Introduction to Economic Principles

Created by Jenet Leyva

Microeconomics
concerned with decision-making by individual economic agents such as firms and consumers

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TermDefinition
Microeconomics concerned with decision-making by individual economic agents such as firms and consumers
Macroeconomics concerned with the aggregate performance of the entire economic system
Empirical Economics relies upon facts to present a description of economic activity
Economic Theory relies upon principles to analyze behavior of economic agents
Inductive Logic creates principles for observation
Deductive Logichypothesis is formulated and tested
Positive Economics is concerned with what is
Normative Economics is concerned with what should be
Rivalry if one agent consuming the good/resource limits another agent's ability to use that good/resource
Capitalthe physical assets used in production (ex. plant and equipment)
Cost-Benefit Principlecosts and benefits that incentives and shape decisions
Willingness to Paythe idea of converting nonfinancial costs or benefits into their monetary equivalent
Economic Surplusthe total benefits minus the total cost flowing from a decision
Framing Effectwhen a decision is affected by how a choice is described or framed
Opportunity Cost Principlethe next best alternative that must be forgone as a result of a particular decision
Sunk Costsa cost that has been incurred and can't be reversed
Marginal Principledecisions about quantities are best made incrementally
Marginal Benefit the extra benefit from one extra unit (of goods purchased, hours studied, etc.)
Marginal Costthe extra cost from one extra unit
Rational Rule if something is worth doing, keep doing it until your marginal benefits equal your marginal costs
Interdependence Principle Your best choice depends on the following factors: - your other choices - the choices others make - developments in other markets and expectations about the future