Eco 301 Name_______________________________
Test 1 17 June 2005
100 points. Allocate your time efficiently.
1. Suppose that Samantha and Jason both spend $24 per week on video and movie entertainment.
When the prices of videos and movies are both $4, they both rent 3 videos and buy 3 movie tickets.
Following a video price war and an increased cost of movie tickets, the video price falls to $2 and
the movie ticket increases to $6. Samantha now rents 6 videos and buys 2 movie tickets; Jason,
however, buys 1 movie ticket and rents 9 videos.
a. Is Samantha better off or worse off after the price change?
b. Is Jason better off or worse off?
Both are better off because they have reached higher indifference curves. This is always the case
following a change in relative prices that still lets the consumer chose the original optimum bundle.
2. Suppose the demand curve for computers is downward sloping, and the income elasticity of
demand for computers is positive.
(a) Design an indifference curve-budget line diagram showing the substitution and
income effects created when the price of a computer falls. In your diagram, place
computers on the horizontal axis and all other goods on the vertical axis.
(b) How you can tell from your diagram that the income elasticity of demand for
computers is positive? Explain.