Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Macroeconomics Principles and Policy 12th Edition Baumol Test Bank
Macroeconomics Principles and Policy 12th Edition Baumol Test Bank
TRUE/FALSE
1. Both President Bush and President Obama wanted tax cuts to stimulate consumer spending during the
2007-2009 recession.
2. The tax cuts of 2008 and 2009 reduced the disposable income of U.S. consumers.
3. Aggregate demand is the sum of total domestic spending by the private sector.
4. Aggregate demand is the total demand for the final goods and services produced in an economy.
6. Government spending is a leakage out of the circular flow of income and spending.
7. Taxes add to and transfers subtract from the flow of income and spending.
310
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
8. The consumption function shows an indirect relationship between consumer spending and disposable
income.
10. Scatter diagrams are a useful way to depict the relationship between two variables.
11. A scatter diagram could help a policy maker decide on the size of a tax cut necessary to increase
consumer expenditures by a certain amount.
12. The marginal propensity to consume is calculated by dividing the change in consumer spending by the
change in disposable income.
13. The relationship between consumption and disposable income is very unreliable and unpredictable.
14. The typical value for the MPC is less than 1.0.
15. If consumers receive an increase in income of $1,000, their spending will increase by a smaller amount.
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
TOP: The Consumption Function and The Marginal Propensity to Consume
16. The MPC can be used to predict the effect of a tax increase.
17. The slope of the consumption function is equal to the marginal propensity to save.
19. A change in the value of consumer's stock market holdings will cause a shift in the consumption
function.
20. If U.S. consumers become more optimistic about their future income and wealth, the consumption
function will shift upward.
22. If households decrease the amount of bank account withdrawals, the consumption function may shift
upward.
23. When the price level falls, consumers may feel wealthier and the consumption function will shift
upward.
312
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Factors that Shift the Consumption Function
24. Changes in the price level affect household wealth more than household income.
27. The tax cuts of 2008 and 2009 were effective because consumers believed that they were temporary.
28. Consumers increased consumption by a relatively small amount in 2008 and 2009 because they believed
the tax cuts were temporary.
31. National income minus personal taxes net of transfer payments equals disposable income.
313
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
ANS: T PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Appendix: National Income Accounting
32. Government transfer payments are income earned by individuals who work for the federal government.
34. Financial investments, such as mutual fund purchases, are included in the national income component.
35. Capital goods are counted the same as consumer goods in the national product accounts.
36. The value of both exports and imports are added to the value of national product.
37. U.S. imports rise when income in the United States increases.
38. If inflation rises more quickly in the United States than in France, U.S. exports to France should rise.
314
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
ANS: F PTS: 1 DIF: Easy NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Appendix: National Income Accounting
40. An economic boom in one country usually causes a recession in other countries.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
2. Governments can affect the level of aggregate demand in a direct way by changing
a. government spending.
b. exports.
c. taxes.
d. transfer payments.
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Easy NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Issue: Demand management and the Ornery Consumer
3. The total amount spent on final goods and services in the U.S. in 2009 was approximately ten trillion
dollars. This total spending is referred to as
a. investment demand.
b. aggregate demand.
c. market demand.
d. consumption demand.
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Easy NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Issue: Demand management and the Ornery Consumer
4. Consumer spending represents about what fraction of total spending in the economy?
a. one-fifth
b. two-thirds
c. one-third
d. two-fifths
e. three-fourths
315
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Issue: Demand management and the Ornery Consumer
5. In which of the following years was a tax cut ineffective in stimulating aggregate demand?
a. 1964
b. 1975
c. 1981
d. 1999
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Easy NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Issue: Demand management and the Ornery Consumer
7. If a U.S. citizen buys a car produced in Germany, this transaction will add to
a. U.S. aggregate demand.
b. U.S. aggregate supply.
c. German aggregate demand.
d. German imports.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Aggregate Demand, Domestic Product, and National Income
8. Melissa purchases shares in a government bond mutual fund. Is this included in the aggregate demand
component "Investment"?
a. Yes, if it is a domestic mutual fund.
b. Yes, if the purchase is made out of current income.
c. No, unless the funds are deposited in a domestic financial institution.
d. No, it would never be included.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Reflective
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Aggregate Demand, Domestic Product, and National Income
9. The "investment" component of aggregate demand will include all of the following except
a. expenditures of business firms on new plants.
b. expenditures of business firms on new equipment.
c. resales of existing physical assets.
d. household spending on new homes.
316
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Reflective
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Aggregate Demand, Domestic Product, and National Income
12. Which of the following should be subtracted while calculating aggregate demand of the U.S.?
a. Pakistan's purchase of F-16s from the U.S.
b. Computers imported by China from the U.S.
c. Memorabilia purchases in the U.S. by a foreign tourist.
d. A U.S. firm's purchase of German machinery.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Easy NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Aggregate Demand, Domestic Product, and National Income
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Aggregate Demand, Domestic Product, and National Income
18. Which of the following would be counted as investment in the national income accounts?
a. the purchase of a newly issued stock
b. the purchase of a newly built apartment house
c. the purchase of a newly minted coin
d. the payment of tuition at a private college
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Aggregate Demand, Domestic Product, and National Income
318
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Easy NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Aggregate Demand, Domestic Product, and National Income
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: The Circular Flow of Spending, Production, and Income
25. Which of the following is the injection into the circular flow model?
a. Money deposited in a savings account.
b. Income earned through exports.
c. Goods imported from abroad.
d. Taxes paid by the individuals.
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: The Circular Flow of Spending, Production, and Income
26. Why is it true that domestic product and national income must be equal?
a. The IRS national accounting system assures that taxes equal total income.
b. The total amount of spending must equal total national sales.
c. The value of final product must equal the sum of resource income that produced it.
d. The total amount of income earned is eventually spent.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: The Circular Flow of Spending, Production, and Income
28. In the circular flow model, which of the following is considered a leakage?
a. investment spending
b. business spending
c. household saving
d. total exports
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Easy NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: The Circular Flow of Spending, Production, and Income
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
TOP: The Circular Flow of Spending, Production, and Income
30. When saving leaks out of the circular flow of income and spending,
a. total income necessarily falls.
b. it leaks out of the financial system.
c. it flows to borrowers.
d. it increases the size of the spending flow.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: The Circular Flow of Spending, Production, and Income
32. To get a complete measure of the total spending on U.S.-produced final goods and services, one must
adjust aggregate demand by
a. adding imports and subtracting exports.
b. adding imports that are purchased by U.S. consumers.
c. adding exports and subtracting imports.
d. subtracting exports sold to foreigners.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: The Circular Flow of Spending, Production, and Income
34. The relationship between consumption and disposable income is such that as
a. consumption rises, disposable income falls.
b. disposable income rises, consumption rises.
c. disposable income rises, consumption falls.
d. disposable income rises, saving falls.
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Easy NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
321
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
TOP: Consumer Spending and Income: The Important Relationship
35. Historical data representing consumption and disposable income reveals that
a. during the 1930s, U.S. saving was at a high level.
b. U.S. citizens increased saving during World War II.
c. there is no systematic relationship between the two.
d. consumption rises faster than disposable income during recessions.
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Consumer Spending and Income: The Important Relationship
36. If you produce a graph with consumption spending on the vertical axis and disposable income on the
horizontal axis, the relation between consumption and income will
a. be inverse.
b. be transcendental.
c. shift unpredictably.
d. be direct.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Reflective
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Consumer Spending and Income: The Important Relationship
37. On a graph with consumption on the vertical axis and disposable income on the horizontal axis, the slope
of the line is
a. greater than one.
b. equal to one.
c. less than one.
d. undefined.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult NAT: Reflective
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Consumer Spending and Income: The Important Relationship
39. Historical data depicted on a scatter diagram show that consumer spending and disposable income
a. converge as income grows.
b. generally move together.
c. diverge as income grows.
d. show no clear relationship.
322
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Consumer Spending and Income: The Important Relationship
40. The federal government's principal tool in altering consumer spending is changing
a. corporate income taxes.
b. federal sales taxes.
c. unemployment insurance benefits.
d. personal income tax rates.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Easy NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Consumer Spending and Income: The Important Relationship
41. If real disposable income is $300 billion and real consumer expenditures are $250 billion, it can be
assumed that
a. the government is spending the difference.
b. the difference is being invested.
c. households are saving the difference.
d. transfer payments make up the difference.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Consumer Spending and Income: The Important Relationship
42. "Men are disposed, as a rule, and on the average, to increase their consumption as their income increases,
but not by as much as the increase in their incomes." Which of the following is consistent with this
statement by J.M. Keynes?
a. The slope of the consumption function is positive and less than one.
b. The slope of the consumption function is greater than that of the 45-degree line.
c. The slope of the consumption function is negative.
d. The slope of the consumption function is equal to one.
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult NAT: Reflective
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Consumer Spending and Income: The Important Relationship
43. If an economist wants to make a prediction about the effects of a change in disposable income on the
change in consumption spending based on historical data, she must assume that
a. the future will closely resemble the past.
b. consumption and disposable income will be negatively related.
c. the consumption function will have a downward slope.
d. as disposable income increases, consumer spending will remain constant.
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult NAT: Reflective
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Consumer Spending and Income: The Important Relationship
44. The slope of the scatter diagram representing the relationship between consumption and disposable
income in the United States is approximately
a. 1.10.
323
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
b. 0.30
c. 0.50
d. 0.90
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Easy NAT: Reflective
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Consumer Spending and Income: The Important Relationship
45. If personal taxes are increased by $10 billion, we can expect that consumers will reduce
a. spending by $10 billion.
b. spending by more than $10 billion.
c. spending by less than $10 billion.
d. saving by $10 billion.
e. saving by more than $10 billion.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Reflective
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Consumer Spending and Income: The Important Relationship
46. The relationship between consumer spending and disposable income is called the
a. conjunction function.
b. consumption function.
c. aggregate demand function.
d. marginal spending function.
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Easy NAT: Reflective
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: The Consumption Function and The Marginal Propensity to Consume
47. Economists expect the relationship between consumption and disposable income to be
a. unpredictable.
b. transitory.
c. fixed.
d. inverse
e. stable.
ANS: E PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: The Consumption Function and The Marginal Propensity to Consume
324
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
49. The nation's disposable income increases by $400 billion and, as a result, consumer spending increases
by $320 billion. Therefore, the MPC equals
a. 0.16.
b. 0.20.
c. 0.60.
d. 0.80.
e. 0.96.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Reflective
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: The Consumption Function and The Marginal Propensity to Consume
50. If DI falls by $100 billion, and C falls by $90 billion, the slope of the consumption is
a. −0.45.
b. 0.45.
c. −0.90.
d. 0.90.
e. 0.50.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Reflective
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: The Consumption Function and The Marginal Propensity to Consume
53. If disposable income increases by $400 billion and consumption increases by $300 billion, the MPC
equals
a. 0.75
b. 0.60
c. 0.80
d. 0.68
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Easy NAT: Analytic
325
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: The Consumption Function and The Marginal Propensity to Consume
Figure 8-1
55. Given the scatter diagram in Figure 8-1, what is the MPC (your best estimate)?
a. 1/2
b. 1/3
c. 2/3
d. 1
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult NAT: Reflective
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: The Consumption Function and The Marginal Propensity to Consume
56. Based on the scatter diagram in Figure 8-1, approximately how much will consumption increase after a
permanent tax cut of $400 billion?
a. $100 billion
b. $150 billion
c. $250 billion
d. $350 billion
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult NAT: Reflective
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
326
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
TOP: The Consumption Function and The Marginal Propensity to Consume
57. Given the scatter diagram in Figure 8-1, how much will consumption decrease if the price level rises by
5 percent?
a. $50 billion
b. $100 billion
c. $200 billion
d. cannot be determined
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult NAT: Reflective
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: The Consumption Function and The Marginal Propensity to Consume
58. Based on the scatter diagram in Figure 8-1, if real disposable income is $800 billion, the consumption
spending would be approximately
a. $800 billion.
b. $650 billion.
c. $540 billion.
d. $420 billion.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Reflective
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: The Consumption Function and The Marginal Propensity to Consume
59. If you fit a line through a scatter diagram of points that represent coordinates of consumer spending and
disposable income, the slope of this line will equal the
a. propensity to consume
b. variable propensity to consume.
c. marginal propensity to consume.
d. average propensity to consume.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Easy NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: The Consumption Function and The Marginal Propensity to Consume
60. In 1963, government economists assumed that the MPC for the United States was approximately 0.90. If
taxes were cut by $9 billion, then consumer expenditures would initially be expected to
a. decrease by $9.0 billion.
b. increase by $9.0 billion.
c. decrease by $8.1 billion.
d. increase by $8.1 billion.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: The Consumption Function and The Marginal Propensity to Consume
61. Assume that consumption in the United States is $9,000 billion in 2009. If the MPC is 0.8 and disposable
income increases by $1,000 billion in 2010, then the level of consumption in 2010 will be
a. $10,000 billion.
b. $9,800 billion.
c. $9,000 billion.
327
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
d. $7,200 billion.
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Reflective
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: The Consumption Function and The Marginal Propensity to Consume
62. If the MPC increases in value, what will happen to the slope of the consumption function?
a. The slope will decrease and the consumption function will become flatter.
b. The slope will decrease and the consumption function will become steeper.
c. The slope will increase and the consumption function will become steeper.
d. The slope will increase and the consumption function will become flatter.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Reflective
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: The Consumption Function and The Marginal Propensity to Consume
63. Do economists know the value of the MPC for most economies?
a. Yes, with a high level of precision.
b. Yes, with a certainty level of four decimal places.
c. No, it is impossible to determine a national MPC.
d. Yes, but with some level of uncertainty.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Reflective
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: The Consumption Function and The Marginal Propensity to Consume
64. If the MPC is .80, then a change in disposable income of $60 billion will lead to an initial change in
consumption of
a. $30 billion.
b. $42 billion.
c. $48 billion.
d. $60 billion.
e. $70 billion.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Reflective
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: The Consumption Function and The Marginal Propensity to Consume
65. In Macronesia, the MPC is approximately .80. If disposable income changes from 1,000 billion pukas to
1,500 billion pukas, then consumption will change by a(n)
a. decrease of 500 billion pukas.
b. increase of 500 billion pukas.
c. increase of 400 billion pukas.
d. increase of 800 billion pukas.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Reflective
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: The Consumption Function and The Marginal Propensity to Consume
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
b. decrease by less than $1.
c. increase by less than $1.
d. increase by $1.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Reflective
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: The Consumption Function and The Marginal Propensity to Consume
67. If income in Austria decreases by 30 million euros and consumption decreases by 24 euros, then the
MPC equals
a. 0.90.
b. 0.80.
c. 0.60
d. −0.60.
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Reflective
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: The Consumption Function and The Marginal Propensity to Consume
68. To predict the effects of a tax cut on consumption spending, economists must have some estimate of the
a. income effect.
b. substitution effect.
c. relative price effect.
d. marginal propensity to consume.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: The Consumption Function and The Marginal Propensity to Consume
69. According to the relationship represented by the consumption function, governments can indirectly
decrease consumption spending by
a. increasing taxes.
b. decreasing transfers.
c. decreasing taxes.
d. decreasing government spending.
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: The Consumption Function and The Marginal Propensity to Consume
329
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
71. A movement from one point to an another point on the same consumption function could be caused due
to
a. changes in wealth.
b. an increase in the general price level.
c. decrease in the real interest rates.
d. changes in disposable income.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Factors that Shift the Consumption Function
72. A movement upward along the consumption function can be caused only by a(n)
a. increase in disposable income.
b. decrease in disposable income.
c. decrease in the price level.
d. increase in the price level.
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Factors that Shift the Consumption Function
73. One of the effects of a change in disposable income could not be a(n)
a. movement up along the consumption function.
b. movement down along the consumption function.
c. change in the amount of consumption expenditures.
d. upward shift of the consumption function.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Factors that Shift the Consumption Function
74. Because of recent corporate downsizing, Chuck loses his job. The most likely effect on his consumption
function is a(n)
a. movement downward along the function.
b. shift upward of the function.
c. shift downward of the function.
d. increase in consumption expenditures.
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Factors that Shift the Consumption Function
Figure 8-2
330
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
75. In Figure 8-2, which of the following moves can be explained by a decrease in disposable income?
a. E to B
b. A to C
c. A to D
d. B to E
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Reflective
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Factors that Shift the Consumption Function
76. In Figure 8-2, which of the following moves can be explained by a decrease in the price level?
a. A to B
b. A to C
c. A to D
d. A to E
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Reflective
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Factors that Shift the Consumption Function
77. In Figure 8-2, which of the following moves can be explained by a decrease in the prices of stock on the
NASDAQ?
a. A to B
b. A to C
c. A to D
d. A to E
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Reflective
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Factors that Shift the Consumption Function
78. In Figure 8-2, which of the following moves can be explained by a tax cut?
a. A to B
b. A to C
c. A to D
d. A to E
331
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Reflective
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Factors that Shift the Consumption Function
79. In Figure 8-2, which of the following moves can be explained by an increase in government transfer
payments?
a. A to B
b. A to C
c. A to D
d. A to E
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Reflective
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Factors that Shift the Consumption Function
80. After years of hard work in the field of macroeconomics, you win the Nobel Prize in economics
(currently about $1.5 million). What is the most likely effect of this prize on your consumption function?
a. It will shift downward temporarily.
b. It will shift upward temporarily.
c. It will shift downward permanently.
d. It will shift upward permanently.
e. none of the above
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Reflective
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Factors that Shift the Consumption Function
82. If Kobe, an NBA star athlete, earns $10 million per year but has no money in the bank, he has a
a. high income and high wealth.
b. low income and high wealth.
c. high income and low wealth.
d. low income and low wealth.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Reflective
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Factors that Shift the Consumption Function
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
c. debt.
d. income and current wealth.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Reflective
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Factors that Shift the Consumption Function
84. Which of the following would be most likely to shift the consumption function downward?
a. a stock market crash
b. a price level decrease
c. increased corporate profits
d. a stock market boom
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Reflective
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Factors that Shift the Consumption Function
88. Pat Robertson, a TV evangelist and former Republican Party candidate for president, once said that
"debt is an affront to God," so good Christians should not spend beyond their incomes. Indeed,
Robertson wants Christians to save more. If more Americans, Christians as well as others, took his
message seriously, how would we represent the result using a Keynesian macroeconomic model?
333
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
a. a downward movement along the consumption function
b. an upward movement along the consumption function
c. a downward shift of the consumption function
d. an upward shift of the consumption function
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Reflective
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Factors that Shift the Consumption Function
89. Which of the following would cause an upward shift in the consumption function?
a. a stock market crash
b. an increase in the price level
c. a decrease in disposable income
d. a decrease in the price level
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Factors that Shift the Consumption Function
90. Which of the following would lead you to predict an upward shift in the consumption function?
a. a decrease in the value of real wealth
b. a decrease in disposable income
c. an increase in the value of real wealth
d. an increase in the price level
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Factors that Shift the Consumption Function
91. If the stock market falls by 25 percent next year and remains down, what is most likely to happen to the
consumption function?
a. It will shift upward.
b. It will shift downward.
c. It will not shift, but people will move downward along the consumption function.
d. It will not shift, but people will move upward along the consumption function.
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Factors that Shift the Consumption Function
92. Which of the following will most likely have the greatest effect on an individual's consumption
function?
a. winning a small amount in the lottery
b. a one-time tuition grant
c. a week of high overtime pay
d. an inheritance paying a modest annual dividend
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Factors that Shift the Consumption Function
334
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
93. Which of the following will most likely cause movement along the consumption function?
a. a change in disposable income
b. a change in interest rates
c. a change in tastes
d. a change in consumers' expectations
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Factors that Shift the Consumption Function
94. Which of the following will most likely cause a shift in the consumption function?
a. a change in consumer confidence
b. a change in national output
c. a change in real GDP
d. a change in disposable income
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Factors that Shift the Consumption Function
95. A decrease in the price level will most likely have what effect on the consumption function?
a. It will shift upward.
b. It will shift downward.
c. It will cause movement downward along the function.
d. It will cause movement upward along the function.
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Factors that Shift the Consumption Function
96. A once-and-for-all jump in the price level would initially cause a(n)
a. upward shift in the consumption function.
b. upward movement along the consumption function.
c. downward shift in the consumption function.
d. downward movement along the consumption function.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Factors that Shift the Consumption Function
97. A sudden decrease in consumers' wealth-resulting, for example, from a stock market crash-would
initially cause a(n)
a. downward movement along the consumption function.
b. downward shift of the consumption function.
c. upward movement along the consumption function.
d. upward shift of the consumption function.
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Factors that Shift the Consumption Function
335
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
98. Suppose the stock market rises, causing a rapid increase in consumers' wealth. This would lead to
a. a downward movement along the consumption function.
b. a downward shift of the consumption function.
c. an upward movement along the consumption function.
d. an upward shift of the consumption function.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Factors that Shift the Consumption Function
99. Most older persons regularly spend more than their current disposable income. How is this possible?
a. They receive government transfer payments.
b. They work to supplement their retirement income.
c. They borrow and increase their debt levels.
d. They withdraw funds from accumulated wealth.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Factors that Shift the Consumption Function
100. Why does an increase in the price level tend to cause the consumption function to shift downward?
a. An increase in the price level decreases disposable income.
b. An increase in the price level increases the demand for fixed money assets.
c. An increase in the price level decreases the value of fixed money assets.
d. An increase in the price level decreases saving and increases debt.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Factors that Shift the Consumption Function
101. According to economists, how does an increase in the inflation rate affect the consumption function?
a. It shifts the function upward.
b. It shifts the function downward.
c. It causes movement upward along the function.
d. It causes movement downward along the function.
e. It has no predictable effect on the function.
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Factors that Shift the Consumption Function
102. Most statistical studies on the relationship between real interest rates and saving conclude that higher
real interest rates
a. increase saving.
b. tend to decrease saving.
c. tend to decrease both consumption and saving.
d. have no effect on saving.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Factors that Shift the Consumption Function
336
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
103. If real interest rates decrease, we generally expect
a. saving to increase.
b. saving to decrease.
c. consumption spending to decrease.
d. no significant change in saving.
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Factors that Shift the Consumption Function
105. If consumers' expectations about future income are very optimistic, then we should expect
a. the consumption function to shift downward.
b. consumers to move up along the consumption function.
c. the consumption function to shift upward.
d. consumers to move down along the consumption function.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Factors that Shift the Consumption Function
107. If the consumption function shifts downward, which of the following is the most likely cause?
a. Consumers become more optimistic.
b. The price level increased.
c. Consumers' incomes increase.
d. Real interest rates decrease.
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Reflective
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Factors that Shift the Consumption Function
337
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
108. A major employer in a small town announces upcoming major layoffs of employees. What should we
expect to happen to the consumption functions of the affected employees?
a. the consumption functions will shift upward.
b. most employees will move upward along their consumption functions
c. the consumption functions will shift downward
d. most employees will move downward along their consumption functions
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Reflective
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Factors that Shift the Consumption Function
109. Most people base their current consumption spending at least partially on
a. short-run debt.
b. long-run debt.
c. long-run real interest rates.
d. long-run income.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Easy NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Issue Revisited: Why Temporary Tax Cuts Have Only Modest Effects on Spending
110. The main reason that the 1975, 2008, and 2009 tax cuts did not have a large effect on GDP is that they
were
a. temporary surcharges rather than permanent surcharges.
b. permanent surcharges rather than temporary surcharges.
c. temporary tax cuts rather than a permanent tax cuts.
d. permanent tax cuts rather than a temporary tax cuts.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Issue Revisited: Why Temporary Tax Cuts Have Only Modest Effects on Spending
111. The tax cut of 2009 had little significant effect on consumer spending because it
a. was not large enough.
b. was perceived as temporary.
c. came too early in the year.
d. was subtracted from 2008 taxes due.
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Issue Revisited: Why Temporary Tax Cuts Have Only Modest Effects on Spending
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
113. The U.S. experience with tax cuts and tax increases since 1975 suggests that
a. tax cuts always stimulate consumption spending.
b. tax changes have a stable and predictable effect on consumption spending.
c. temporary tax changes are less effective than permanent changes.
d. tax changes have no effect on consumption spending.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Issue Revisited: Why Temporary Tax Cuts Have Only Modest Effects on Spending
114. Why do permanent tax cuts have a greater impact on consumption than temporary tax cuts?
a. Permanent tax cuts have a greater effect on expected long-run inflation.
b. Permanent tax cuts are perceived as minor while temporary tax cuts are larger and more
effective.
c. Permanent tax cuts cause movement along the consumption function, while temporary tax
cuts shift the consumption function.
d. Permanent tax cuts affect expectations of long-run income more than temporary tax cuts.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Issue Revisited: Why Temporary Tax Cuts Have Only Modest Effects on Spending
116. Which of the following is not a factor that influences investment spending?
a. transfer payment policy
b. business confidence
c. business expectations
d. technical change
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: The Extreme Variability of Investment
117. Suppose the federal government wants to encourage businesses to increase investment spending. Which
policy may be the most effective?
a. an increase in corporate income taxes
b. an increase in real interest rates
c. an increase in warnings of a coming recession
d. an increase in tax deductions for investment spending
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
339
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: The Extreme Variability of Investment
119. If the Japanese economy is currently suffering from a recession we should expect U.S. exports to Japan
to
a. decrease.
b. increase.
c. remain the same.
d. increase only if the Japanese Yen depreciates.
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: The Determinants Of Net Exports
120. The book that is the basis for modern macroeconomic theory is
a. The Wealth of Nations.
b. Principles of Political Economy.
c. The General History of Money and Banking.
d. The General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Easy NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Appendix: National Income Accounting
122. When computing gross domestic product, government services are valued at the
a. price consumers pay for them.
b. value of the resources used to produce them.
c. value of comparable outputs from the private sector.
d. value of taxes collected from consumers.
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
340
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Appendix: National Income Accounting
123. One difficulty of computing the value of GDP is that there are no market prices for
a. exports and imports.
b. business investments.
c. government goods and services.
d. resource values.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Easy NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Appendix: National Income Accounting
124. The one category of goods that are not sold but are, nevertheless, included in GDP is
a. inventories.
b. imports.
c. consumer services.
d. exports.
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Easy NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Appendix: National Income Accounting
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
TOP: Appendix: National Income Accounting
129. Gross private domestic investment in the United States consists of three components:
a. stocks, bonds, and mutual funds.
b. automobiles, trucks, and houses.
c. plant, equipment, & software, houses, and inventories.
d. plant, equipment, & software, houses, and net exports.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Easy NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Appendix: National Income Accounting
130. Which of the following is not part of the investment component of GDP?
a. residential construction
b. plant, equipment, and software
c. net imports
d. business structures
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Easy NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Appendix: National Income Accounting
131. Residential construction (new houses and apartments) are included in which component of GDP?
a. government purchases
b. retail spending
c. investment spending
d. net exports
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Easy NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Appendix: National Income Accounting
132. The purchase of stocks and bonds is included in which component of GDP?
a. saving
b. investment
c. consumer spending
d. They are not included in GDP.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Easy NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Appendix: National Income Accounting
342
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
133. Among the following, which would not be considered part of the investment component of GDP?
a. manufacturers' equipment
b. buying corporate stock
c. new houses
d. business structures
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Appendix: National Income Accounting
135. GDP can be calculated as the final demand for goods and services by consumers, businesses,
a. and governments.
b. and foreigners.
c. governments, and foreigners.
d. governments, and financial institutions.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Easy NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Appendix: National Income Accounting
136. The equation representing the final demand approach to calculating GDP is
a. Y = C + I + X + IM.
b. Y = C + I + G.
c. Y = G + I + X − IM.
d. Y = C+ I + G + (X − IM).
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Easy NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Appendix: National Income Accounting
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
138. The government component (G) of total output includes goods and services purchased by
a. the federal government plus transfer payments.
b. all government institutions plus transfer payments.
c. all government institutions.
d. all government institutions plus tax revenues.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Appendix: National Income Accounting
139. The majority of payments made by the federal government are for
a. transfer payments.
b. administrative expenses.
c. foreign aid.
d. defense purchases
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Easy NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Appendix: National Income Accounting
140. The accounting identity for the economy's factor payments can be written as ____.
a. GDP = wages + interest + rents + profits
b. GDP = consumption + investment + government + intermediate goods + net exports
c. GDP = wages + interest + rents + net exports
d. GDP = wages + interest + rents + saving + investment
ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: Easy NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Appendix: National Income Accounting
142. The difference between Gross National Product and Net National Product is the
a. rate of inflation.
b. statistical discrepancy encountered in calculating GDP.
c. difference between real versus nominal GDP.
d. depreciation of the economy's capital stock.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Easy NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Appendix: National Income Accounting
344
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
143. The sum of all factor payments in the economy yields
a. gross domestic product.
b. national income.
c. disposable income.
d. net domestic product.
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Easy NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Appendix: National Income Accounting
145. The national income accounts include a value for the amount of capital stock "used up" during the
production of current output. This dollar amount is called
a. appreciation.
b. dollarization.
c. amortization.
d. depreciation.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Easy NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Appendix: National Income Accounting
147. Employee compensation accounts for about what percentage of national income?
a. 30 percent
b. 40 percent
c. 70 percent
d. 90 percent
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Easy NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Appendix: National Income Accounting
345
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
148. Based on the relative size of factor payments, the most important resource in the U.S. economy is
a. capital.
b. land.
c. labor.
d. natural resources.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Easy NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Appendix: National Income Accounting
149. The value of intermediate goods is not included in the calculation of GDP to avoid the problem of
a. depreciation.
b. inflation.
c. double counting.
d. transfer payments.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Appendix: National Income Accounting
346
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
153. Which of the following methods could be used to calculate GDP?
a. the sum of all spending on final goods and services
b. the sum of all factor payments plus depreciation and indirect business taxes
c. the sum of all values added at each stage of production
d. All of the above could be used.
ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: Easy NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Appendix: National Income Accounting
155. Whirlpool Corporation buys steel in sheets to manufacture refrigerators. Whirlpool also buys a new
factory and a metal press to mold the steel. Which purchases are included in GDP?
a. the steel
b. the steel, the factory, and the metal press
c. the factory and the metal press
d. the steel and the metal press
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Appendix: National Income Accounting
Table 8-1
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: Difficult NAT: Reflective
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Appendix: National Income Accounting
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Appendix: National Income Accounting
162. In the national income accounts, new investment goods are considered
a. intermediate goods, and therefore, not counted.
b. final goods.
c. subtractions from final output.
d. depreciated goods
ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: Moderate NAT: Analytic
LOC: Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
TOP: Appendix: National Income Accounting
ESSAY
1. Define the following terms and explain their importance in the study of macroeconomics:
a. consumer expenditures
b. investment spending
c. national income
d. transfer payments
ANS:
a. Consumer expenditures are the total amount spent by consumers of newly produced final
goods and services (excluding purchases of new houses, which are included in the
investment component of GDP). Consumer expenditures are the largest component of total
spending and account for about two-thirds of GDP.
b. Investment spending is the sum of purchases by businesses on new plant, equipment, and
software plus the purchase of new housing by individuals. Investment also includes
inventories, newly produced goods that are not sold but are considered "purchased" by the
firms that produce them.
c. National income is the total of incomes earned in the production of all final goods and
services. Incomes earned include wages, rents, interest, and profits. National income does
not include transfer payments because they do not come from the production of goods and
services.
d. Transfer payments are payments that individuals receive as grants from the government in
the form of unemployment benefits, income support for families, etc. The largest type of
transfer payments in the United States are Social Security payments.
ANS:
Aggregate demand is the total amount that all consumers, business firms, and government agencies
spend on final goods and services. The major components are:
1. Consumer expenditure is the total value of all consumer goods and services demanded.
349
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
2. Investment spending is the amount that firms spend on factories, machinery, software, and
the like, plus the amount that families spend on new houses.
3. Government purchases of goods and services, includes items such as paper, computers,
airplanes, ships, and labor bought by all levels of government.
4. Net exports is defined as U.S. exports minus U.S. imports.
ANS:
Disposable income (DI) is the sum of the incomes of all individuals in the economy after all taxes have
been deducted and all transfer payments have been added.
where Y represents GDP and T represents taxes net of transfers or simply net taxes.
4. Define investment?
The meaning of investment is different for economists. Explain.
ANS:
Investment is an asset or item that is purchased with the hope that it would generate income or appreciate
in the future.
For an economist, investments are the sum of the expenditures of business enterprises on new factories,
machines and individuals on new homes. Financial investments and the resale of existing physical assets
are not included in the economist's definition. In finance, an investment is a monetary asset purchased
with the idea that the asset will provide a flow of income in the future in the form of profit or interest or
gain on capital.
5. What is the marginal propensity to consume (MPC) and why is it important in predicting consumer
behavior?
ANS:
350
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
The marginal propensity to consume is the ratio of the change in consumption spending to the change in
disposable income. The value of the MPC typically is less than one because when consumers receive an
increase in income, their spending does not increase as much as income. For the United States, statistical
estimates yield an MPC of approximately 0.95. If one knows the MPC, then predictions can be made of
how much consumer spending will increase when disposable income increases by a certain amount. This
is especially useful with regard to tax changes. If the federal government intends to increase aggregate
demand through decreasing taxes, then knowing the MPC is necessary. For example, if the desired
increase in consumer spending is $475 million and the MPC is .95, then taxes must be reduced by $500
million.
ANS:
When a firm produces goods and sells them, it uses the sales revenue to pay all the factors of production,
such as labor, persons who loaned funds, rent on leased property, and profits to owners of the firm. The
total value of production, or total sales revenues, becomes income for someone. This basic identity
provides the basis for the circular flow of income and spending between the major sectors of the
economy.
7. Which factors will cause the consumption function to shift? Which factors do not cause the function to
shift?
ANS:
The principal factors that will cause the consumption function to shift are: changes in wealth; changes in
the price level; and changes in consumer expectations. If wealth increases, then more consumption is
possible at the same level of income. If the price level changes, fixed money assets change in value.
When prices rise, fixed money assets decrease in value and consumption will decrease. As consumers
become more optimistic, they will tend to spend more even if their current income is not changing. The
only factor that will not shift the consumption function is disposable income. When disposable income
changes, you move up or down a consumption function depending on the direction of change. If
disposable income increases, then one moves up along the consumption function.
8. For each of the following, how would they be included in the national income accounts?
a. The University of California buys a new computer.
b. Charles buys a new MP3 player.
c. Marian buys a new mountain cabin.
d. Vikki buys an old mansion with hopes of restoring it.
e. Farmer Brown buys a used combine harvester.
ANS:
351
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
a. Government purchases. Purchased by a state university.
b. Consumption. Purchased by an individual.
c. Investment. New house purchased by an individual.
d. Not included. Built in a previous year.
e. Not included. Only newly produced goods are included.
ANS:
Several factors influence how much businesses want to invest. These include interest rates, tax
provisions, technical change, and the strength of the economy. Sometimes these determinants change
abruptly, leading to dramatic variations in investment. But perhaps the most important factor accounting
for the volatility of investment spending is the state of business confidence, which in turn depends on
expectations about the future. Although confidence is tricky to measure, it does seem obvious that
businesses will build more factories and purchase more new machines when they are optimistic.
Correspondingly, their investment plans will be very cautious if the economic outlook appears bleak.
ANS:
National incomes: Although both exports and imports depend on many factors, the predominant one is
income levels in different countries. When our economy grows faster than the economies of our trading
partners, our net exports tend to shrink. Conversely, when foreign economies grow faster than ours, our
net exports tend to rise.
Relative prices and exchange rates: A rise in the prices of a country's goods will lead to a reduction in
that country's net exports. Analogously, a decline in the prices of a country's goods will raise that
country's net exports. Similarly, price increases abroad raise the home country's net exports, whereas
price decreases abroad have the opposite effect.
11. Changes in the value of stocks may play a big role in the consumption decisions of individuals. How
would changes in the stock market affect the consumption function?
ANS:
352
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
Corporate stocks are an increasingly popular form of holding wealth in the United States. As stock prices
rise, consumers who own stock see the value of their wealth increase and may feel more comfortable
increasing their spending. Conversely, if stock prices fall, stockowners may feel poorer and decide to
decrease their consumption spending. Therefore, increases in the prices of stocks should cause the
consumption function to shift upward representing a higher level of spending even though current
disposable income has not increased. A stock market decline would cause the consumption function to
shift downward.
12. Explain why it makes a difference if consumers consider a tax cut temporary rather than permanent.
What does this explanation tell us about the importance of government credibility? Put this in the context
of the 2008 and 2009 tax cuts favored by President Bush and President Obama.
ANS:
Consumers tend to base their spending decisions on their expectations of long-run income. Short-term or
one-time-only income changes have little effect on consumer behavior. If tax cuts are perceived as only
temporary, then consumers will use less of the additional disposable income for spending on goods and
services and may use a major portion of the temporary income increase for saving. Tax cuts that are
perceived as permanent will change consumers' expectations regarding their future income more
significantly. This change in expected future income will make consumers feel more comfortable about
increasing their current spending. If government policy makers wish to increase aggregate demand by
cutting taxes and they hope the tax cut will significantly increase consumer spending, then the public
will have to believe that the government pledge to leave the tax cut in place is honest. If the public
mistrusts the government and believes a current tax cut may soon be cancelled or reversed, then
consumers may not change their spending habits in any significant way. This mistrust will render tax
policy ineffective and remove a powerful tool from those available to a government. In 2008 and 2009,
taxpayers concluded that the tax cuts were only temporary and not permanent. Because they felt the tax
cuts were only temporary, they did not have the stimulative effect on aggregate demand that the
administrations were hoping for.
353
© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated,
or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.