Microeconomics: Unit 2 - Consumer's Theory - MIT

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Microeconomics: Unit 2 –
Consumer’s Theory | MIT
Patricia Galves Derolle

3 minutos

Unity 2: Consumer’s Theory

Utility Maximization: 3 steps

1.  Assumptions about preferences

1.1. Completeness: when you compare, you have a


favorite. One cannot be indifferent or not sure about a
certain bundle of goods.

1.2. Trasitivity

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1.3. Non-satiation (more is always better)

// Properties of indifference curves

An indifference curve is a curve showing all combinations


of consumption along which an individual is indifferent.
Higher indifference curves are better (non-satiation); they
are always downward sloping; they cannot cross and there
is one indifference curve per bundle.

2.  Utility functions: it’s the mathematical


representation of preferences.

2.1. Marginal Utility: how your utility changes with each


additional unit of the good, or the derivative of the utility
function, that means that each additional thing, diminishes
your utility (it diminishes because it is worth less to you
and it is positive because of non-satiation).

2.2. Marginal Rate of Substitution: it’s the rate at which you


are willing to trade-off the Y-axis for the X-axis. MRS =
-MUm(x)↓ / MUp(y)↑

3. Budget constraints (ignore savings, budget =


income)

3.1. Concept of Opportunity Cost: value of the foregone


alternative

3.2. Constrained choice: what’s the highest utility you can


achieve given the budget constraints? Intuitively: what’s the
most you can have given the constraints that are placed on
you? Graphically: what’s the furthest out indifference curve
you can achieve?

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3.3. Marginal Rate of Substitution: ratio of the marginal


utilities. It’s the negative of the marginal utility of movies
over the marginal utility of pizza (-x / y). It’s the rate at
which you’re willing to substitute between movies and
pizza, which is a function of your marginal utilities. If your
marginal utility for movies is very high, then you need a lot
of pizzas. If your marginal utility of movies is very low,
you’d be happy to give up a movie even for a small fraction
of pizza.

MRS = – x / y = budget constraint slope = MRT = -Pm /Pp

Benefits = Costs (maximization)

MUmovies / Pmovies = MUpizzas / Ppizzas

Publicado por Patricia Galves Derolle

Sobre mim: http://br.linkedin.com/in/patriciagalvesderolle/


Ver todos os posts por Patricia Galves Derolle

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