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Unit 1: Basic Economic Concepts

This unit explores basic economic concepts, focusing on scarcity as the fundamental principle guiding economic choices. Learn about micro and macroeconomics, trade-offs, opportunity costs, and marginal analysis through practical examples. Discover how societies navigate the balance between unlimited wants and limited resources to achieve maximum satisfaction.

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Unit 1: Basic Economic Concepts

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  1. I WON THE LOTTERY! Unit 1: Basic Economic Concepts I’ll give you anything you want other than money. What do you want? Would your list ever end? Guess what? *** Why not? Scarcity!!!

  2. What is Economics? • Economics is the science of scarcity. • Scarcity means that we have unlimited wants but limited resources. • Since we are unable to have everything we desire, we must make choices on how we will use our resources. Economics is the study of _________. Wants vs Needs choices

  3. Examples: • You must choose between buying jeans or buying shoes. • Businesses must choose how many people to hire • Governments must choose how much to spend on welfare. Textbook Definition Economics- Social science concerned with the efficient use of scarce resources to achieve maximum satisfaction of economic wants. (Study of how individuals and societies deal with ________) scarcity

  4. Scarcity Island Activity • You will now be divided into groups to complete an activity applying scarity (limited resources vs. unlimited wants and needs)

  5. Micro vs. Macro • MICROeconomics- • Study of small economic units such as individuals, firms, and industries (ex: supply and demand in specific markets, production costs, labor markets, etc.) • MACROeconomics- • Study of the large economy as a whole or economic aggregates (ex: economic growth, government spending, inflation, unemployment, international trade etc.)

  6. 5 Key Economic Assumptions • Society’s wants are unlimited, but ALL resources are limited (scarcity). • Due to scarcity, choices must be made. Every choice has a cost (a trade-off). • Everyone’s goal is to make choices that maximize their satisfaction (utility). Everyone acts in their own “self-interest.” • Everyone makes decisions by comparing the marginal costs and marginal benefits of every choice. • Real-life situations can be explained and analyzed through simplified models and graphs.

  7. Given the following assumptions, make a rational choice in your own self-interest (hold everything else constant)… 1. You want to visit your friend for a week 2. You work every weekday earning $100 per day 3. You have three flights to choose from: Thursday Night Flight = $275 Friday Early Morning Flight = $300 Friday Night Flight = $325 Which flight should you choose? Why?

  8. Trade-offs and Opportunity Cost Trade-offs are all the alternatives that we give up whenever we choose one course of action over others. (Examples: going to the movies; scarcity island) ALL decisions involve trade-offs. The most desirable alternative given up as a result of a decision is known as opportunity cost. What are trade-offs of deciding to go to college? What is the opportunity cost of going to college? GEICO assumes you understand opportunity cost. Why?

  9. Thinking at the Margin Would you see the movie three times? Notice that the total benefit is more than the total cost but you would NOT watch the movie the 3rd time.

  10. Marginal Analysis In economics the term marginal = additional “Thinking on the margin”, or MARGINAL ANALYSIS involves making decisions based on the additional benefit vs. the additional cost. For Example: You have been shopping at the mall for a half hour, the additional benefit of shopping for an additional half-hour might outweigh the additional cost (the opportunity cost). After three hours, the additional benefit from staying an additional half-hour would likely be less than the additional cost.

  11. Marginal Analysis Notice that the decision making process wasn’t “should I go to the mall for 3 hours or should I stay home” In reality the decision making process started with “should I go to the mall at all.” Once you are there you thought “should I stay for an additional half hour or should I go.” The MARGINAL ANALYSIS approach to decision making is more commonly used than the “all or nothing” approach.

  12. Marginal Analysis Notice that the decision making process wasn’t “should I go to the mall for 3 hours or should I stay home” You will continue to do something as long as the marginal benefit outweighs the marginal cost. In reality the decision making process started with “should I go to the mall at all.” Once you are there you thought “should I stay for an additional half hour or should I go.” The MARGINAL ANALYSIS approach to decision making is more comely used than the “all or nothing” approach.

  13. Scarcity

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