Scarcity and Choice

12 soru

Soru 1Soru

A student receives a cash gift of ₦5,000 and must choose between buying a prescribed Economics textbook and purchasing a new pair of shoes, both priced at ₦5,000. If the student decides to buy the textbook, what is the opportunity cost of this decision?

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Cevap: The pair of shoes foregone

Cevap

The pair of shoes foregone
Opportunity cost represents the real cost of a choice, expressed in terms of the next best alternative foregone. Because purchasing the textbook means giving up the pair of shoes, the shoes represent the opportunity cost.

Adım Adım Çözüm

1
Identify the scarce resource and the competing alternatives.
The student has a limited budget of ₦5,000 and two mutually exclusive wants: a textbook and shoes.
Scarcity of resources forces consumers to make a choice among competing wants.
2
Apply the definition of opportunity cost to the choice made.
By selecting the textbook, the student sacrifices the opportunity to own the pair of shoes.
Opportunity cost (real cost) is defined as the next best alternative foregone when a choice is executed.

Anahtar Kavram

Opportunity Cost vs Money Cost
Tahmini Süre:1m 0s
Soru 2Soru

A farmer operating on a fixed piece of farmland can cultivate either yam or cassava according to the following production schedule:

Production OptionYam (bags)Cassava (bags)
P1000
Q7520
R4535
S045

If the farmer changes production from Option Q to Option R, what is the opportunity cost of producing the additional 15 bags of cassava, expressed in bags of yam foregone?

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Cevap: 30

Cevap

The opportunity cost of producing 15 additional bags of cassava when moving from Option Q to Option R is 30 bags of yam foregone.
Moving production from Option Q to Option R increases cassava production by 15 bags (from 20 to 35 bags), but requires reducing yam production from 75 bags to 45 bags. The reduction of 30 bags of yam represents the real cost or opportunity cost of producing the additional cassava.

Adım Adım Çözüm

1
Find the quantity of yam produced under Option Q.
Yam output at Option Q = 75 bags.
Option Q yields 75 bags of yam and 20 bags of cassava.
2
Find the quantity of yam produced under Option R.
Yam output at Option R = 45 bags.
Option R yields 45 bags of yam and 35 bags of cassava.
3
Subtract the yam output of Option R from Option Q to find the foregone alternative.
75 - 45 = 30 bags of yam.
Opportunity cost measures the quantity of the sacrificed alternative (yam) needed to gain more of another commodity (cassava).

Anahtar Kavram

Opportunity Cost in Production Schedules
Soru 3Soru

A local government council has a fixed capital budget of ₦50 million and must choose between constructing a township road network and rebuilding a community healthcare center. If the council resolves to rebuild the healthcare center, what is the real cost of this economic decision?

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Cevap: The township road network that was foregone

Cevap

The township road network that was foregone
In economic analysis, real cost (or opportunity cost) refers to the real goods or services given up in order to obtain something else. By selecting the healthcare center, the local government sacrificed the opportunity to construct the township road network, making the foregone road network the real cost of the decision.

Adım Adım Çözüm

1
Identify the scarce resource and competing alternatives
Resource is ₦50 million budget; alternatives are township road network vs community healthcare center.
Scarcity of resources necessitates making a choice between alternative uses.
2
Distinguish between money cost and real cost
Money cost is ₦50 million, while real cost is the sacrificed alternative (the township road network).
In economics, real cost is expressed in terms of the next best alternative foregone, not monetary expenditure.

Anahtar Kavram

Money Cost versus Real Cost
Soru 4Soru

A manufacturing enterprise operates under a strict budget constraint of \text{\mathbb{N}}20\text{ million} and must choose among three mutually exclusive capital projects: Project X yields an expected net profit of \text{\mathbb{N}}35\text{ million}, Project Y yields an expected net profit of \text{\mathbb{N}}28\text{ million}, and Project Z yields an expected net profit of \text{\mathbb{N}}22\text{ million}. If the firm decides to execute Project X, which statement accurately articulates the fundamental economic relationship between scarcity, choice, and opportunity cost in this scenario?

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Cevap: Scarcity of capital forces the firm to make a choice, resulting in an opportunity cost equal to the \text{\mathbb{N}}28\text{ million} net profit foregone from Project Y.

Cevap

Scarcity of capital forces the firm to make a choice, resulting in an opportunity cost equal to the \text{\mathbb{N}}28\text{ million} net profit foregone from Project Y.
Because human wants exceed limited resources (scarcity), economic agents are compelled to make a choice based on a scale of preference. When Project X is chosen, the firm sacrifices the benefits of all other options. In economics, opportunity cost is defined specifically as the value of the next best alternative sacrificed—in this case, Project Y, which yields \text{\mathbb{N}}28\text{ million}.

Adım Adım Çözüm

1
Identify the resource constraint and available options
The firm faces capital scarcity (limited to \text{\mathbb{N}}20\text{ million}) and must rank mutually exclusive options: Project X (\text{\mathbb{N}}35\text{ million}), Project Y (\text{\mathbb{N}}28\text{ million}), and Project Z (\text{\mathbb{N}}22\text{ million}).
Scarcity mandates that not all desired projects can be funded simultaneously, necessitating a scale of preference.
2
Determine the choice made and identify all foregone alternatives
The firm chooses Project X. The unselected alternatives are Project Y and Project Z.
Economic choice involves selecting the option that maximizes net benefit according to the scale of preference.
3
Calculate the opportunity cost by locating the next best alternative
The next best alternative sacrificed is Project Y, valued at \text{\mathbb{N}}28\text{ million}.
Opportunity cost is defined strictly as the value of the single highest-ranked alternative foregone when a choice is made under scarcity.

Anahtar Kavram

Relationship between Scarcity, Choice, Scale of Preference, and Opportunity Cost
Soru 5Soru

A baker has a limited quantity of flour that can be used to produce either 20 loaves of bread or 5 cakes. If the baker decides to bake 5 cakes, what is the opportunity cost of this choice?

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Cevap: The 20 loaves of bread foregone

Cevap

The 20 loaves of bread foregone
Opportunity cost is defined as the real cost of a choice expressed in terms of the next best alternative foregone. Since the baker used the available flour to produce 5 cakes instead of 20 loaves of bread, the 20 loaves of bread represent the opportunity cost.

Adım Adım Çözüm

1
Identify the choice made and the alternative sacrificed due to limited resources.
The baker chose to produce 5 cakes, which required all available flour, sacrificing the production of 20 loaves of bread.
Because resources are scarce, choosing one option means forfeiting the benefit of the next best alternative.

Anahtar Kavram

Opportunity Cost
Tahmini Süre:45s
Soru 6Soru

An economy operates along a linear-segmented Production Possibility Curve with full employment of resources, producing only Solar Panels (SS) and Wind Turbines (TT). Its production schedule is given in the table below:

CombinationSolar Panels (SS)Wind Turbines (TT)
P1000
Q8510
R6520
S4030
U040

If the society decides to reallocate its scarce resources to increase the output of Wind Turbines from 1010 units to 3030 units, what is the average opportunity cost per unit of Wind Turbine gained, expressed in terms of Solar Panels foregone?

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Cevap: 2.25

Cevap

2.25
Moving from Combination Q to Combination S increases Wind Turbine production from 1010 to 3030 units (a gain of 2020 units). Simultaneously, Solar Panel production falls from 8585 to 4040 units (a loss of 4545 units). The opportunity cost per unit of Wind Turbine gained is the total number of Solar Panels foregone divided by the total Wind Turbines gained: 45÷20=2.2545 \div 20 = 2.25.

Adım Adım Çözüm

1
Determine initial output of Solar Panels at 1010 units of Wind Turbines
At 1010 Wind Turbines (Combination Q), Solar Panel production is 8585 units.
Establishing the baseline production combination before reallocation.
2
Determine new output of Solar Panels at 3030 units of Wind Turbines
At 3030 Wind Turbines (Combination S), Solar Panel production is 4040 units.
Establishing the ending production combination after reallocation.
3
Calculate total sacrificed Solar Panels and total gained Wind Turbines
Solar Panels foregone = 8540=4585 - 40 = 45 units. Wind Turbines gained = 3010=2030 - 10 = 20 units.
Opportunity cost measures the sacrifice of alternative output necessary to obtain additional units of the target output.
4
Calculate marginal/average opportunity cost per unit gained
Average Opportunity Cost = 45 Solar Panels20 Wind Turbines=2.25\frac{45 \text{ Solar Panels}}{20 \text{ Wind Turbines}} = 2.25 Solar Panels per Wind Turbine.
Dividing total units foregone by total units gained provides the unit opportunity cost.

Anahtar Kavram

Marginal Opportunity Cost along a Production Possibility Curve
Soru 7Soru

A state government with a fixed capital expenditure allocation of N800 million\text{N}800\text{ million} must choose between two mutually exclusive development projects: constructing a regional specialist hospital costing N800 million\text{N}800\text{ million} or building an agricultural processing export terminal costing N750 million\text{N}750\text{ million} that is projected to generate substantial trade revenues. If the government selects and constructs the regional specialist hospital, what is the real cost (opportunity cost) of this decision?

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Cevap: The foregone agricultural processing export terminal and the trade benefits it would have yielded.

Cevap

The foregone agricultural processing export terminal and the trade benefits it would have yielded.
In economics, scarcity forces decision-makers to choose among competing alternatives. The real cost (opportunity cost) of choosing one option is the satisfied need or benefit of the next best alternative that is sacrificed. By choosing to build the hospital, the government gives up the opportunity to build the agricultural processing export terminal and capture its trade benefits.

Adım Adım Çözüm

1
Identify the fundamental economic problem presented in the scenario.
The state government faces scarcity of capital resources (N800 million\text{N}800\text{ million} available) and must make a choice between competing projects.
Scarcity necessitates choice, which gives rise to opportunity cost.
2
Distinguish between money cost and real (opportunity) cost.
The money cost is the financial outlay of N800 million\text{N}800\text{ million}. The real cost is the alternative project sacrificed.
Economic analysis defines real cost as the benefit of the next best alternative sacrificed when a choice is made.
3
Determine the specific opportunity cost of selecting the hospital project.
Selecting the hospital means completely forfeiting the construction and economic revenues of the agricultural processing export terminal.
The export terminal represents the next best alternative option sacrificed due to limited financial capital.

Anahtar Kavram

Difference between Money Cost and Opportunity Cost in Resource Allocation
Soru 8Soru

Match each economic scenario in Column A with its corresponding economic concept in Column B.

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Öğeler

A situation where available productive resources are insufficient to satisfy all human wants.
A student listing desired items in order of pressing importance before spending their allowance.
Selecting to buy a textbook rather than a pair of shoes due to limited financial resources.
The pair of shoes given up in order to acquire the textbook.

Eşleşmeler

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Cevap

Resource insufficiency corresponds to Scarcity; ordering wants by importance corresponds to Scale of Preference; selecting one item over another corresponds to Choice; and the foregone alternative corresponds to Opportunity Cost.
Each economic scenario correctly maps to its foundational economic concept: resource insufficiency defines Scarcity; prioritizing wants constitutes building a Scale of Preference; picking one item over another represents Choice; and the sacrificed alternative defines Opportunity Cost.

Adım Adım Çözüm

1
Identify the fundamental cause of economic decision-making in the first scenario.
Insufficient resources to satisfy unlimited wants represents Scarcity.
Scarcity is the core reason individuals and societies must make economic decisions.
2
Analyze the preparation of a list based on priority in the second scenario.
Ordering items by importance represents a Scale of Preference.
A scale of preference helps decision-makers systematically satisfy their most urgent wants first.
3
Examine the act of selection in the third scenario.
Selecting a textbook over shoes represents Choice.
Because of scarcity, decision-makers are compelled to choose among competing wants.
4
Identify what is sacrificed in the fourth scenario.
The shoes given up represent the Opportunity Cost.
Opportunity cost is defined specifically as the alternative foregone when a choice is made.

Anahtar Kavram

Basic Economic Concepts: Scarcity, Choice, Scale of Preference, and Opportunity Cost
Soru 9Soru

Match each economic scenario or description on the left with its corresponding foundational concept of scarcity and choice on the right.

Soldaki öğeye tıklayın, sonra eşleşen sağdaki öğeye tıklayın

Öğeler

A household arranges its list of unsatisfied wants in decreasing order of priority to guide spending under a fixed income.
A state government selects a coastal highway construction project over a rural electrification scheme because public revenue is insufficient for both.
The specific real alternative that a worker gives up in order to accept a full-time university scholarship.
The universal condition where available economic resources are inadequate to satisfy all human desires.

Eşleşmeler

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Cevap

The household listing wants by priority matches Scale of Preference; the government selecting one project over another matches Economic Choice; the foregone alternative worker sacrifice matches Real Cost (Opportunity Cost); and limited resources relative to unlimited desires matches Scarcity.
Each economic scenario corresponds precisely to its core foundational concept: listing unsatisfied wants by importance forms a scale of preference; selecting between mutually exclusive options due to resource limits demonstrates economic choice; the foregone alternative represents real cost (opportunity cost); and the fundamental imbalance between finite resources and infinite desires defines scarcity.

Adım Adım Çözüm

1
Analyze the first scenario regarding listing wants in order of importance.
Identified as Scale of Preference.
A scale of preference is a list of unsatisfied wants arranged in order of relative priority.
2
Analyze the government's decision to pick one project over another.
Identified as Economic Choice.
Choice is the act of selecting among alternative uses of limited resources.
3
Analyze the worker's foregone alternative.
Identified as Real Cost (Opportunity Cost).
Opportunity cost represents the next best alternative foregone when a decision is made.
4
Analyze the description of limited resources versus unlimited wants.
Identified as Scarcity.
Scarcity is the basic economic problem of finite resources relative to infinite wants.

Anahtar Kavram

Interrelationship among Scarcity, Choice, Scale of Preference, and Opportunity Cost
Soru 10Soru

A tailor with a limited quantity of fabric must decide whether to sew school uniforms or evening gowns. If the tailor chooses to produce school uniforms, what constitutes the real cost of this production decision?

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Cevap: The quantity of evening gowns that could not be sewn as a result

Cevap

The quantity of evening gowns that could not be sewn as a result
Real cost (opportunity cost) refers to the alternative commodity or satisfaction sacrificed when limited resources are allocated to a particular line of production. Sacrificing evening gowns to produce uniforms represents the real cost of the choice.

Adım Adım Çözüm

1
Identify the resource constraint and choice
The quantity of fabric is limited, making it impossible to produce both uniforms and gowns to full capacity simultaneously.
Scarcity of resources forces economic agents to make choices.
2
Apply the definition of real cost
Real cost (opportunity cost) is defined as the real goods or services foregone when a decision is made.
Distinguishing real cost from financial outlay is essential in economic reasoning.
3
Determine the foregone alternative
Choosing to devote the limited fabric to school uniforms means giving up the evening gowns that could have been produced.
The unproduced evening gowns represent the true sacrifice or real cost of producing uniforms.

Anahtar Kavram

Real Cost vs Money Cost
Tahmini Süre:1m 0s
Soru 11Soru

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?

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Cevap: 45

Cevap

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.

Adım Adım Çözüm

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.

Anahtar Kavram

Opportunity Cost Calculation
Soru 12Soru

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?

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Cevap: The scientific calculator foregone

Cevap

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.

Adım Adım Çözüm

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.

Anahtar Kavram

Real Cost (Opportunity Cost)
Scarcity and Choice Alıştırma Soruları — JAMB UTME | Examkin