Exam 3: Consciousness and Learning
A firm has current and future marginal productivity of capital given by MPK = 10,000 - 2K + N, and marginal productivity of labour given by MPN = 50 - 2N + K. The price of capital is $5,000, the real interest rate is 10%, and capital depreciates at a 15% rate. The real wage is $15.
a. uc = (r + d)pK = .25 × $5000 = $1250.
b. Setting w = MPN gives 15 = 50 - 2N + K, or 2N = 35 + K. Setting uc = MPK gives 1250 = 10,000 - 2K + N, or N =-8750 - 2K or 2N = -17,500 + 4K. Setting = 17,500 - 4K = 35 - K gives 3K = 17,535 which yields K = 5845. Then N =2940.
Franco the economist uses data for Canada to estimate a Keynesian consumption function:
Cd = 0.46 + 0.92Y
In this equation, what is the marginal propensity to consume?
C
Briefly discuss the idea of "twin deficit." In your answer, include historical evidence, if any, and explain why some economists do not agree with the idea. Is Ricardian equivalence proposition consistent with the idea of twin deficit? Why?
The twin deficit idea is that the budget deficit is the primary cause of current deficit. Therefore, if government runs a budget deficit, we should expect to see the current deficit as well. The evidence on twin deficit is mixed. Although twin deficit can be observed in some periods of the Canadian and the U.S. budget deficit and current account data, it is not evident in some other periods. In addition, the opposite has occurred in Japan. Therefore, some economists doubt that there is a correlation between the two deficits. The Ricardian equivalence hypothesis is not consistent with the twin deficit. According to the Ricardian equivalence hypothesis, a deficit caused by a tax cut will lead to higher saving and, therefore, will not lead to any deficit in the current account.
Suppose the current account shows debits of $4.7 billion and credits of $5.3 billion. The current account balance is ________, and the capital account balance is ________.
Consider a Keynesian consumption function with desired consumption equal to 0.9 Y, where Y is income. Government purchases are $1000, net exports are zero, and desired investment varies with real interest rate according to the following schedule:
Assume the interest rate adjusts so that the economy gets to equilibrium. Equilibrium output at full employment is $50,000. Find the values of consumption, investment, and the real interest rate at full-employment equilibrium.

Perpetual plastic plant makers cost $200 each. The number of plants that your firm expects to produce each year for each level of capital stock is as follows:
?
The plants sell for $1 each and your firm faces no other costs. The real interest rate is 10% and the depreciation rate of capital is 15%. There is a 20% tax on your firm's revenues from selling these plants.
a. What is the firm's tax-adjusted user cost of capital?
b. What is the marginal product of capital for each number of machines (1, 2, 3, 4, and 5)?
c. How many machines should the firm buy? What is their production, pretax revenue, and profit after deducting taxes, interest, and depreciation?

Suppose a country has the following balance of payments data:
a. Calculate the current account balance.
b. Calculate the capital account balance.
c. Calculate the trade balance.
d. Calculate net factor payments.

A large open economy has desired national saving of Sd = 20 + 200 rw and desired national investment of Id = 30 - 200 rw. The foreign economy has desired national saving of Sd = 40 + 100 rw and desired national investment of IdFor = 75 - 400 rw.
a. Calculate the equilibrium values of rw, CA, CAFor, S, I, SFor, and IFor.
b. Suppose Sd rises by 45, so that now Sd = 65 + 200 rw. Calculate the equilibrium values of rw CA, CAFor, S, I, SFor, and IFor.v
c. Suppose with Sd back to Sd = 20 + 200 rw as in part a, that Id rises by 45, to Id = 75 - 200 rw. Calculate the equilibrium values of rw, CA, CAFor, S, I, SFor and IFor.
Consider a small open economy with desired national saving of Sd = 20 + 200 rw and desired investment of Id = 30 - 200 rw. Calculate national saving, investment, and the current account balance in equilibrium when the real world interest rate is
a. rw = 0.025
b. rw = 0.05
c. rw = 0.0
d. Now suppose something causes desired national saving to increase by 10, so that it is now Sd = 30 + 200 rw. Repeat parts a, b, and c.
e. Suppose, with desired national saving at its original level of Sd = 20 + 200 rw, something causes desired investment to rise by 10, Id = 40 - 200 rw. Repeat parts a, b, and c.
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