Assignment
1. Suppose that two goods are perfect complements. If the price of good 1 changes what part of the change in demand is due to the substitution effect and what is due to income effect?
2. In 2007 many households fixed their mortgage rates for the duration of the mortgage. Early in 2008 the nominal interest rate elsewhere increased so that those who stayed with the floating mortgage rate face now higher interest rates on their mortgage. Suppose the inflation rate stayed fixed. Show on an intertemporal consumption space graph how this increased the well being of those who has fixed their mortgage rates.
3. A murder has been committed. The only clue is a grocery receipt left at the scene by the murderer. The receipt shows that 20 bags of chips selling for $2 a bag and 10 six-packs of pop selling for $6 per sixpack were bought on that day. There are two suspects: Colonel Mustard and Miss Scarlet. On searching their apartments, you find suspects's grocery bills for the previous week. Las week chips were $3 a bag and pop was $5 a six-pack. Colonel Mustard bought 20 bags of chips and 13 packs of pop at those prices. Miss Scarlet bought 30 bags of chips and 7 packs of pop at those prices. Supposing that these people have convex and smooth indifference curves, can any of these people be the murderer? Hint: think in terms of Giffen/ordinary and income inferior/normal goods.
4. You are born with no tangible assets. You live for three periods out of which you work for two periods and retire for one period before you die. You plan to live nothing for your heirs, and you expect your working income to be $20 000, and $60 000 in period 1 and
2. You can borrow and lend at 1% interest rate per period.
a. What is the present value of your wealth at the beginning of your life?
b. What is the largest constant consumption stream you can afford?
c. What borrowing/lending strategy you will use to accomplish b.