AP Microeconomics : Perfectly Competitive Markets

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Microeconomics

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Example Questions

Example Question #91 : Competition

In the long run, a monopolistically competitive firm will: 

Possible Answers:

earn negative economic profit

become an oligopoly

earn zero economic profit

become a monopoly

earn positive economic profit

Correct answer:

earn zero economic profit

Explanation:

Monopolistic competition is a situation where firms sell products that are differentiated from one another. In this situation, firms can behave like monopolies in the short run and earn positive economic profits. However, they will revert to making zero economic profit over the long run. 

Example Question #91 : Perfectly Competitive Markets

Patents, limiting the number of licenses available, and economies of scale are all examples of:

Possible Answers:

factors of production

sources of supply

barriers to entry

sources of demand

None of the other answers are correct.

Correct answer:

barriers to entry

Explanation:

Patents, limiting the number of licenses available, and economies of scale can all hinder a firm's ability to enter the market. A patent prevents a firm from replicating a product that originated from another firm. A limited number of licenses can exclude firms who are unable to obtain licenses from entering the market. Economies of scale can prevent smaller firms from entering the market by making such an action cost-prohibitive. 

Example Question #122 : Ap Microeconomics

Labor, capital, human capital, and natural resources are all examples of: 

Possible Answers:

sources of demand

None of the other answers are correct.

sources of supply

barriers to entry

factors of production

Correct answer:

factors of production

Explanation:

All of these are examples of factors of production, which are the inputs necessary for a production process. 

Example Question #92 : Perfectly Competitive Markets

A consumer's indifference curves for two different goods will be a straight lines when:

Possible Answers:

Both goods are perfect compliments

Both goods are perfect substitutes

Utility is maximized

None of the other answers are correct.

The prices of the two goods are equal

Correct answer:

Both goods are perfect substitutes

Explanation:

When both goods are perfect substitutes, the consumer is indifferent between the amount of consumption of the two goods. Thus, his/her indifference curves will be straight lines, because the rate of substitution between the two goods will be constant. 

Example Question #93 : Perfectly Competitive Markets

Which of the following market structures is characterized by low barriers to entry, homogeneous products, and a large number of firms?

Possible Answers:

Monopolistic Competition

Oligopoly

Monopoly

Perfect Competition

Correct answer:

Perfect Competition

Explanation:

In perfectly competitive markets, there are low barriers to entry (think of a food truck--all one needs in order to operate are a truck, fuel, cooking equipment, and a business license), homoegenous products (consider a farm--nearly all cucumbers are identical to one another), and a large number of firms (this is what makes the environment so competitive).

In monopolistic competition and oligopolies, products tend to be heterogeneous, and in a monopoly, there are extremely high barriers to entry.

 

 

Example Question #94 : Perfectly Competitive Markets

For which of the following market structures is demand always equal to marginal revenue?

Possible Answers:

Oligopoly

Monopolistic competition

Perfect competition

Monopoly

Correct answer:

Perfect competition

Explanation:

The marginal revenue curve always has the same intercept on the price axis as the demand curve and twice the slope of the demand curve.

For market structures of oligopoly, monopoly, and monopolistic competition, the firm faces a demand curve that is downward sloping (indicated market power), so the marginal revenue curve would be steeper than the demand curve.

For perfectly competitive market structures, however, the firm faces a demand curve that is horizontal, with a slope of 0 (i.e. it is perfectly elastic). For a firm in perfect competitive market structure, therefore, the marginal revenue curve, which has the same intercept and twice the slope, results in the exact same curve as the demand curve.

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