BackMacroeconomics Midterm 2 Review – Step-by-Step Study Guidance
Study Guide - Smart Notes
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Q1. If an economy has an annual GDP growth rate of 7%, how many years will it take for the GDP to double?
Background
Topic: Economic Growth & The Rule of 70
This question tests your understanding of how to estimate the doubling time of GDP using the Rule of 70, a shortcut for exponential growth calculations.
Key Terms and Formula:
Rule of 70: An approximation used to estimate the number of years it takes for a variable to double, given a constant annual growth rate.
The formula is:
$\text{Doubling Time (years)} = \frac{70}{\text{Annual Growth Rate (%)}}$
Step-by-Step Guidance
Identify the annual growth rate: In this case, it is 7%.
Set up the Rule of 70 formula with the given growth rate:
$\text{Doubling Time} = \frac{70}{7}$
Calculate the result of the division to find the number of years it takes for GDP to double.
Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!
Final Answer: 10 years
$\frac{70}{7} = 10$
So, at a 7% annual growth rate, GDP will double in approximately 10 years.
Q2. Name the two components that make up "National Saving."
Background
Topic: National Saving in Macroeconomics
This question tests your understanding of how national saving is defined and its components in the context of the macroeconomy.
Key Terms:
Private Saving: The portion of households' income that is not used for consumption or paying taxes.
Public Saving: The difference between government tax revenue and government spending.
The formula for National Saving is:
$\text{National Saving} = \text{Private Saving} + \text{Public Saving}$
Step-by-Step Guidance
Recall that national saving is the sum of what households and the government save.
Identify the two sectors: households (private) and government (public).
State the two components that, when added together, make up national saving.
Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!
Final Answer: Private Saving and Public Saving
National saving is the sum of private saving (by households and firms) and public saving (by the government).
Q3. In the Market for Loanable Funds, what specific variable is measured on the vertical axis?
Background
Topic: Loanable Funds Market Graph
This question tests your understanding of the standard axes used in the loanable funds market diagram, which is central to macroeconomic models of saving and investment.
Key Terms:
Loanable Funds Market: A model that shows the market outcome of the demand for funds generated by borrowers and the supply of funds provided by lenders.
Real Interest Rate: The interest rate adjusted for inflation, representing the true cost of borrowing.
Step-by-Step Guidance
Recall the standard axes for the loanable funds market graph.
Identify what is typically measured on the vertical axis in this market.
Think about why this variable is important for both savers and borrowers.
Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!
Final Answer: The Real Interest Rate
The vertical axis in the loanable funds market graph measures the real interest rate, which determines the cost of borrowing and the reward for saving.
Q4. If the government moves from a budget surplus to a budget deficit, which way does the supply curve for loanable funds shift?
Background
Topic: Fiscal Policy and Loanable Funds Market
This question tests your understanding of how government budget positions affect the supply of loanable funds in the economy.
Key Terms:
Budget Surplus: When government revenue exceeds government spending.
Budget Deficit: When government spending exceeds government revenue.
Supply Curve (Loanable Funds): Represents the total funds available for lending in the economy.
Step-by-Step Guidance
Recall that public saving is part of the supply of loanable funds.
Consider what happens to public saving when the government runs a deficit instead of a surplus.
Think about how a decrease in public saving affects the overall supply of loanable funds.
Determine which direction the supply curve shifts as a result.
Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!
Final Answer: To the left (decreasing the supply of loanable funds)
When the government moves to a deficit, public saving decreases, shifting the supply curve for loanable funds to the left.
Q5. Does a change in the interest rate cause a "shift of" or a "movement along" the demand curve for loanable funds?
Background
Topic: Loanable Funds Market Dynamics
This question tests your understanding of the difference between movements along a curve and shifts of the curve in economic models.
Key Terms:
Movement Along the Curve: Occurs when a change in the variable on the axis (here, interest rate) causes a change in quantity demanded or supplied.
Shift of the Curve: Occurs when a non-price determinant changes, causing the entire curve to move.
Step-by-Step Guidance
Recall what is measured on the vertical axis in the loanable funds market (real interest rate).
Consider what happens to the demand for loanable funds when the interest rate changes, holding all else constant.
Decide whether this is a movement along the demand curve or a shift of the curve.
Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!
Final Answer: A movement along the curve
A change in the interest rate causes a movement along the demand curve for loanable funds, not a shift of the curve.