Mr. Beck

SUNY College at Oneonta

Review Questions for Chapter 28-Solutions


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Review Questions for Economics 110


1. An increase in transfer payments (such as social security benefits, unemployment compensation, and welfare) would increase households' disposable incomes. This would result in an increase in consumption (C).
    Since consumption and government spending (G) are both components of total spending [C + I + G +(X-IM)], a combined  increase in both government spending (G) and transfer payments would result in the greatest amount of increased spending. The correct answer is a.
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2.    The greatest increase in the level of real GDP (Y) would result from the greatest increase in total spending. Decreases in government spending (G) and increases in net taxes (T) both involve decreases in spending. Therefore, choices b, c , and d all involve a resultant decrease in the level of real GDP (Y). Choice e involves both an increase in spending (the increase in G) and a decrease in spending (increase in T), while choice a just involves a direct increase in spending (the increase in government spending, G, by 10). The correct answer is thus a.
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3.     A decrease in net taxes (T) will increase disposable income and thus cause consumption to increase. Since government spending (G) and consumption (C) are both components of total spending, increasing them both simultaneously would result in the greatest combined  increase in spending and thus in real GDP (Y). This double effect would be achieved by choice b, an increase in government spending (G) accompanied by a decrease in net taxes (T).
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4.    Inflationary increases in prices are caused by excess aggregate demand due to excessive spending. The largest increase in spending will result from choice b, the increase in government spending (G) of 10. This is the only choice which just involves a direct increase in spending. Choice a (an increase in net taxes, T) and choice d (a decrease in government spending, G) will both involve a decrease in real expenditures, while choices c and e both involve a combination of an increase and a decrease in total spending.
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5. Supply-side economists believe that tax cuts, choice a, will encourage labor to work more hours and will provide incentives for businesses to increase their investment spending. The result would be an increase in aggregate supply (shift the entire aggregate supply curve to the right). This will have the beneficial effect of increasing the economy's level of real GDP without the accompanying undesirable inflationary price increases.


6.     A decrease in taxes and an increase in transfer payments will both increase household disposable income and thus cause an increase in people's ability to consume.
    Since both consumption (C) and government spending (G) are components of total spending, the greatest increase will result from choice c, an increase in government spending (G) accompanied by a decrease in taxes and an increase in transfer payments.
Return to Question 6


7.     To eliminate inflation, total spending must decrease. An increase in taxes, choice c, would decrease household disposable income and thus succeed in decreasing consumption (C), the major component of total spending. All of the other choices would increase total spending, thereby contributing to an increased inflation rate.
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8.    A successful supply-side tax cut would encourage labor to work more hours and will provide incentives for businesses to increase their investment spending. This will shift the aggregate supply curve to the right. Since tax cuts increase household disposable income, tax cuts will increase household consumption spending and shift the entire aggregate demand curve to the right. Combining shifts in both aggregate demand and supply to the right results in an increase in the economy's real GDP without the accompanying undesirable inflationary price increases. The correct choice is a.
    The result is shown as the change from point E to point N on the graph below:

Graph solution Q8
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9.    Advocates of smaller government prefer tax cuts when the economy is in a recession. This will increase consumer demand and stimulate the economy without requiring any increases in government spending. When the economy is in an inflationary period, the desired fiscal policy is to decrease total spending. This would provide a perfect opportunity to decrease government spending. The decreased government spending would decrease aggregate demand and help slow down the inflationary price increases while reducing the influence of government in the economy.
    The correct choice is b.
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10.    A decrease in the level of real GDP (Y) would result from a decrease in total spending. An increase in taxes of 10, choice b, would decrease household disposable income and thus succeed in decreasing consumption (C), the major component of total spending. All of the other choices involve either an increase in government spending (G) or a decrease in taxes, both of which would increase total spending, thus increasing the level of real GDP (Y).
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11.    Advocates of larger government prefer increases in government spending when the economy is in a recession. This will increase consumer demand and stimulate the economy and provide a perfect opportunity to increase the extent of government programs. When the economy is in an inflationary period, the desired fiscal policy is to decrease total spending. Advocates of larger government do not wish to decrease government spending so they would choose a tax increase as their preferred policy. The tax increase would decrease household disposable income and decrease household consumption spending. The result would be a decrease in aggregate demand which would help slow down the inflationary price increases, and this would be done without decreasing government spending.
    The correct choice is c.
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12.     A decrease in real GDP (Y) is caused by a decrease in total spending [C,I,(X-IM) or G].
    An increase in net taxes (T) will decrease disposable income,  thereby decreasing consumption spending (C). If this is combined with a decrease in government spending (G), choice c, the combination will result in a double decrease in spending and would result in the greatest decrease in total spending. This would cause the greatest resultant decrease in the level of real GDP (Y).
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13.    To increase real GDP without causing undesirable inflationary price increases, both the aggregate demand and aggregate supply curves would have to shift to the right. This is shown by the change from point E to point N on the graph below. Supporters of supply-side economics claim that a successful tax cut has the potential to achieve this desirable result. The correct choice is a.

Graph solution Q13
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14.    A recession occurs when the economy's  level of real GDP (Y) is well below its full employment capacity.
    To eliminate the recession, the level of real GDP (Y) must increase. An increase in the  level of real GDP (Y) requires an increase in total spending [C,I,(X-IM) or G]. A decrease in net taxes (T) will increase household disposable income and thus cause consumption, the largest component of total spending, to increase. This will cause a resultant increase in real GDP (Y) and help eliminate the recession. The correct choice is d.
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15.     An increase in net taxes (T) will decrease household disposable income. This in turn will reduce households' ability to both consume and save. Since consumption, the major component of the economy's total spending, is decreasing, the resultant level of real GDP (Y) will decrease.
    The amount of the government budget deficit = Amount by which G > T. Increasing taxes will decrease the amount by which government spending (G) exceeds net taxes (T), thereby decreasing the size of the budget deficit.
    None of the above will increase and the correct answer is choice f.
Return to Question 15

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