Basic Economic Concepts

89 questions

Question 81Question

An agro-processing enterprise operating at full capacity can produce either 150 bags150\text{ bags} of cassava flour or 100 bags100\text{ bags} of garri per day using its fixed processing equipment. Assuming a constant rate of transformation between the two goods, what is the opportunity cost, in bags of cassava flour, of increasing garri production from 40 bags40\text{ bags} to 70 bags70\text{ bags} per day?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: 45

Answer

The opportunity cost of increasing garri production by 30 bags is 45 bags of cassava flour.
The opportunity cost of producing one additional bag of garri is 150/100=1.5 bags150 / 100 = 1.5\text{ bags} of cassava flour. Increasing garri output from 4040 to 70 bags70\text{ bags} requires producing 3030 additional bags. Consequently, the total opportunity cost is 30×1.5=45 bags30 \times 1.5 = 45\text{ bags} of cassava flour foregone.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Calculate the unit opportunity cost of garri
Opportunity cost of 1 bag of garri = 150 / 100 = 1.5 bags of cassava flour
Given full utilization of fixed resources, producing maximum cassava flour (150) versus maximum garri (100) establishes a constant trade-off ratio of 1.5.
2
Calculate the increase in garri production
70 - 40 = 30 bags of garri
The question specifies an expansion in garri output from 40 bags to 70 bags.
3
Calculate total foregone cassava flour
30 × 1.5 = 45 bags of cassava flour
Multiplying the extra garri produced by the unit opportunity cost yields the total foregone alternative.

Key Concept

Opportunity Cost Calculation
Question 82Question

An artisan tailor with a total capital budget of N60,000\text{N}60,000 prioritizes her business needs in a scale of preference as follows:

1. Industrial sewing machine (N35,000\text{N}35,000)
2. Electric fabric cutter (N25,000\text{N}25,000)
3. Overlock edging machine (N20,000\text{N}20,000)
4. Backup power generator (N40,000\text{N}40,000)

Assuming she rationally allocates her available capital strictly according to her scale of preference, what is the opportunity cost of her choice?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: The overlock edging machine

Answer

The overlock edging machine
Allocating the N60,000\text{N}60,000 budget according to priority allows the tailor to purchase the industrial sewing machine (N35,000\text{N}35,000) and the electric fabric cutter (N25,000\text{N}25,000). The highest-ranked item she must sacrifice due to limited funds is the overlock edging machine. Thus, the overlock edging machine is the opportunity cost of her choice.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Calculate capital allocation according to priority
Items 1 and 2 total N35,000+N25,000=N60,000\text{N}35,000 + \text{N}25,000 = \text{N}60,000, completely utilizing the available budget.
A rational decision-maker satisfies wants in strict descending order of priority until income is exhausted.
2
Identify the next best unsatisfied want
The highest-ranked item that could not be acquired is Item 3, the overlock edging machine.
Opportunity cost is defined as the next best alternative foregone when a choice is made.

Key Concept

Opportunity Cost derived from Scale of Preference
Question 83Question

A tailor receives a monthly allowance of N40,000\text{N}40,000 and arranges her pressing business needs in order of priority as follows:

1. Sewing machine maintenance: N20,000\text{N}20,000
2. Purchase of dress fabrics: N20,000\text{N}20,000
3. Workshop electricity bill payment: N15,000\text{N}15,000
4. Purchase of a new smartphone: N15,000\text{N}15,000

If she allocates her entire allowance strictly according to her scale of preference, what is the opportunity cost of her choice?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: The workshop electricity bill payment and the smartphone foregone

Answer

The workshop electricity bill payment and the smartphone foregone
By following her scale of preference, the tailor allocates her N40,000 to the top two priority items: sewing machine maintenance (N20,000) and dress fabrics (N20,000). The opportunity cost of this choice is the real sacrifice made—specifically, the workshop electricity bill payment and the smartphone foregone.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Calculate total expenditure by summing costs of items in order of priority until income is exhausted.
Items 1 and 2 cost N20,000+N20,000=N40,000\text{N}20,000 + \text{N}20,000 = \text{N}40,000, which fully exhausts the available N40,000\text{N}40,000 allowance.
A scale of preference requires satisfying wants starting from the highest priority item downwards until income is exhausted.
2
Identify the unfulfilled wants that could not be purchased due to scarcity of funds.
Item 3 (Workshop electricity bill payment) and Item 4 (Purchase of a new smartphone) are left unsatisfied.
Scarcity limits consumption choices, leaving lower-ranked items on the scale of preference unfulfilled.
3
Determine the opportunity cost of the decision.
The real cost is the workshop electricity bill payment and smartphone foregone.
Opportunity cost is defined as the alternative wants sacrificed when a choice is made.

Key Concept

Scale of Preference and Opportunity Cost
Estimated Time:1m 30s
Question 84Question

A rational student operating under a tight budget constraint needs to construct a scale of preference to allocate a limited monthly allowance of N25,000\text{N}25,000. Arrange the following competing items in descending order of priority (from top priority to lowest priority) according to the economic principles governing a scale of preference.

Drag items to arrange them in the correct order

Show answer & explanation

Answer

The correct order from top priority to lowest priority is: 1. Daily basic nutritional food expenses required for physical sustenance during the academic session, 2. Mandatory course textbooks required for passing upcoming continuous assessment examinations, 3. Subscription for a monthly high-speed internet data plan used for general research and communication, 4. Purchase of high-end designer apparel for an optional end-of-term campus party.
A scale of preference is a list of unsatisfied wants arranged in order of relative importance and urgency. A rational consumer prioritizes essential survival needs (food) first, followed by critical functional needs (mandatory textbooks), secondary comforts (internet subscription), and lastly luxury or non-essential items (designer party apparel).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify primary basic survival needs
Daily nutritional food expenses represent indispensable physiological needs.
Economic rationality dictates that physiological survival needs must be satisfied before any higher-level or secondary wants.
2
Identify primary functional and urgent obligations
Mandatory course textbooks required for upcoming exams rank second.
Textbooks represent urgent functional wants directly aligned with the student's core objective of academic performance.
3
Identify secondary comforts and utility-enhancing items
Monthly high-speed internet data plan ranks third.
General communication and research data plans provide secondary utility and comfort, ranking below mandatory academic materials.
4
Identify non-essential luxuries
Designer apparel for an optional social party ranks last.
Luxury goods and social leisure wants carry low marginal utility relative to cost under strict budget constraints.

Key Concept

Scale of Preference
Question 85Question

Match each decision-making scenario involving a municipal planning council's budget allocation on the left with its corresponding economic significance regarding the scale of preference on the right.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

Listing community infrastructure projects in strict order of importance prior to budget disbursement.
Selecting the construction of a primary healthcare center while setting aside a recreational park proposal.
The foregone recreational park project resulting from choosing the healthcare center.
Attaining maximum community satisfaction from limited municipal funds by satisfying the most pressing needs first.

Matches

Show answer & explanation

Answer

Listing community infrastructure projects in order of importance matches the formulation of a scale of preference based on rational prioritization. Selecting the healthcare center while setting aside the park matches making an economic choice under scarce resources. The foregone park project matches the realization of opportunity cost. Attaining maximum community satisfaction matches efficient allocation of resources to maximize total utility.
Each decision-making stage directly maps to a foundational principle of basic economic concepts: constructing a scale of preference involves ranking items by urgency; selecting a specific item demonstrates choice dictated by scarcity; the unchosen item represents opportunity cost; and systematic prioritization leads to efficient resource allocation.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the action of listing projects systematically before expenditure.
Identified as creating a scale of preference, which ranks wants according to priority.
A scale of preference is defined as a list of unsatisfied wants arranged in order of relative importance.
2
Evaluate the act of choosing one specific project over another due to budget constraints.
Identified as economic choice under scarcity.
Scarcity of funds forces economic agents to make choices among competing alternatives.
3
Identify the economic nature of the project that was sacrificed.
Identified as opportunity cost.
Opportunity cost is the alternative foregone when a choice is made.
4
Evaluate the overall economic outcome of satisfying urgent wants first.
Identified as efficient resource allocation maximizing total utility.
By prioritizing higher-ranked items, a consumer or firm ensures optimal satisfaction from limited financial resources.

Key Concept

Scale of Preference and Rational Choice
Question 86Question

An agro-processing cooperative with a capital budget of N250,000\text{N}250,000 arranges its immediate expenditure needs in order of priority on a scale of preference as follows:

1. Repair of main grating machine — N150,000\text{N}150,000
2. Purchase of hydraulic press — N100,000\text{N}100,000
3. Installation of a solar drying shed — N100,000\text{N}100,000
4. Procurement of cassava tubers — N80,000\text{N}80,000

If the cooperative spends its budget strictly according to this scale of preference, what is the opportunity cost of acquiring the hydraulic press?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: The installation of the solar drying shed

Answer

The installation of the solar drying shed
A scale of preference lists wants in order of importance. Given a budget constraint of N250,000\text{N}250,000, the cooperative allocates N150,000\text{N}150,000 to item 1 and the remaining N100,000\text{N}100,000 to item 2 (hydraulic press). The opportunity cost of selecting the hydraulic press is the most desirable alternative sacrificed due to that decision, which is item 3, the installation of the solar drying shed.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine which items are satisfied given the budget constraint
With a total budget of N250,000\text{N}250,000, the cooperative satisfies item 1 (Repair of main grating machine at N150,000\text{N}150,000, leaving N100,000\text{N}100,000) and item 2 (Purchase of hydraulic press at N100,000\text{N}100,000, leaving N0\text{N}0).
A rational decision maker satisfies wants in order of priority from top to bottom on the scale of preference until the budget is exhausted.
2
Identify the foregone alternatives resulting from choosing the hydraulic press
The expenditure of the remaining N100,000\text{N}100,000 on the hydraulic press prevents the cooperative from choosing items 3 and 4.
Choosing to purchase the press consumes funds that could otherwise have been used for lower-priority needs.
3
Select the highest-ranked alternative foregone to find the opportunity cost
The highest-ranked unsatisfied item is item 3: the installation of a solar drying shed.
By definition, opportunity cost is the next best alternative foregone, not the financial cost or all unsatisfied wants combined.

Key Concept

Scale of Preference and Opportunity Cost
Question 87Question

A civil servant receiving a fixed monthly salary constructs a scale of preference to allocate limited financial resources. Based on economic principles of urgency and relative importance of wants, arrange the following spending needs in order of priority from highest priority (most urgent) to lowest priority (least urgent).

Drag items to arrange them in the correct order

Show answer & explanation

Answer

The correct order of priority from highest to lowest is: Purchase of essential food items for monthly household consumption, Payment of residential house rent due for the month, Payment of children's school tuition fees for the upcoming academic term, and Acquisition of a designer wristwatch for social events.
A scale of preference is a list of unsatisfied wants arranged in order of relative importance and urgency. A rational economic agent prioritizes basic physiological survival needs (food) first, followed by essential shelter (rent), critical family investments (education), and finally non-essential luxury goods (designer wristwatch).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify basic survival necessities
Essential food items are prioritized first because physical survival is the most urgent unsatisfied want.
Economic rationality dictates that basic physiological needs take precedence over all other expenditures on a scale of preference.
2
Identify shelter and housing obligations
Payment of residential house rent is placed second.
Basic shelter secures protection and stability, making it secondary only to immediate sustenance.
3
Identify important social and educational investments
School tuition fees are ranked third.
Tuition fees represent critical long-term developmental priorities, ranking ahead of optional luxury consumption.
4
Identify luxury and non-essential wants
The designer wristwatch is placed last.
Luxury goods yield non-essential satisfaction and are deferred when financial resources are limited.

Key Concept

Scale of Preference
Question 88Question

A consumer has a fixed budget of ₦20,000 and urgently requires both a modern economic textbook and a scientific calculator, each priced at ₦20,000. If the consumer decides to purchase the economic textbook, what is the real cost of this choice?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: The scientific calculator foregone

Answer

The scientific calculator foregone
In economics, the real cost (or opportunity cost) of an action is the alternative good or service given up when a choice is made under conditions of scarcity. Since the consumer opted to purchase the textbook, the scientific calculator represents the foregone alternative and thus constitutes the real cost.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the fundamental economic problem presented in the scenario
Scarcity of resources (fixed budget of ₦20,000) relative to unlimited wants (textbook and calculator total ₦40,000).
Limited resources force the consumer to make a choice.
2
Distinguish between money cost and real cost
Money cost is the cash price paid (₦20,000), while real cost (opportunity cost) is the alternative item foregone.
Economics defines real cost in terms of sacrificed alternatives rather than monetary expenditure.
3
Determine the foregone alternative based on the choice made
Choosing the textbook means sacrificing the scientific calculator.
The scientific calculator is the next best alternative given up.

Key Concept

Real Cost (Opportunity Cost)
Question 89Question

A commercial poultry farmer operating under a strict budget constraint needs to construct a scale of preference to guide farm expenditure. Arrange the following financial needs in order of priority, from the most urgent (highest priority) to the least urgent (lowest priority).

Drag items to arrange them in the correct order

Show answer & explanation

Answer

The correct priority sequence from most urgent to least urgent is: Purchasing essential livestock vaccines and feed, followed by Repairing damaged feeding troughs and water supply pipes, then Installing automated lighting timers, and finally Repainting the administrative office block and exterior boundary fence.
A rational economic producer constructs a scale of preference by arranging needs according to urgency and utility. Livestock feed and vaccines ensure immediate survival and prevent catastrophe, making them the most pressing need. Maintaining basic operational equipment like feeding troughs comes next to sustain production. Productivity-enhancing technologies like lighting timers follow as secondary growth objectives, while cosmetic items like office painting carry the lowest urgency.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the primary function of a scale of preference.
A scale of preference ranks unsatisfied wants in order of importance and urgency to enable rational decision-making under scarcity.
Economic agents must satisfy basic survival and core operational needs before allocating scarce resources to capital enhancements or aesthetic luxuries.
2
Evaluate and rank each expenditure item based on urgency and necessity.
Essential feed and vaccines safeguard livestock survival (top priority). Repairing basic feeding equipment secures daily operations (second priority). Installing production-boosting lighting enhances yield (third priority). Office painting is purely cosmetic (lowest priority).
Ranking wants logically reflects the degree of urgency and opportunity cost involved in farm management.

Key Concept

Scale of Preference and Urgency of Wants
PreviousPage 5 / 5
Basic Economic Concepts Practice Questions — JAMB UTME — Page 5 | Examkin