? Put this information in a table analogous to
same table as we did in our class.
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3. Which country has an absolute advantage in producing cars? In producing wine?
Which country has a comparative advantage in producing cars? In producing
wine?
4. Without trade, half of each country’s workers produce cars and half produce
wine. What quantities of cars and wine does each country produce?
5. Starting from a position without trade, give an example on which trade makes
each country better off.
Question 3 Using supply-and-demand diagrams, show the effect of the following events
on the market for bagels. Need to show changes of price and quantity. (Total 6 pts, 1.5
pts. each)
1. A hurricane in the US damages the wheat crop.
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2. The price of cream cheese falls. (Assume that we can’t eat bagel without cream
cheese.)
3. New and more productive bagel making machines are invented.
4. Americans do not like to eat bagels any more. (Americans taste for bagel is
changed negatively)
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Question 4 Suppose that the price of basketball tickets at North Shore College is
determined by market forces. Currently, the demand and supply schedules are as follows:
(Total 4 pts.)
Price
$4
$8
$12
$16
$20
Quantity Demanded
10,000
8,000
6,000
4,000
2,000
Quantity Supplied
6,000
6,000
6,000
6,000
6,000
1. Draw the demand and supply curves. What is unusual about this supply curve?
Why might be true? (2 pts.)
2. What are the equilibrium price (P*) and quantity (Q*) of tickets? (2 pts.)
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Question 5 Use the information in the following table on the market for apartments in
Boston to answer the following questions. (Total 6 pts. 1 pt. each)
Rent
$500
$700
$900
$1,100
$1,300
$1,500
Quantity Demanded
375,000
350,000
325,000
300,000
275,000
250,000
Quantity Supplied
225,000
250,000
275,000
300,000
325,000
350,000
1. In the absence of rent control, what is the equilibrium rent and what is the
equilibrium quantity of apartments rented?
2. Suppose that government sets a price ceiling on rents of $900 per month.
What is the new market rent per month and how many apartments are rented?
3. Assume that all landlords abide by the law. Use a supply and demand diagram
to illustrate the impact of this price ceiling on the market for apartments. Be
sure to indicate on your diagram each of the following: (i) the area
representing consumer surplus after the price ceiling has been imposed, (ii) the
area representing producer surplus after the piece ceiling has been imposed,
and (iii) the area representing the deadweight loss after the ceiling has been
imposed.
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4. Assume that the quantity of apartments supplied is the same as you
determined in Question 5 – part 2 ($900 price ceiling case). But now assume
that landlords ignore the law and rent this quantity of apartments for the
highest rent they can get. Briefly explain what this rent will be.
5. Suppose that government repealed the previous price ceiling and sets NEW
price floor on rents of $1,300 per month. What is the new market rent per
month and how many apartments are rented?
6. Suppose that government repealed previous piece ceiling and price floor and
sets NEW price ceiling on rents of $1,500 per month. What is the new market
rent per month and how many apartments are rented?
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