BU224  Unit  5  Assignment  Template:     Name: Course Number: Section Number: Unit Number: Date:

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1. Unless specified differently by your course instructor, save this assignment template to your computer with the following file naming format: Course number_section number_LAST_FIRST_ unit number 2. At the top of the template, insert the appropriate information: Your Name, Course Number, Section Number and Date 3. Insert your answers below, or in the appropriate space provided for in the question. Your answers should follow the APA format with citations to your sources and, at the bottom of your last page, a list of references. Your answers should also be in Standard English with correct spelling, punctuation, grammar, and style (double spaced, in Times New Roman, 12-point, black font). Respond to questions in a thorough manner, providing specific examples of concepts, topics, definitions, and other elements asked for in the questions. 4. Provide a list of references at the end of the last page of your assignment. 5. Upload the completed assignment to the appropriate dropbox. 6. Any questions about the assignment, or format questions, should be directed to your course instructor. ------------------------------------------- Career Competencies ----------------------------------------In this assignment, you will engage in developing the following career competencies: Analyzing Quantitative Data Analyzing Qualitative Data -------------------------------------------

Assignment

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1. The accompanying table shows the price and yearly quantity sold of ice cream cones on Sidfield Island. Price of Ice Cream Cones $1 $2 $3 $4

Quantity of Ice Cream Cones Demanded 3000 2400 1600 800 Page  1  of  5  

 

a. Using the midpoint method (show your work), calculate the price elasticity of demand when the price of an ice cream cone rises from $1 to $2. What does this estimate imply about the price elasticity of demand for ice cream cones? For this one, remember that the formula for price elasticity of demand is the percent change in quantity over the percent change in price. This is on p. 168 in your book. Example: If the price were to rise from $2 to $3, the percent change in price would be: ($3-$2)/[($2+$3)]/2 x 100 = $1/$2.50 x 100 = 0.4 x 100 = 40% Notice that what we are doing is taking the change and dividing by the average of the two prices. You will have to do the same thing for quantity and then divide the percent change in quantity by the percent change in price. b. Using the midpoint method (show your work), calculate the price elasticity of demand when the price of an ice cream cone rises from $3 to $4. What does this estimate imply about the price elasticity of demand for ice cream cones?

c. Notice that the estimates from (a) and (b) above are different. Why do price elasticity of demand estimates change along the demand curve? See pp. 164 and 165 in your textbook. 2. Newspaper vending machines are designed so that once you have paid for one paper; you have access to all the papers in the machine and could take multiple papers at a time. However, other vending machines dispense only one item (the item you bought). You do not have access to all the goods (sodas, candy, snacks, etc.) at one time. Using the concept of marginal utility, explain why these vending machines differ? What is the marginal utility of a second newspaper? What’s the marginal utility of a second candy bar? If a candy vending machine were to allow people to open the whole machine when they put in their money, would they take more than one?

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3. Amy is shopping at a dollar store. She is currently buying 5 bracelets that cost $1 each and 4 sodas that cost $1 each. The table below indicates the marginal utility she obtains when she purchases this combination. Quantity

Price per Unit

MU per unit

Bracelets

5

$1

30

Sodas

4

$1

40

a. A consumer maximizes utility when the last dollar spent on any good generates the same satisfaction as the last dollar spent on every other good. Is this consumer maximizing her utility? This is pointing out that to maximize utility, you have to have 𝑀𝑈! 𝑀𝑈! = 𝑃! 𝑃! So here, do you have that equality? Is 30/$1 equal to 40/$1? b. If not, should she consume more bracelets or more sodas? Explain. Consuming more sodas would reduce her MU of soda. Consuming fewer bracelets would raise her MU of bracelets. Answer the following assuming that one more bracelet is purchased and one less soda is consumed:

c. Recall the law of diminishing marginal utility. What happens to the Marginal Utility of bracelets and the Marginal Utility of soda?

d. What happens to the Total Utility received?

e. What happens to the total dollars spent? Page  3  of  5    

Do not do #4 on the assignment template—it does not appear in the rubric and therefore I think there must have been some mistake.

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Unit _5_ PERFORM Assignment Grading Rubric Percent Possible

Content

Points Possible

Full assignment

100%

80

Overall Writing:

20%

16

correct coversheet information at the top of 1st page

5%

4

APA format for answers

3%

2

correct citations

3%

2

standard English no errors

4%

3

At least ONE, or more, references

5%

4

Answers: provides complete information demonstrating analysis and critical thinking:

80%

64

Individual Questions: 1. a. - Calculate price elasticity of demand ($1-$2), what is meaning?

10%

8

1. b. - Calculate price elasticity of demand ($3-$4), what is meaning?

10%

8

1. c. - Why are a & b different, what different about the demand curve between these prices?

10%

8

2. a. - What is differences between newspaper and snack vending machines (considering utility)?

15%

12

3. a. - Is Amy maximizing utility?

7%

6

3.b. - Explain if either more sodas, or more bracelets?

7%

6

3. c. - If 1 more bracelet & 1 less soda, what happens to marginal utility of each?

8%

6

3.d. - If 1 more bracelet & 1 less soda, what happens to total utility?

8%

6

3. e. - If 1 more bracelet & 1 less soda, what happens to total dollars spent?

5%

4

 

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