Chapter 10 Flashcards
Utility
A measure of the satisfaction the consumer derives from consumption of goods and services
Consumption bundle
A collection of all the goods and services a consumer consumes
utility function
Gives the total utility generated by a consumer’s consumption bundle
Util
a unit of utility
Marginal utility
The change in total utility generated by consuming one additonal unit of a good or service
Marginal utility curve
Shows how marginal utility depends on the quantity of a good or service consumed
Principle of diminishing marginal utility
Says that each successive unit of a good or service consumed adds less to total utility than the previous unit
Budget line
Shows the consumption bundles avaialable to a consumer who spends all of his income
Marginal utility per dollar
The additionaly utility from spending one more dollar on that good or service
Optimal consumption rule
When a consumer maximizes utility, the marginal utility per dollar spent must be the same for all goods and services in the consumption bundle
bounded rationality
Individuals save time and effort by making decisions that are “good enough” rather than perfect
Substitution effect
A change in the price of a good is the change in the quantity of that good consumed as the consumer substitutes the good that has become relatively cheaper in place of the good that has become more expensive.
Real income
The amount of income adjusted to reflect its true purchasing power
Income effect
A change in the price of a good is the change in the quantity of that good consumed that results from a change in the consumer’s purchasing power due to the change in the price of the good