Temple University
Department of Economics

Economics 1902
Principles of Microeconomics (Honors)

Fall 2009
Ritter Hall 107
10:00 -- 10:50 AM

Date (Week of) Topic Text Hwk; Due on the date shown
Aug 31, Sept 2 & 4

1)      Production Possibilities Frontier 
                       http://isc.temple.edu/economics/econ52/Outlines/PPF-remarks.htm

 i)        Characteristics

ii)       Benefits from Specialization

iii)     Benefits from Trade

iv)     Supply Curve from the PPF: Opportunity Cost: Individually and Collectively

v)      T, P and N's demand for fish: Marginal Benefit: Individually and Collectively 

Schenk

 

 
Sept 9 & 11

2)      Supply and Demand: Supply and Demand: Equilibrium, Taxes, Surpluses and Shortages

i)        Equilibrium

ii)       The gain from trade: Economic Surplus

(a)    Price = Social MC = Social MB

(b)   Consumer Surplus

(c)    Producer Surplus

Schenk on Consumer Surplus

Schenk on Producer Surplus

Total Surplus

Production Possibilities, due Sept 11
Sept 14, 16 & 18

iii)     Inefficiencies and Market Failure
            Price Ceilings and Floors
            http://isc.temple.edu/economics/hwk_52/PriceCeilingFloor.htm
            Price Ceiling
            Price Floor 
(a)    Taxes: Excise and Ad Valorum
            http://isc.temple.edu/economics/hwk_52/tax-elasticity-surplus.htm
            Taxes: Who Pays?
            Taxes and Elasticities
(b)   Imperfections on the Supply Side
1.      Monopoly
            A simple example
2.      Labor Mkts
            http://isc.temple.edu/economics/hwk_52/labor_mkt.htm

Schenk on floors and ceilings

Schenk on elasticity

Schenk on Monopoly

 
Sept 21, 23 & 25

(c)    Imperfections in the Goods Offered
1.      Externalities
            http://isc.temple.edu/economics/hwk_52/Extern_Eff.htm

Schenk on Externalities: Pt 1 and Pt 2  
Sept 28, 30

2.      Excludability and Rivalry in Consumption            http://isc.temple.edu/economics/hwk_52/PubGood_Eff.htm
i.         Private Goods,
ii.       Commons Goods,
iii.      Collective Goods and
iv.     Public Goods

The Invisible Hand & Pigou

Public Goods

Commons Goods

Collective or Club Goods

 

Fibonacci Pizza due September 30.

An answer key.

October 2, Friday, First mid-term exam

EXAM 1

  Fall 2009 Answer Key Part I and Part II
Oct 5, 7 and 9

Game Theory
1)      Introduction

            http://isc.temple.edu/economics/Econ_92/Game_Lectures/1st-Look/introduction_to_game_theory.htm

2)      Solving Games
a)      Dominant Strategies

      http://isc.temple.edu/economics/Econ_92/Game_Lectures/2nd-StratForm/StratForm.htm

b) Iterative Elimination of Dominated Strategies

      http://isc.temple.edu/economics/Econ_92/Game_Lectures/3rd-DomSolve/Solvability.htm

      http://isc.temple.edu/economics/Econ_92/Game_Lectures/3rd-DomSolve/Bertrand.htm

 
   
Oct 12, 14 & 16

c) Best Response and Nash Equilibrium

      http://isc.temple.edu/economics/Econ_92/Game_Lectures/4th-Nash/NashEq.htm

Examples: Felix and Oscar  and Pan Pizza and Zero Sum Games

      http://isc.temple.edu/economics/Econ_92/Game_Lectures/4th-Nash/cola_wars.htm

      http://isc.temple.edu/economics/Econ_92/Game_Lectures/5th-Lecture/Commons_Tragedy.htm

      http://isc.temple.edu/economics/Econ_92/Nash/MovieCritique.htm

d) Some Classic Strategic Form Games

      http://isc.temple.edu/economics/Econ_92/Game_Lectures/7a-classic-games/ClassicGames.htm

   
Oct 19, 21 & 23

1)      Mixed Strategies

a)      An Introduction to Probability http://isc.temple.edu/economics/Econ_92/Game_Lectures/Probability/descprob.htm

b) Mixed Strategies
http://isc.temple.edu/economics/Econ_92/Game_Lectures/6th-MixedStrat/mixed_strategies.htm

http://isc.temple.edu/economics/Econ_92/Game_Lectures/7th-MixedApps/mixed_strategy.htm

Mixed Strategy Applications

  1. Battling Brewers
  2. Battle of the Sexes
  3. Monopoly: The Browser Wars
     
   
Oct 26, 28 & 30

2)      Extensive Form Games
http://isc.temple.edu/economics/Econ_92/Game_Lectures/8th-ExtensiveForm/solving_extensive_form_games.htm

Kuhn's Theorem

IEDS and Backward Induction

More Backward Induction

Perfect Information in Extensive Form

Poison Pills

a)      Sub-games and sub-game perfection

PlayBox and X-Station

http://isc.temple.edu/economics/Econ_92/Game_Lectures/9th-SubGPerfEq/SubGame.htm

      http://courses.temple.edu/economics/Econ_92/Game_Lectures/9th-SubGPerfEq/george_and_gina.htm
 

Buck's Bolts


b) Threats and Commitments

Soda and dating

Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson

Browser Wars Again

 

 
 

  Solutions and Equilibria Hwk due on October 30

Key

Nov 2   Mixed Strategy Hwk due on 11/4

Key

November 4, Wednesday, Second mid-term exam

2nd Exam

   
November 6

1)      Games with Imperfect Incomplete Information

a)      Static
http://courses.temple.edu/economics/Econ_92/Game_Lectures/10th-IncompInfoStatic/incomplete_info_01.htm

Another Static Information Example

A prior problem set.  Don't submit this!

 
   
Nov 9, 11 & 13 b) Dynamic
http://courses.temple.edu/economics/Econ_92/Game_Lectures/11th-IncompInfoDynam/incomplete_information__part_ii.htm

The market for lemons

Harry Sells Edith His Car

Amanda Reckonwith Hires Angie O'Plasty

 

   
Nov 16, 18 & 20 Auctions
http://courses.temple.edu/economics/Econ_92/Game_Lectures/14th-Auctions/Lectures/Revelation_Purification.html

http://courses.temple.edu/economics/Econ_92/Game_Lectures/14th-Auctions/Lectures/glossary.htm

http://courses.temple.edu/economics/Econ_92/Game_Lectures/14th-Auctions/Mester/index.htm

http://courses.temple.edu/economics/Econ_92/Game_Lectures/14th-Auctions/Lucking-Riley/vickrey_intro.htm
   
Nov 23 & 25   Hwk Sub-Game Perfection

and Key

Nov 30, Dec 2 & 4 Bargaining    
Dec 7 & 9 This is a cushion to give us the time to either finish up or review.   International Trade and key

Extra Credit: Harry and Edith due on 12/16/2009

Dec 18, Friday,  8 AM -- 10 AM  Final Exam

Final Exam