中级微观经济学教学大纲［王则柯).docVIP

四学分中级微观经济学教学大纲 王则柯 MICROECONOMICS ( 4 credits, as of 2002 ) Classroom Lecture Notes ( Draft, to be improved ) By Wang Zeke Lnswzk@zsu.edu.cn Based on Intermediate Microeconomics, by Hal R. Varian, Fifth Edition, referring to Price Theory and Applications, by Jack Hirshleifer and Amihai Glazer, Fourth Edition. You’d better to think it as the First step of academic training in Economics Tips: Essential contents are mainly at or near figures Pay attention to graphically problem-solving We will focus on short-run study, and leave you discrete cases Item with stars, such as * Nash Theorem, are optional Chapter 0 Economics The source of all economic problems is scarcity. Thus problems of trade-off, and choice. Economics, as a way of thinking, as a dismal science. Problems-solutions-hidden consequences. Main decision-making agents: individuals (household), firms, and governments. Objects of economic choice are basically commodities, including goods and services. Main economic activities: consumption, production, and exchange. Microeconomics and macroeconomics: to show the invisible hand and to supplement it. The circular flow of economic activities. The product market and the factor market. The market relation is mutual and voluntary. Positive issues and normative issues. Marginal analysis. Relations between total, average, and marginal magnitudes: MM is the slope of the TM curve; AM is the slope of the ray from the origin to the point at the TM curve. Thus, 1, TM increasing (decreasing) if and only if MM 0 ( MM 0 ) ; 2, If TM is at maximum or minimum, then MM = 0; and 3, AM increasing (decreasing) if and only if MM AM ( MM AM ); 4, If AM is at maximum or minimum, then MM = AM, Or MM cuts AM at the latter’s maximum or minimum. Chapter 1 The Market Economics proceeds by developing Models of social phenomena. By a model we mean a simplified representation of reality. (E