A student's affordable options are defined by a straight-line boundary connecting the points (0 days of free time, $6,300 of consumption) and (70 days of free time, $0 of consumption). Based on this information, a combination of 30 days of free time and $4,000 of consumption is an impossible choice for the student.

Evaluating a Graphical Representation of Preferences

A consumer's preferences for two goods, Good X (on the horizontal axis) and Good Y (on the vertical axis), are being mapped. The consumer always prefers having more of either good to having less. Additionally, the more of Good X the consumer has, the less of Good Y they are willing to give up to get one more unit of Good X. Which of the following descriptions best represents a set of curves showing different levels of satisfaction for this consumer?

A consumer's preferences for two goods, Good X (on the horizontal axis) and Good Y (on the vertical axis), are being mapped. The consumer always prefers having more of either good to having less. Additionally, the more of Good X the consumer has, the less of Good Y they are willing to give up to get one more unit of Good X. Which of the following descriptions best represents a set of curves showing different levels of satisfaction for this consumer?

Match each graphical property of a standard set of indifference curves with the economic principle it represents. The curves are plotted for two goods, where having more of either good is always desirable.

Analyzing Consistency in Consumer Preferences

Interpreting Indifference Curve Properties

A consumer is choosing between two goods: 'Weekly Entertainment Hours' (on the horizontal axis) and 'Weekly Savings in Dollars' (on the vertical axis). The consumer's preferences have the following characteristics:

1. They always prefer having more of either good to having less.
2. The more entertainment hours they already have, the fewer savings dollars they are willing to give up to get one additional hour of entertainment.

Which of the following descriptions best represents a set of curves showing different levels of satisfaction for this consumer?

A consumer is choosing between two goods: 'Good X' on the horizontal axis and 'Good Y' on the vertical axis. Their preferences are assumed to be consistent, meaning they always prefer having more of either good to having less, and the curves representing their levels of satisfaction do not cross.

You are given the following information about their preferences:

• The consumer gets the same level of satisfaction from bundle A (2 units of X, 8 units of Y) as from bundle B (5 units of X, 5 units of Y).
• The consumer gets the same level of satisfaction from bundle C (3 units of X, 9 units of Y) as from bundle D (4 units of X, 4 units of Y).

Based on this information, what can you conclude?

Critiquing a Graphical Representation of Consumer Preferences