Principles of Economics, fall 2013

course web page

Syllabus

Test 1          Test 2          Test 3

Homework assignments…

Reflection 1, due Friday, 9/6: What do you hope to get out of the course? What questions in economics do you find interesting?

Problem set 1, due Monday, 9/16: Supply and demand. click here for the pdf

Reflection 2, due Monday, 9/23: Present an article of your choosing.

Problem set 2, due Monday, 9/30: Equilibrium, elasticities, and price controls. click here for the pdf

Reflection 3, due Wednesday, 10/9: Explain the arguments of both Democrats and Republicans in the disagreement leading to the government shutdown.

Problem set 3, due Monday, 10/21: Monopoly. click here for the pdf

Reflection 4, due Wednesday, 10/23: Why do monopolies exist? What are the welfare implications of monopolies? How to oligopolies compare to monopolies and to perfect competition?

Reflection 5, due Monday, 10/28: Define ‘negative externality’, ‘positive externality’, and ‘public good’. For each, give an example not found in the text, and comment the pros and cons of government intervention.

Problem set 4, due Monday, 11/4: Public goods and optimal government size. click here for the pdf

Problem set 5, due Monday, 11/11: Externalities. click here for the pdf

Reflection 6, due Monday, 11/18: Propose a paper topic.

Reflection 7, due Monday, 12/9: Macroeconomic policy. click here for the pdf

Problem set 6, due Monday, 12/16: Wrapping up. click here for the pdf