SS141 Macro-Economics Professor Patrick Yanez
Study Questions – Chapter 1
These questions are to facilitate your discussion groups and/or tutoring sessions. Answers are listed at the end of this
file. Since our class time is limited to introducing new topics, we do not have time to review these questions in class;
please use your discussion group and/or tutoring session to review these questions.
1. For economists, the word "utility" means:
A) versatility and flexibility.
B) rationality.
C) pleasure and satisfaction.
D) purposefulness.
2. In economics, the pleasure, happiness, or satisfaction received from a product is called:
A) marginal cost.
B) rational outcome.
C) status fulfillment.
D) utility.
3. According to economists, economic self-interest:
A) is a reality that underlies economic behavior.
B) has the same meaning as selfishness.
C) is more characteristic of men than of women.
D) is usually self-defeating.
4. When entering a building, Sam diverts his path to go through an open door rather than
make the physical effort to open the closed door that is directly in his path. This is an
example of:
A) irrational behavior.
B) a lazy person.
C) marginal benefit-marginal cost analysis.
D) programmed learning.
5. Economics may best be defined as the:
A) interaction between macro and micro considerations.
B) social science concerned with the efficient use of scarce resources to achieve
maximum satisfaction of economic wants.
C) empirical testing of value judgments through the use of logic.
D) use of policy to refute facts and hypotheses.
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, 6. The study of economics is primarily concerned with:
A) keeping private businesses from losing money.
B) demonstrating that capitalistic economies are superior to socialistic economies.
C) choices that are made in seeking to use scarce resources efficiently.
D) determining the most equitable distribution of society's output.
7. The economic perspective refers to:
A) macroeconomic phenomena, but not microeconomic phenomena.
B) microeconomic phenomena, but not macroeconomic phenomena.
C) the making of rational decisions in a context of marginal costs and marginal benefits.
D) unlimited resources in a context of limited economic wants.
8. The economic perspective entails:
A) irrational behavior by individuals and institutions.
B) a comparison of marginal benefits and marginal costs in decision making.
C) short-term but not long-term thinking.
D) rejection of the scientific method.
9. Rational behavior suggests that:
A) everyone will make identical choices.
B) resource availability exceeds economic wants.
C) individuals will make different choices because their preferences and circumstances
differ.
D) an individual's economic goals cannot involve tradeoffs.
10. Economics involves marginal analysis because:
A) most decisions involve changes from the present situation.
B) marginal benefits always exceed marginal costs.
C) marginal costs always exceed marginal benefits.
D) much economic behavior is irrational.
11. You should decide to go to a movie:
A) if the marginal cost of the movie exceeds its marginal benefit.
B) if the marginal benefit of the movie exceeds its marginal cost.
C) if your income will allow you to buy a ticket.
D) because movies are enjoyable.
12. The assertion that "There is no free lunch" means that:
A) there are always tradeoffs between economic goals.
B) all production involves the use of scarce resources and thus the sacrifice of
alternative goods.
C) marginal analysis is not used in economic reasoning.
D) choices need not be made if behavior is rational.
Page 2
Study Questions – Chapter 1
These questions are to facilitate your discussion groups and/or tutoring sessions. Answers are listed at the end of this
file. Since our class time is limited to introducing new topics, we do not have time to review these questions in class;
please use your discussion group and/or tutoring session to review these questions.
1. For economists, the word "utility" means:
A) versatility and flexibility.
B) rationality.
C) pleasure and satisfaction.
D) purposefulness.
2. In economics, the pleasure, happiness, or satisfaction received from a product is called:
A) marginal cost.
B) rational outcome.
C) status fulfillment.
D) utility.
3. According to economists, economic self-interest:
A) is a reality that underlies economic behavior.
B) has the same meaning as selfishness.
C) is more characteristic of men than of women.
D) is usually self-defeating.
4. When entering a building, Sam diverts his path to go through an open door rather than
make the physical effort to open the closed door that is directly in his path. This is an
example of:
A) irrational behavior.
B) a lazy person.
C) marginal benefit-marginal cost analysis.
D) programmed learning.
5. Economics may best be defined as the:
A) interaction between macro and micro considerations.
B) social science concerned with the efficient use of scarce resources to achieve
maximum satisfaction of economic wants.
C) empirical testing of value judgments through the use of logic.
D) use of policy to refute facts and hypotheses.
Page 1
, 6. The study of economics is primarily concerned with:
A) keeping private businesses from losing money.
B) demonstrating that capitalistic economies are superior to socialistic economies.
C) choices that are made in seeking to use scarce resources efficiently.
D) determining the most equitable distribution of society's output.
7. The economic perspective refers to:
A) macroeconomic phenomena, but not microeconomic phenomena.
B) microeconomic phenomena, but not macroeconomic phenomena.
C) the making of rational decisions in a context of marginal costs and marginal benefits.
D) unlimited resources in a context of limited economic wants.
8. The economic perspective entails:
A) irrational behavior by individuals and institutions.
B) a comparison of marginal benefits and marginal costs in decision making.
C) short-term but not long-term thinking.
D) rejection of the scientific method.
9. Rational behavior suggests that:
A) everyone will make identical choices.
B) resource availability exceeds economic wants.
C) individuals will make different choices because their preferences and circumstances
differ.
D) an individual's economic goals cannot involve tradeoffs.
10. Economics involves marginal analysis because:
A) most decisions involve changes from the present situation.
B) marginal benefits always exceed marginal costs.
C) marginal costs always exceed marginal benefits.
D) much economic behavior is irrational.
11. You should decide to go to a movie:
A) if the marginal cost of the movie exceeds its marginal benefit.
B) if the marginal benefit of the movie exceeds its marginal cost.
C) if your income will allow you to buy a ticket.
D) because movies are enjoyable.
12. The assertion that "There is no free lunch" means that:
A) there are always tradeoffs between economic goals.
B) all production involves the use of scarce resources and thus the sacrifice of
alternative goods.
C) marginal analysis is not used in economic reasoning.
D) choices need not be made if behavior is rational.
Page 2
