AHSEC| CLASS 12| ECONOMICS| SOLVED PAPER - 2019| H.S. 2ND YEAR

AHSEC| CLASS 12| ECONOMICS| SOLVED PAPER - 2019| H.S. 2ND YEAR

2019
ECONOMICS
Full Marks: 100
Pass Marks: 30
Time: Three hours
The figures in the margin indicate full marks for the questions


PART – A

1. (a) Define the term scarcity as used in economics. 1

Ans:- Scarcity in economics refers to the fundamental problem that arises because resources are limited while human wants are unlimited. This implies that there are not enough resources available to satisfy all the wants of individuals and society.

(b) What is opportunity cost? 1

Ans:- Opportunity cost is the value of the next best alternative that is given up when a choice is made. It reflects the benefits that could have been obtained by choosing a different alternative.

(c) If marginal utility of a commodity is higher than the price, then the consumer will buy more of the commodity. (Write true or false) 1

(d) What will be the effect of price change on supply of a commodity with perfectly inelastic supply? 1

Ans:- In the case of perfectly inelastic supply, a change in price will have no effect on the quantity supplied. Supply remains constant despite price changes.

(e) How will an increase in the price of inputs shift the supply curve? 1

Ans:- An increase in the price of an input will shift the supply curve to the left, indicating a decrease in supply. This happens because higher input costs make it less profitable for producers to supply the same quantity at previous prices.

(f) What is shut-down price?   1

Ans:- The shut-down price is the minimum price at which a firm can operate without incurring losses in the short run. If the market price falls below this level, the firm would prefer to shut down production temporarily rather than continue to operate at a loss.

2. Why the production possibility curve slopes downward from left to right? 2

Ans:- The production possibility curve (PPC) slopes downward from left to right due to the concept of opportunity cost. As an economy allocates more resources to the production of one good, it must reduce the production of another good, reflecting the trade-off between the two goods. This downward slope shows that to increase the quantity of one good, the quantity of the other good must be reduced, since resources are limited and must be used efficiently.

3. Give two reasons of a leftward shift in the demand curve.  2

Ans:- Two causes of a leftward shift in the demand curve include:

(i) Decrease in consumer income: When consumers experience a decrease in income, their purchasing power decreases, leading to a decrease in the demand for normal goods.

(ii) Increase in the price of substitutes: If the price of substitute goods increases, consumers may reduce their demand for the original product, resulting in a leftward shift in its demand curve.

4. The price elasticity of demand of a commodity is 4 and the percentage change in price is 8. Find the percentage change in the quantity demanded.  2

Ans:- Calculating Price Elasticity of Demand:-

To find the percentage change in quantity demanded when the price elasticity of demand is 4 and the percentage change in price is 8%, we can use the formula:

Percentage change in quantity demanded = Price elasticity × Percentage change in price

Substituting the values: Percentage change in quantity demanded = 4 × (−8) = -32%

Thus, the quantity demanded decreases by 32%.

5. What is fixed factor? Give one example.          1+1=2

Ans:- A fixed factor refers to a resource that remains constant despite changes in the level of production. An example of a fixed factor is land, which does not change in size or availability even when production increases or decreases.

6. What is meant by inelastic supply? Draw a inelastic supply curve.       1+1=2

Ans:- Inelastic supply occurs when the quantity supplied of a commodity does not change significantly with a change in price. This usually occurs when producers cannot easily increase production due to constraints such as limited resources or capacity.

An example of an inelastic supply curve is depicted below:

In this graph, even a significant change in price causes only a minimal change in quantity supplied.

7. Mention two differences between monopoly and perfectly competitive market.  2

Ans:- Difference between monopoly and perfectly competitive market:-

(i) Market structure: In a monopoly, a single seller dominates the market with no close substitutes, while in a perfectly competitive market many sellers offer the same product.

(ii) Pricing power: A monopolist has significant control over prices and can set them above marginal cost, while in perfect competition firms are price takers and must accept the market price determined by supply and demand.

8. Distinguish between change in quantity demanded and change in demand.   4

Ans:- Difference between change in quantity demanded and change in demand:-

(i) Change in quantity demanded: It refers to a movement along a certain demand curve, caused by a change in the price of the commodity. For example, if the price of a product is reduced, the quantity demanded increases, and vice versa. This relationship is represented by points along the same demand curve, which show how consumers react to price changes without changing their overall demand for the product.

(ii) Change in demand: In contrast, change in demand refers to a shift in the entire demand curve. This shift can be caused by various factors such as changes in consumer income, preferences, or prices of related goods. For example, if consumers suddenly prefer healthier options than sweetened drinks, the demand for sweetened drinks may decrease, causing the demand curve to shift to the left, regardless of the price.

In short, while change in quantity demanded is influenced only by price changes along the existing curve, change in demand involves macroeconomic factors that change consumer preferences and needs.

9. Mention the relationship between total utility and marginal utility.   4

Ans:- Relationship between Total Utility and Marginal Utility:-

(i) Total Utility: This concept refers to the overall satisfaction or benefit derived from the consumption of a given quantity of goods or services. It reflects the cumulative satisfaction derived from all the units consumed.

(ii) Marginal Utility: Marginal utility is defined as the additional satisfaction derived from the consumption of one more unit of a good or service. According to the law of diminishing marginal utility, as more units are consumed, the additional satisfaction (marginal utility) derived from each successive unit diminishes.

The relationship between total utility and marginal utility may be summarized as follows:-

(a) As long as marginal utility is positive, total utility increases with each additional unit consumed.

(b) When marginal utility becomes zero or negative (indicating that additional consumption does not increase satisfaction), total utility reaches its maximum or begins to decline.

This relationship outlines how consumers allocate their resources to maximize total utility based on their consumption choices.

10. What is variable cost? Why the average variable cost (AVC) curve becomes U shaped?               1+3=4

Ans:- Variable costs refer to expenses that change in direct proportion to the amount of goods or services produced by a business. Unlike fixed costs, which remain constant regardless of the level of production, variable costs fluctuate depending on the quantity produced. For example, the cost of raw materials, direct labor, and utilities may increase as production increases and decrease when production slows.

The AVC curve is U-shaped primarily due to the law of diminishing returns. Initially, as production increases, average variable costs decrease due to increased efficiency and better utilization of resources. However, after a certain output level is reached, the addition of variable inputs (such as labor) leads to less efficient production, which increases AVC.

This results in a U-shaped curve where:-

(i) Decreasing phase: At lower levels of output, increasing variable inputs increases productivity and lowers average costs.

(ii) Minimum point: AVC reaches its lowest point at optimal production levels.

(iii) Increasing Stage: From this point onwards, further increases in the variable inputs lead to diminishing returns, resulting in rising average cost.

11. The production function of a firm is Q=2L1/2 K2. Find the amount required of factor K is the firm wants to produce 200 units with available 16 units of factor L.  4

(Q=Output, K=Capital, L=Labour)

 

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