2011 AP Microeconomics Exams
2011 AP Microeconomics Exams
2011 AP Microeconomics Exams
AP Microeconomics Exams
Dave Anderson
Centre College
Chief Reader
Agenda
Exams
Scores
Good/Bad Spots
Resources
Discussion
Microeconomics
Committee Chair
Pamela M. Schmitt, United States Naval Academy
Michael A. Brody, Menlo School
Committee Members
Luis F. Fernandez, Oberlin College
Margaret Ray, Mary Washington College
Dee Mecham, The Bishops School
Sandra K. Wright, Adlai E. Stevenson High School
College Board Advisor
Mary Kohelis, Brooke High School
Chief Reader
David Anderson, Centre College
ETS Assessment Specialists
Fekru Debebe
Hwanwei Zhao
Exams
Microeconomics
50,016 Operational Exams
7,600 Overseas Exams
4.17
2.88
1.12
4.45
3.50
2.22
10
6
5
Scores
5
4
3
2
1
Micro
14.6%
25.9%
21.6%
16.0%
21.9%
PRICE
PM
Marginal Social Benefit
Demand = Marg. Private Ben.
0
36%
answered
correctly
QM QS
Socially
Optimal
Quantity
Quantity of Educations
PRICE
Deadweight
loss from
underproduction
PM
Marginal Social Benefit
Demand = Marg. Private Ben.
0
33%
answered
correctly
QM QS
Quantity of Educations
9. Micro 1 (c)
Question: Assume that the monopolist is
maximizing profit. Is allocative efficiency
achieved? Explain.
Micro 1 (c)
Price
Marginal
Cost
PM
PS
Demand
0
QM
QS
Quantity
Marginal
Revenue
9. Micro 1 (c)
Answer: No, because P MC / D MC / MSB
MSC.
8. Micro 1 (g)
Question: Assume instead that the monopolist
practices perfect price discrimination (also
called first-degree price discrimination).
(ii) What will be the value of the consumer
surplus?
Micro 1 (c)
Price
Marginal
Cost
PS
Demand
0
QS
Quantity
8. Micro 1 (g)
Answer: Zero (because each customer is
charged the most he or she is willing to pay,
thus eliminating any consumer surplus).
7. Micro 1 (d)
Question: Between the prices of $16 and $18,
is the monopolist in the elastic, inelastic, or
unit elastic portion of its demand curve.
Explain.
Inelastic range
$18
$16
Demand
0
11 12
Marginal
Revenue
Quantity
7. Micro 1 (d)
Answer: Demand is inelastic because
TR increases as price increases /
MR is negative /
the price elasticity is .74 < 1.
27% answered correctly
MFC
MRP
0
25.3% answered
correctly
QL
Quantity of
Labor
PRICE
Deadweight
loss from
underproduction
PM
Marginal Social Benefit
Demand = Marg. Private Ben.
0
QM QS
Quantity of Educations
PRICE
QC
QM QS
Quantity of Educations
4. Micro 1 (f)
Question:
Assume that regulators impose a price ceiling of
$22. What is the marginal revenue of the eighth
unit?
Micro 1 (f)
Price
$24
Price
$22
ceiling
Demand
0
Quantity
8 9
Marginal
Revenue
Micro 1 (f)
Price
Price
$22
ceiling
Demand
0
Quantity
9
Marginal
Revenue
4. Micro 4 (f)
Answer: $22.
Wage
Supply of Labor
12.5
10
Marginal Revenue
Product
100 150
Quantity of Labor
Wage
Supply of Labor
12.5
10
Marginal Revenue
Product
100 150
Quantity of Labor
2. Micro 3 (b)
Question: Assume a lump-sum tax is
imposed on the [perfectly competitive]
producers of good X [known to create a
negative externality]. What happens to the
deadweight loss? Explain.
2. Micro 3 (b)
Answer: There is no change because a lump
sum tax does not affect marginal cost, so the
quantity supplied remains the same.
A discussion of firms exiting due to the lump
sum tax and the resulting change in DWL is
also acceptable.
(6% answered correctly)
1. Micro 3 (a)
Question: Draw a correctly labeled graph of
the market for good X [known to create a
negative externality] and show
(iv) The area of deadweight loss, shaded
completely
Deadweight
loss from over
production
PRICE
Answer:
Marginal Social Cost
Demand = MSB
QS
4.1% answered
correctly
QM
Market
Quantity
QUANTITY
Deadweight Loss
with Negative Externalities
Quantity levels less than or greater than the efficient
quantity create efficiency losses (or deadweight losses).
--McConnell, Brue, Flynn, 18e, p. 129
Price in pesos
Q pesos
$/Peso
PL
FX/$
Value of Peso
E.V. of Peso
Peso in dollars
$ vs. Pesos
Price of $ / Peso
Peso in relation to $
E