Lesson Plan

Scarcity, Opportunity Costs and Basic Economic Questions




I. Graphical Analysis

- graphical analysis will be use the entire semester and it is generally assumed that students understand it. A brief review will be given with introduction. You should read the appendix to chapter 1 and do the graphical problems in the workbook. If you are unsure of your ability, please come and see the instructor.



II. Definitions

- Economics defined: What is Economics?
- Scarcity
- Production
- Rationality
- Basic Choices/Basic Economic Questions.
- what? how? who? when?
- Opportunity Costs
- Monetary Price vs. Relative Price
- Efficiency
- Allocative Efficiency
- Productive (or Technological) Efficiency
- Distributive Efficiency
- relation of each type of efficiency to the others.
- Scientific Method/Economic Theory
- Positive vs. Normative Economics
- Microeconomics vs. Macroeconomics