Test #4- Chapters 9 & 10 Flashcards

1
Q

_______ is a single seller facing the entire industry demand curve. The reason for this type of market structure is that the firm sells a unique product and extremely high barriers to entry protect it from competition. These barriers to entry include: (1) ownership of an essential resource, (2) legal barriers, and (3) economies of scale.

A

Monopoly

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2
Q

A ________ arises because of the existence of economies of scale in which the LRAC falls as production increases. As a result, smaller firms leave the industry, new firms fear competing with the monopolist, and the result is that a monopoly emerges naturally.

A

Natural Monopoly

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3
Q

A firm that faces a downward‑sloping demand curve is called a _______

A

Price maker

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4
Q

________ allows the monopolist to increase profits by charging buyers different prices rather than a single price. There are three necessary conditions for this condition to exist: (1) the demand curve must be downward sloping, (2) buyers in different markets must have different demand curves, and (3) the buyer must be able to prevent ________ which is reselling the product at a higher price than the purchase price.

A

Price discrimination- arbitrage

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5
Q

Which of the following is a market structure of monopoly?

a. Few firms operating as price takers.
b. Single firm operating as a price taker.
c. Single firm that is a price maker.
d. All of the answers above are correct.

A

C.

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6
Q

A monopolist earns an economic profit only when:

a. average total cost equals price.
b. marginal cost equals price.
c. marginal revenue equals price.
d. average total cost is less than price.

A

D.

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7
Q

Suppose a monopolist’s demand curve lies below its average variable cost curve. The firm will:

a. stay in operation in the short‑run.
b. earn an economic profit.
c. earn an economic profit in the long run.
d. shut down.

A

D.

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8
Q

Assume a monopolist charges a price corresponding to the intersection of the marginal cost and marginal revenue curves. If this price is between its average variable cost and average total cost curves, the firm will:

a. earn an economic profit.
b. assume demand will increase in the future.
c. shut down.
d. All of the answers above are correct.

A

B.

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9
Q

Which of the following statements best describes the price, output, and profit
conditions of monopoly?
a. Price will equal marginal cost at the profit-maximizing level of output and profits will be positive in the long-run.
b. Price will always equal average variable cost in the short-run and either profits or losses may result in the long run.
c. In the long-run, positive economic profit will be earned.
d. All of the answers above are correct.

A

C.

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10
Q

Which of the following is a difference between a monopolist and a firm in perfect competition?

a. The marginal revenue curve is downward‑sloping.
b. Marginal revenue equals price.
c. Economic profits are zero in the long‑run.
d. The marginal revenue curve lies above the demand curve.

A

A.

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11
Q

At a price of $5, 24 units of the good would be sold; at a price of $7, 25 units of output would be sold. The marginal revenue of the 25th unit of output is:

a. $14.
b. $55.
c. $6.
e. $175.

A

B.

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12
Q

_______ is the act of buying a commodity in one market at a lower price and selling it in another market at a higher price.

a. Buying short.
b. Discounting.
c. Tariffing.
d. Arbitrage.

A

D.

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13
Q

Under both perfect competition and monopoly, a firm:

a. is a price taker.
b. is a price maker.
c. will shut down in the short-run if price falls short of average total cost.
d. always earns a pure economic profit.
e. sets marginal cost equal to marginal revenue.

A

E.

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14
Q

At the point at which the marginal revenue equals zero for a monopolist facing a straight-line demand curve, the total revenue is:

a. minimum.
b. maximum.
c. rising.
d. equal to zero.

A

B.

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15
Q

Which of the following is true for the monopolist?

a. Marginal revenue is less than the price charged.
b. Economic profit is possible in the long run.
c. Profit maximizing or loss minimizing occurs when marginal revenue equals marginal cost.
d. All of the answers above are correct

A

D.

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16
Q

For a monopolist to practice effective price discrimination, one necessary condition is:

a. identical price elasticity among groups of buyers.
b. differences in the price elasticity of demand among groups of buyers.
c. that the product is a homogeneous market.
d. None of the answers above are correct.

A

B.

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17
Q

A monopolized market is characterized by:

a. sole seller of a product for which there are few suitable substitutes.
b. very strong barriers to entry.
c. a single firm facing the market demand curve.
d. All of the answers above are correct.

A

D.

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18
Q

A monopoly will price its product:

a. where total revenue is maximized.
b. where total costs are minimized.
c. at that point on the market demand curve corresponding to an output level in which marginal revenue equals marginal cost.
d. at that point on the market demand curve which intersects the marginal cost curve.

A

C.

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19
Q

A monopoly:

a. faces the market demand curve which is downward sloping.
b. has a marginal revenue curve which slopes downward and lies below its demand curve.
c. will maximize profits by producing an output level where MR = MC.
d. All of the answers above are correct.

A

D.

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20
Q

One of the necessary conditions for price discrimination to occur is that:

a. buyers in different markets have different elasticities of demand.
b. the demand curve is upward sloping.
c. buyers must be allowed to resell the good at a higher price elsewhere.
d. All of the answers above are necessary for price discrimination to occur.

A

A.

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21
Q

A price-discriminating monopoly charges the lowest price to the group that:

a. has the most elastic demand.
b. purchases the largest quantity.
c. engages in the most arbitrage.
d. is least responsive to price changes.

22
Q

__________ is a market structure characterized by (1) many small sellers, (2) a differentiated product, and (3) easy entry and exit.

A

Monopolistic Competition

23
Q

The process of creating real or apparent differences between goods and services is called ___________

A

Product Differentiation

24
Q

Advertising, packaging, product development, better quality, and better service are examples of ________

A

Nonprice Competition

25
____________ is a market structure characterized by (1) few sellers, (2) a homogeneous or differentiated product, and (3) difficult entry.
Oligopoly
26
___________ means an action by one firm may cause a reaction on the part of other firms.
Mutual Interdependence
27
The strategic moves and countermoves of rival firms can be explained using ____________
Game Theory
28
_______________ occurs when a dominant firm in an industry raises or lowers its price, and other firms follow suit.
Price Leadership
29
A (an) __________ is a formal agreement among firms to set prices and output quotas. The goal is to maximize profits, but firms have an incentive to cheat.
Cartel
30
A market structure between the extremes of perfect competition and monopoly is called ____________
Imperfect Competition
31
A (an) _________________ faces an oligopolist that assumes rivals will match a price decrease, but ignores a price increase.
Kinked Demand Curve
32
Which of the following is a characteristic of the monopolistic competition market structure? a. Many firms and a homogeneous product. b. Few firms and differentiated products. c. Few firms and similar products. d. Few firms and a homogeneous product. e. Many firms and differentiated products.
E.
33
Supporters of advertising claim that it: a. promotes the public interest. b. is a barrier to entry. c. allows new competitors a chance to gain market share. d. All of the answers above are correct.
C
34
Critics of advertising argue that it: a. lowers price by increasing competition. b. results in more variety of products. c. establishes brand loyalty, which promotes competition. d. serves as a barrier to entry for new firms.
D.
35
The theory of monopolistic competition predicts that in long-run equilibrium a monopolistically competitive firm will: a. produce the output level at which price equals long-run marginal cost. b. operate at minimum long-run average cost. c. overutilize its insufficient capacity. d. produce the output level at which price equals long-run average cost.
D.
36
A monopolistic competitive firm is inefficient because the firm: a. earns positive economic profit in the long run. b. is producing at an output corresponding to the condition that marginal cost equals price. c. is not maximizing its profit. d. produces an output where average total cost is not minimum.
D.
37
Which of the following is a characteristic of an oligopoly? a. Mutual interdependence in pricing decisions. b. Independent pricing decisions. c. Lack of control over prices. d. All of the answers above are correct.
A.
38
A kink in the demand curve facing an oligopolist is caused by: a. the belief that competitors will follow price increases but not match price decreases. b. excessive advertising. c. rapidly rising marginal revenues. d. the assumption that competitors will follow price reductions but not price increases.
D.
39
Which of the following is evidence that OPEC is an effective cartel? a. Output changes are dictated by changes in demand. b. Price changes are dictated by changes in demand. c. Members do not agree on output quotas. d. None of the answers above are correct.
D.
40
An oligopoly is a market structure in which: a. one firm has 100 percent of a market. b. there are many small firms. c. there are many firms with no control over price. d. there are few firms selling either a homogeneous or differentiated product.
D.
41
Assume that an oligopolist has a kinked demand curve. Suppose that the marginal cost curve passes through the gap in the marginal revenue curve. This means price and output will be shown by a point: a. above the curve. b. below the curve. c. at the kink. d. on the upper part of the curve. e. on the lower part of the curve.
C.
42
Which of the following is true about an oligopoly equilibrium in comparison with equilibrium under similar circumstances but with perfect competition? a. Output is larger and price is lower than under perfect competition. b. Output is larger but price is higher than under perfect competition. c. Output is smaller and price is higher than under perfect competition. d. Output is smaller and price is lower than under perfect competition.
C.
43
A monopolistically competitive market is characterized by: a. many small sellers selling a differentiated product. b. a single seller of a product that has few suitable substitutes. c. very strong barriers to entry. d. mutual interdependence in pricing decisions.
A.
44
A monopolistically competitive firm will: a. maximize profits by producing where MR = MC. b. not likely earn an economic profit in the long run. c. shut down if price is less than average variable cost. d. All of the answers above are correct.
D.
45
Which of the following is true about advertising by a firm? a. It is not always successful in increasing demand for a firm's product. b. It can increase demand and make demand more inelastic. c. It may reduce per unit costs of production when economies of scale exist. d. All of the answers above are correct.
D.
46
Which of the following is an outcome of advertising for a monopolistically competitive firm? a. Long-run average costs shift downward. b. The firm’s demand curve becomes flatter and shifts inward. c. The firm’s demand curve keeps the same slope and shifts inward. d. Long-run average costs shift upward.
D.
47
An oligopoly: a. and monopolistically competitive market produce less and charge higher prices than if their markets were perfectly competitive. b. is characterized by mutual interdependence of pricing decisions. c. may be characterized by a kinked demand curve. d. All of the answers above are correct.
D.
48
A cartel: a. is a group of firms formally agreeing to control the price and the output of a product. b. has as its primary goal to reap monopoly profits by replacing competition with cooperation. c. is illegal in the United States, but not in other nations. d. All of the answers above are correct.
D.
49
Game theory is useful for analysis in _________________ and for describing pricing among firms that are _________________. a. monopoly; merging b. perfect competition; regulated c. oligopoly; interdependent d. monopolistic competition; independent
C.
50
A game theory strategy for oligopolists to avoid a low-price outcome is ___________. a. tit-for-tat b. price leadership c. second best d. win-win
A.