Chapter 6 Economic Growth 1 The Basics O [610448]

Chapter 6
Economic  Growth
1  The Basics of Economic  Growth
1) The best definition  for economic  growth is
A) a sustained  expansion  of production  possibilities  measured  as the increase in real GDP
over a given period.
B) a sustained  expansion  of production  possibilities  measured  as the increase in nominal
GDP over a given period.
C) a sustained  expansion  of consumption  goods over a given period.
D) a sustained  expansion  of production  goods over a given period.
Answer: A
Topic: Long -Term Growth Trends
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
2) Economic  growth is measured  by
A) changes  in real GDP.
B) changes  in nominal GDP.
C) changes  in the employment  rate.
D) All of the above are used to measure  economic  growth.
Answer: A
Topic: Long -Term Growth Trends
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
3) We are interested  in long -term growth primarily  because it brings
A) higher  price levels.
B) lower  price levels.
C) higher  standards  of living.
D) trade wars with our trading partners.
Answer: C
Topic: Long -Term Growth Trends
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
4) If a nationʹs population  grows, then,
A) growth  in real GDP per person will be less than the growth of real GDP.
B) there can be no economic  growth.
C) growth  in real GDP per person will be greater than the growth of real GDP.
D) there must be an increase in real GDP per person.
Answer: A
Topic: Long -Term Growth Trends
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

2   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
5) In 2008, Armenia  had a real GDP of $4.21 billion and a population  of 2.98 million.  In 2009, real
GDP was $4.59 billion and population  was 2.97 million. What was Armenia ʹs economic  growth
rate from 2008 to 2009?
A) 0.38 percent
B) 9.0 percent
C) 3.8 percent
D) 8.3 percent
Answer: B
Topic: Economic  Growth Rate
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
6) In 2008, Armenia  had a real GDP of approximately  $4.21 billion and a population  of 2.98
million.  In 2009, real GDP was $4.59 billion and population  was 2.97 million. From 2008 to 2009,
Armenia ʹs standard  of living ________.
A) increased
B) decreased
C) did not change
D) might  have increased,  decreased,  or remained  unchanged  but more information  is needed
to determine  which.
Answer: A
Topic: Economic  Growth Rate
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
7) In 2008, Armenia  had a real GDP of approximately  $4.21 billion and a population  of 2.98
million.  In 2009, real GDP was $4.59 billion and population  was 2.97 million. Armenia ʹs real
GDP per person in 2009 was
A) $1,545
B) $380
C) $1,413
D) $132
Answer: A
Topic: Economic  Growth Rate
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   3
8) During  2011, the country of Economia  had a real GDP of $115 billion and the population  was 0.9
billion.  In 2010, real GDP was 105 billion and the population  was 0.85 billion.  In 2011, real GDP
per person was
A) $128
B) $124
C) $135
D) $117
Answer: A
Topic: Economic  Growth Rate
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Modified 10th edition
AACSB: Analytical Skills
9) During  2011, the country of Economia  had a real GDP of $115 billion and the population  was 0.9
billion.  In 2010, real GDP was 105 billion and the population  was 0.85 billion.  In 2010, real GDP
per person was
A) $128
B) $124
C) $135
D) $117
Answer: B
Topic: Economic  Growth Rate
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Modified 10th edition
AACSB: Analytical Skills
10) Suppose  real GDP for a country is $13 trillion in 2007, $14 trillion in 2008, $15 trillion in 2009,
and $16 trillion in 2010.  Over this time period, the real GDP growth rate is
A) increasing.
B) decreasing.
C) constant.
D) negative.
Answer: B
Topic: Economic  Growth Rate
Skill: Analytical
Question history: New  10th edition
AACSB: Analytical Skills
11) Suppose  that in 2009 a country has a population  of 1 million and real GDP of $1 billion.  In 2010,
the population  is 1.1 million and the real GDP is $1.1 billion. The real GDP per person growth
rate is
A) $1000.
B) positive.
C) negative.
D) zero.
Answer: D
Topic: Economic  Growth Rate
Skill: Analytical
Question history: New  10th edition
AACSB: Analytical Skills
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

4   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
12) During  2009, the country of Economia  had a real GDP of $115 billion and the population  was 0.9
billion.  In 2008, real GDP was 105 billion and the population  was 0.85 billion.  Economia ʹs
growth rate of real GDP per person is
A) 3.23 percent
B) 5 percent
C) 5.88 percent
D) 9.52 percent
Answer: A
Topic: Economic  Growth Rate
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
13) Suppose  a nationʹs population  grows by 2 percent and, at the same time, its GDP grows by 5
percent. Approximately  how fast will real GDP per person increase?
A) 3 percent per year
B) 2 percent per year
C) 5
D) 10 percent per year
Answer: A
Topic: Economic  Growth Rate
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
14) Which  of the following  is used to calculate  the standard  of living?
A) real GDP/population
B) ((real GDP in the current year — real GDP in previous  year)/real  GDP in previous  year) x
100
C) the one-third rule
D) real GDP/aggregate  hours
Answer: A
Topic: Economic  Growth Rate
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
15) The Rule of 70 is used to
A) estimate  how much of an economy ʹs growth rate is due to increases  in capital per hour of
labor
B) calculate  the standard  of living
C) calculate  the economy ʹs growth rate
D) estimate  how long it will take the level of any variable to double
Answer: D
Topic: Rule  of 70
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   5
16) Using  the Rule of 70, if the country of Flowerdom ʹs current growth rate of real GDP per person
was 7 percent a year, how long would it take the countryʹs real GDP per person to double?
A) 1 year
B) 2 years
C) 10 years
D) 49 years
Answer: C
Topic: Rule  of 70
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
17) Using  the Rule of 70, if the country of Flowerdom ʹs current growth rate of real GDP per person
was 10 percent a year, how long would it take the countryʹs real GDP per person to double?
A) 0.7 years
B) 1 year
C) 7 years
D) 10 years
Answer: C
Topic: Rule  of 70
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
18) Slowdonia ʹs current growth rate of real GDP per person is 2 percent a year.  How long will it
take to double real GDP per person?
A) half a year
B) approximately  10 years
C) 28.6 years
D) 35 years
Answer: D
Topic: Rule  of 70
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
19) Slowdonia ʹs current growth rate of real GDP per person is 1 percent a year.  Approximately  how
long will it take to double real GDP per person?
A) 10 year 2
B) 35 years
C) 70 years
D) 100 years
Answer: C
Topic: Rule  of 70
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

6   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
20) If real GDP per person is growing  at 4 percent per year, approximately  how many years will it
take to double?
A) 17.5
B) 25
C) 4
D) 8
Answer: A
Topic: Rule  of 70
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
21) Suppose  a country is producing  $20 million of real GDP.  If the economy  grows at 10 percent per
year, approximately  how many years will to take for real GDP to grow to $80 million?
A) 14
B) 7
C) 4
D) 30
Answer: A
Topic: Rule  of 70
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
22) Real GDP per person in the country of Flip is $10,000, and the growth rate is 10 percent a year.
Real GDP per person in the country of Flap is $20,000 and the growth rate is 5 percent a year.
When will real GDP per person be greater in Flip than in Flap?
A) in 2 years
B) in 15 years
C) never
D) in 10 years
Answer: B
Topic: Rule  of 70
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
2  Economic  Growth Trends
1) Over the last 100 years, the average U.S. growth rate in real GDP per person was about
A) 2 percent per year.
B) 6 percent per year.
C) 12.5 percent per year.
D) 1 percent per year.
Answer: A
Topic: Long -Term Economic  Growth in the United States
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   7
2) Over the past 100 years, real GDP per person in the United States has grown at an average of
________  percent a year.
A) 1
B) 2
C) 3
D) 4
Answer: B
Topic: Long -Term Economic  Growth in the United States
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
3) The growth rate of real GDP per person in the United States has
A) averaged  approximately  2 percent per year over the past century.
B) has consistently  been 2 percent per decade over the past century.
C) has been the highest in the world over the past 5 decades.
D) has increased  every year over the past century.
Answer: A
Topic: Long -Term Economic  Growth in the United States
Skill: Recognition
Question history: New  10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
4) Over the past 100 years real GDP per person in the United States, on average, has
A) decreased  by about 5 percent per year.
B) increased  by about 2 percent per year.
C) increased  by about 5 percent per year.
D) increased  by about 10 percent per year.
Answer: B
Topic: Long -Term Economic  Growth in the United States
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
5) Over the past 100 years, in the United States the average growth rate of ________  grew at a
faster rate than ________.
A) real GDP; nominal GDP
B) the population;  real GDP
C) real GDP; the population
D) inflation;  real GDP
Answer: C
Topic: Long -Term Economic  Growth in the United States
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Modified 10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

8   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
6) Over the past four decades,
A) the growth rate of real GDP per person in the United States has been increasing.
B) U.S. real GDP per person has fallen below that of the other rich industrial  countries.
C) U.S. real GDP per person has increased.
D) Both answers A and C are correct.
Answer: C
Topic: Long -Term Economic  Growth in the United States
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Modified 10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
7) The historical  record for the United States for the past 100 years shows
A) growth  in real GDP per person during most years.
B) economic  growth for about half the years and economic  decline for the other half.
C) growth  until 1970 and then a period of constant per person real GDP.
D) continuous  economic  growth, although  at different  rates, throughout  the entire century.
Answer: A
Topic: Long -Term Economic  Growth in the United States
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
8) Which  of following  was a period of below -average economic  growth in the United States?
A) the 1920s
B) the 1960s
C) the 1930s
D) all of the above
Answer: C
Topic: Long -Term Economic  Growth in the United States
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
9) Which  of the following  statements  are correct?
I. The average economic  growth rate in real GDP per person in the United States over the last
century was 5 percent per year.
II. The United States has the highest economic  growth rate of any nation.
A) I only
B) II only
C)both I and II
D) neither  I nor II
Answer: D
Topic: Long -Term Economic  Growth in the United States
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   9
10) The historical  record for the United States since 1910 shows
A) mostly  positive economic  growth, though the Great Depression  caused actual GDP to dip
well below potential  GDP.
B) economic  growth for about half the years and economic  decline for the other half.
C) growth  until 1970 and then a period of constant per person real GDP.
D) continuous  economic  growth for each year, although  at different  rates, throughout  the
entire century.
Answer: A
Topic: Long -Term Economic  Growth in the United States
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
11) Which  of the following  statements  regarding  U.S. economic  growth is NOT correct?
A) Over the past 100 years, on the average real GDP per person grew 2 percent a year.
B) The average annual growth rate of real GDP per person in the United States was rapid
during World War II.
C) In the 1930s, real GDP fell well below its trend.
D) The growth rate of real GDP per person accelerated  between 1973 to 1984.
Answer: D
Topic: Long -Term Economic  Growth in the United States
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Modified 10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
12) In 2010, of the following  which nations had the highest level of real GDP per person?
A)Japan.
B) Europe  Big 4.
C) Canada.
D) China.
Answer: C
Topic: Real  GDP Growth in the World Economy
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Modified 10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
13) In 2010, of the following  ________  had the highest real GDP per person.
A)Japan
B) Canada
C) the Europe Big 4 countries
D) the United States
Answer: D
Topic: Real  GDP Growth in the World Economy
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Modified 10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

10   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
14) During  the later half of the 20th century, which of the following  had the lowest level of real GDP
per person?
A) Africa
B) Central  and South America
C) United  States
D) Central  Europe
Answer: A
Topic: Real  GDP Growth in the World Economy
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
15) During  the 1990s, which of the following  experienced  the slowest rate of growth in real GDP per
person?
A)Japan
B) The big 4 nations of Europe
C) United  States
D) Canada
Answer: A
Topic: Real  GDP Growth in the World Economy
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
16) Countries  or regions in which real GDP per person has not grown as fast as in the United States
since 1960 include
A)Japan.
B) countries  in Africa.
C) Hong  Kong.
D) Canada.
Answer: B
Topic: Real  GDP Growth in the World Economy
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Modified 10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
17) Which  of the following  statements  about world growth during the last half of the 20th century is
correct?
A) In every decade, Japan has experienced  faster growth than the United States.
B) Growth  rates in South American  countries  have exceeded  those in North America.
C) Real GDP per person in Hong Kong and Singapore  are approaching  or surpassing  that in
the United States.
D) Due to rapid growth, real GDP per person in China is now about 50 percent of that in the
United States.
Answer: C
Topic: Real  GDP Growth in the World Economy
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   11
18) Since  1960, which of the following  countries  had average growth rates in real GDP per person
higher than that of the United States?
A) Singapore
B) Hong Kong
C) South  Korea
D) All of the above answers are correct.
Answer: D
Topic: Real  GDP Growth in the World Economy
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
19) Of the following  Asian countries,  which has the lowest level of real GDP per person?
A) China
B) Korea
C) Singapore
D) Hong  Kong
Answer: A
Topic: Real  GDP Growth in the World Economy
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Modified 10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
20) The gap between real GDP per person in Africa and real GDP per person in the United States
has been
A) increasing.
B) decreasing.
C) remaining  fairly constant.
D) there is no gap in real GDP per person between Africa and the United States.
Answer: A
Topic: Real  GDP Growth in the World Economy
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
21) Over  the past fifty years, there has been substantial  closure of the gap in real GDP per person
between which of the following  groups of countries?
A) the United States and Central and South America
B) Africa  and Western Europe
C) Central  and South America  and Africa
D) the United States and Japan
Answer: D
Topic: Real  GDP Growth in the World Economy
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Modified 10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

12   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
22) Between  which pair of countries  or continents  listed below has real GDP per person converged
the most since 1960?
A) Canada  and Japan
B) United  States and Africa
C) United  States and South America
D) Canada  and South America
Answer: A
Topic: Real  GDP Growth in the World Economy
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
23) If a rich country grows at a faster rate than a poor one, then
A) the gap in their standard  of living will widen over time.
B) the gap in their standard  of living will close over time.
C) the difference  in their living standards  will not change over time.
D) whether  or not the living standards  gap widens or closes over time depends  on the
absolute size of the relative growth rates.
Answer: A
Topic: Real  GDP Growth in the World Economy
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
24) Convergence  of the income gap has been most dramatic  between
A) Hong  Kong and the United States.
B) the Central European  countries  and the United States.
C) Africa  and the United States.
D) South  America  and the United States.
Answer: A
Topic: Real  GDP Growth in the World Economy
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
25) The gaps between the United States and the Asian countries  of Honk Kong, Singapore,  Korea
and China have been
A) decreasing
B) increasing
C) remaining  fairly constant
D) there are no gaps between these Asian countries  and the United States
Answer: A
Topic: Real  GDP Growth in the World Economy
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Modified 10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   13
26) By measuring  ________  we can see that the economies  of Hong Kong and Singapore  are
catching up to the economies  of North America  but that the economies  of Central and South
America  are not.
A) inflation  per person
B) real GDP per person
C) the population
D) real GDP
Answer: B
Topic: Real  GDP Growth in the World Economy
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
3  How Potential  GDP Grows
1) Moving  along the aggregate  production  function shows the relationship  between ________,
holding all else constant.
A) capital  input and real GDP
B) labor input and real GDP
C) labor input, capital input and real GDP
D) technology  and real GDP
Answer: B
Topic: Aggregate Production  Function
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Modified 10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
2) The aggregate  production  function shows how ________  varies with ________.
A) leisure  time; labor
B) labor;  leisure time
C) real GDP; labor
D) labor;  capital
Answer: C
Topic: Aggregate Production  Function
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
3) An aggregate  production  function shows the relationship  between
A) real GDP and leisure.
B) real GDP and the quantity of labor employed.
C) leisure  and unemployment.
D) real GDP and unemployment.
Answer: B
Topic: Aggregate Production  Function
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

14   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
4) The aggregate  production  function describes  the relationship  between
A) real GDP and the quantity of labor employed.
B) real GDP and the price level.
C) the rate of growth of real GDP and inflation.
D) real GDP and the unemployment  rate.
Answer: A
Topic: Aggregate Production  Function
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
5) A movement  along the aggregate  production  function is the result of a change in
A) the quantity of labor
B) technology
C) capital
D) interest  rates
Answer: A
Topic: Aggregate Production  Function
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
6) Along  the aggregate  production  function,  as the quantity of labor rises, real GDP
A) rises
B) falls
C) stays the same
D) may fall, rise, or stay the same
Answer: A
Topic: Aggregate Production  Function
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
7) The aggregate  production  function shows that an economy  increases  its real GDP in the short
run by
A) developing  new technologies.
B) increasing  its physical capital stock.
C) using  more labor.
D) exploring  for new deposits of natural resources.
Answer: C
Topic: Aggregate Production  Function
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   15
8) Moving  along the aggregate  production  function,  all of the following  are held constant EXCEPT
A) labor
B) capital
C) human  capital
D) technology
Answer: A
Topic: Aggregate Production  Function
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
9) An increase in labor hours will lead to
A) a shift of the aggregate  production  function but no movement  along it.
B) a movement  along the aggregate  production  function but no shift in it.
C)both a movement  along and a shift in the aggregate  production  function.
D) neither  a movement  along nor a shift in the aggregate  production  function.
Answer: B
Topic: Aggregate Production  Function
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
10) The aggregate  production  function is graphed as
A) a downward  sloping curve.
B) an upward sloping straight line.
C) an upward sloping line that becomes  flatter as the quantity of labor increases.
D) an upward sloping line that becomes  steeper as the quantity of labor increases.
Answer: C
Topic: Aggregate Production  Function
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
11) The aggregate  production  function
A) measures  the productivity  of labor as leisure decreases.
B) increases  only with increases  in productivity.
C) shows  that real GDP can increase because of increased  productivity  as well as increased
labor hours.
D) cannot  show the impacts of productivity  improvements.
Answer: C
Topic: Aggregate Production  Function
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

16   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
12) The aggregate  production  function relating real GDP to labor hours
A) has a constant slope.
B) has a negative  slope.
C) has a positive slope and becomes  steeper as employment  increases.
D) has a positive slope and becomes  less steep as employment  increases.
Answer: D
Topic: Aggregate Production  Function,  Diminishing  Returns
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
13) The curvature  of the production  function shows that as employment  increases,  the productivity
of labor
A) remains  positive and increases.
B) remains  positive but decreases.
C) decreases  and becomes  negative.
D) remains  constant.
Answer: B
Topic: Aggregate Production  Function,  Diminishing  Returns
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
14) The decreasing  slope of a production  function reflects
A) diminishing  returns.
B) rising  unemployment.
C) decreasing  costs.
D) increasing  aggregate  demand.
Answer: A
Topic: Aggregate Production  Function,  Diminishing  Returns
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
15) As labor increases,  there is a
A) shift of the aggregate  production  function,  but no movement  along it.
B) movement  along the aggregate  production  function,  but no shift in it.
C) movement  along the aggregate  production  function and real GDP will increase less with
each additional  increase in labor.
D) movement  along the aggregate  production  function and real GDP will decrease  less with
each additional  increase in labor.
Answer: C
Topic: Aggregate Production  Function
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Modified 10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   17
16) According  to the law of diminishing  returns, an additional  unit of
A) capital  produces  more output than an additional  unit of labor.
B) labor decreases  output.
C) labor produces  more output than the previous  unit.
D) labor produces  less output than the previous  unit.
Answer: D
Topic: Law  of Diminishing  Returns
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
17) In the illustration  above, which figure shows an aggregate  production  function?
A) Figure  A
B) Figure  B
C) Figure  C
D) Figure  D
Answer: A
Topic: Aggregate Production  Function
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Communication
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

18   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
18) The country of Kemper is on its aggregate  production  function at point Win the above figure.
The government  of Kemper passes a law that makes 4 years of college mandatory  for all
citizens. After all citizens have their education,  the economy  will
A) move  to point such as Y.
B) remain  at point W.
C) move  to point such as X.
D) move  to point such as Z.
Answer: D
Topic: Aggregate Production  Function
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
19) The country of Kemper is on its aggregate  production  function at point Win the above figure. If
the population  increases  with no change in capital or technology,  the economy  will
A) move  to point such as Y.
B) remain  at point W.
C) move  to point such as X.
D) move  to point such as Z.
Answer: C
Topic: Aggregate Production  Function
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   19
20) The real wage rate measures  the
A) quantity  of goods and services that an hour of work will buy.
B) average  weekly earnings  in dollars of a worker.
C) dollar  value of an hour of work.
D) dollar  value of what a worker could earn in another job.
Answer: A
Topic: Real  Wage Rate
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
21) Which  of the following  is TRUE regarding  the real wage rate? The real wage rate
I. is always greater than the money wage.
II. measures  the quantity of goods and services an hourʹs work can buy.
A) only I
B) only II
C)both I and II
D) neither  I nor II
Answer: B
Topic: Real  Wage Rate
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Modified 10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
22) The real wage rate equals
A) (money  wage rate)/(price  level).
B) (price  level)/(money  wage rate).
C) (money  wage rate) ×(price level).
D) (money  wage) + (number  of hours worked)/(price  level).
Answer: A
Topic: Real  Wage Rate
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Modified 10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
23) The relationship  between the labor employed  by a firm and the real wage rate is shown by the
A) supply  of labor curve.
B) supply  of jobs curve.
C) demand  for jobs curve.
D) demand  for labor curve.
Answer: D
Topic: Demand  for Labor
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

20   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
24) The quantity of labor demanded  depends  on the
A) money  wage rate not the real wage rate.
B) real wage rate not the money wage rate.
C) price of output not the money wage rate nor the real wage rate.
D) money  wage rate AND the real wage rate.
Answer: B
Topic: Demand  for Labor
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Modified 10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
25) Because  the productivity  of labor decreases  as the quantity of labor employed  increases,
A) the quantity of labor a firm demands  increases  as the real wage rate decreases.
B) the quantity of labor a firm demands  increases  as the money wage rate decreases.
C) the labor demand curve shifts right as the real wage rate decreases.
D) the aggregate  production  function shifts upward as the real wage rate decreases.
Answer: A
Topic: Demand  for Labor
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
26) Which  of the following  is TRUE regarding  the labor market?
I. The labor supply curve slopes upward because firms maximize  profits as they hire more
workers.
II. If the real wage rate falls, the quantity of labor firms demand increases.
III. The demand for labor curve slopes downward  because as the real wage rate falls, workers
demand to work fewer hours.
A) I and II
B) I and III
C) II only
D) I, II and III
Answer: C
Topic: Demand  for Labor
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
27) Which  of the following  statements  are TRUE regarding  the demand for labor?
I. The quantity of labor demanded  depends  on the real wage rate.
II. If the money wage rate increases  and the price level remains the same, the quantity of labor
demanded  decreases.
A) I only
B) II only
C) I and II
D) neither  I nor II
Answer: C
Topic: Demand  for Labor
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   21
28) If the price level falls by 5 percent and workersʹ money wage rates remain constant,  firmsʹ
A) quantity  of labor demanded  will decrease.
B) quantity  of labor demanded  will increase.
C) supply  of jobs will increase.
D) None  of the above answers are correct.
Answer: A
Topic: Demand  for Labor
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
29) If the price level rises by 5 percent and workersʹ money wage rates remain constant,  firmsʹ
A) quantity  of labor demanded  will decrease.
B) quantity  of labor demanded  will increase.
C) supply  of jobs will decrease.
D) None  of the above answers are correct.
Answer: B
Topic: Demand  for Labor
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
30) Suppose  there is a rise in the price level, but no change in the money wage rate. As a result, the
quantity of labor demanded
A) increases.
B) decreases.
C) does not change because there is no change in the real wage rate.
D) decreases  only if the money wage rate also decreases.
Answer: A
Topic: Demand  for Labor
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
31) Suppose  there is a rise in the real wage rate. As a result, the quantity of labor demanded
A) increases.
B) decreases.
C) does not change because there is no change in the money wage rate.
D) increases  only if the price level also decreases.
Answer: B
Topic: Demand  for Labor
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

22   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
32) Suppose  the money wage rate and the price level both fall by 5 percent. As a result,
A) the quantity of labor demanded  increases.
B) the quantity of labor demanded  decreases.
C) the quantity of labor demanded  does not change because there is no change in the real
wage.
D) people  are worse off and there is more unemployment.
Answer: C
Topic: Demand  for Labor
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
33) If the price level rises by 3 percent and workersʹ money wage rates increase by 2 percent, then
the
A) quantity  of labor demanded  will decrease.
B) quantity  of labor demanded  will increase.
C) quantity  of labor demanded  does not change because there is no change in the real wage
rate.
D) real wage rate increases.
Answer: B
Topic: Demand  for Labor
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
34) If the price level rises by 3 percent and workersʹ money wages increase by 3 percent, then the
A) quantity  of labor demand will decrease.
B) quantity  of labor demand will increase.
C) quantity  of labor demanded  does not change because there is no change in the real wage
rate.
D) Any of the above could occur depending  on the magnitude  on the dollar increase in the
price level  versus the dollar increase in the wage rate.
Answer: C
Topic: Demand  for Labor
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
35) The demand for labor curve is
A) upward  sloping at potential  GDP and downward  sloping elsewhere.
B) vertical  at potential  GDP.
C) downward  sloping.
D) upward  sloping because firms demand labor.
Answer: C
Topic: Demand  for Labor Curve
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   23
36) The labor demand curve slopes downward  because
A) the firm maximizes  profits by hiring more labor when the real wage rate rises.
B) workers  supply more hours of work when the real wage rate rises.
C) the firm maximizes  profits by hiring more labor when the real wage rate falls.
D) workers  supply fewer hours of work when the real wage rate rises.
Answer: C
Topic: Demand  for Labor Curve
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
37) If the price level increases,  but workersʹ money wage rates remain constant,which  of the
following  is TRUE?
I. The quantity of labor demanded  will increase.
II. The real wage rate will decrease.
III. The demand for labor curve shifts rightward.
A) I only
B) I and II
C) II and III
D) I, II and III
Answer: B
Topic: Demand  for Labor Curve
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
38) The quantity of labor supplied  depends  on the
A) money  wage rate not the real wage rate.
B) real wage rate not the money wage rate.
C) price of output not the money wage rate nor the real wage rate.
D) level of profits.
Answer: B
Topic: Supply  of Labor
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
39) People  base their labor supply on the ________  because they care about ________.
A) real wage; what their earnings  will buy
B) real wage; the equality of money wages and the price level
C) money  wage; a surplus of labor
D) money  wage; the amount of labor firms demand
Answer: A
Topic: Supply  of Labor
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

24   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
40) If workersʹ money wage rates increase by 5 percent and the price level remains constant,
workersʹ
A) quantity  of labor supplied  will decrease.
B) quantity  of labor supplied  will increase.
C) quantity  of labor supplied  will not change.
D) demand  for jobs will decrease.
Answer: B
Topic: Supply  of Labor
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
41) If the price level rises by 4 percent and workersʹ money wage rates increase by 2 percent, then
the
A) quantity  of labor supplied  decreases.
B) quantity  of labor supplied  increases.
C) quantity  of labor supplied  does not change because there is no change in the real wage
rate.
D) the supply curve of labor shifts rightward.
Answer: A
Topic: Supply  of Labor
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
42) If the price level rises by 2 percent and workersʹ money wages increase by 2 percent, then the
A) quantity  of labor supply decreases.
B) quantity  of labor supply increases.
C) quantity  of labor supplied  does not change because there is no change in the real wage
rate.
D) More  information  about the dollar change in the price level and money wage rate are
needed to answer the question.
Answer: C
Topic: Supply  of Labor
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
43) If the price level rises by 3 percent and workersʹ money wage rate increase by 1 percent, then the
A) quantity  of labor supplied  decreases.
B) quantity  of labor supplied  increases.
C) quantity  of labor supplied  does not change because there is no change in the real wage
rate.
D) real wage rate increases.
Answer: A
Topic: Supply  of Labor
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   25
44) The labor force participation  rate
A) does not change when the real wage rate changes.
B) decreases  as the real wage rate rises.
C) increases  as the real wage rate increases.
D) has an inverse effect of the supply of labor.
Answer: C
Topic: Supply  of Labor
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
45) The supply of labor curve
A) has a negative  slope.
B) is independent  of the wage rate.
C) shows  how much labor workers are willing to supply at various real wage rates.
D) is usually vertical.
Answer: C
Topic: Supply  of Labor Curve
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
46) The supply of labor curve is
A) vertical  at potential  GDP.
B) upward  sloping.
C) downward  sloping.
D) horizontal  at the equilibrium  wage rate.
Answer: B
Topic: Supply  of Labor Curve
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
47) Which  of the following  statements  is correct?
A) When  the real wage increases,  the labor supply curve shifts rightward.
B) When  the real wage increases,  the labor supply curve shifts leftward.
C) When  the real wage decreases,  the labor supply curve shifts leftward.
D) None  of the above statements  are correct.
Answer: D
Topic: Supply  of Labor Curve
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

26   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
48) As the real wage rate increases,  the
A) quantity  of labor supplied  increases.
B) supply  of labor curve shifts rightward.
C) supply  of labor curve shifts leftward.
D) quantity  of labor supplied  increases  and the supply of labor shifts rightward.
Answer: A
Topic: Supply  of Labor Curve
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
49) If the price level increases  and workersʹ money wage rates remain constant,which  of the
following  will occur?
I. The quantity of labor supplied  will decrease.
II. The real wage rate will decrease.
III. The labor supply curve will shift rightward.
A) I only
B) I and II
C) II and III
D) I, II and III
Answer: B
Topic: Supply  of Labor Curve
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
50) Greater  labor force participation  for households  at higher real wage rate is one reason that
A) the demand for labor curve is upward sloping.
B) the demand for labor curve is downward  sloping.
C) the supply of labor curve is upward sloping.
D) the supply of labor curve is downward  sloping.
Answer: C
Topic: Supply  of Labor Curve
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
51) If the money wage rate rises relative to the price level, firms ________  the quantity of labor they
demand and workers ________  the quantity of labor they supply.
A) increase;  increase
B) increase;  decrease
C) decrease;  increase
D) decrease;  decrease
Answer: C
Topic: Demand  for Labor and Supply of Labor
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   27
52) If the price level rises relative to the money wage rate, firms ________  the quantity of labor they
demand and workers ________  the quantity of labor they supply.
A) increase;  increase
B) increase;  decrease
C) decrease;  increase
D) decrease;  decrease
Answer: B
Topic: Demand  for Labor and Supply of Labor
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
53) If the real wage rate is such that the quantity of labor supplied  equals the quantity of labor
demanded,
A) a full-employment  equilibrium  occurs.
B) real GDP equals potential  GDP.
C) the opportunity  cost effect of not working  equals the income effect.
D) Both answers A and B are correct.
Answer: D
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Modified 10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
54) If at the prevailing  real wage rate, the quantity of labor supplied  exceeds the quantity
demanded,
A) there is a shortage  of labor.
B) the real wage rate will rise to restore equilibrium.
C) the real wage rate is greater than the equilibrium  real wage rate.
D) None  of the above answers is correct.
Answer: C
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
55) If the real wage rate is such that the quantity of labor supplied  is greater than the quantity of
labor demanded,
A) the economy  is at full employment.
B) real GDP will not equal potential  GDP.
C)job search decreases.
D) labor resources  are allocated  efficiently.
Answer: B
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

28   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
56) If the real wage rate is such that the quantity of labor supplied  by workers is less than the
quantity of labor demanded  by firms,
A) the economy  is at full employment.
B) there is a shortage  of labor.
C) the real wage rate will decrease.
D) real GDP equals potential  GDP since firms make the decision on how many workers to
hire.
Answer: B
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Modified 10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
57) At the full-employment  equilibrium  in the labor market,
A) there is no unemployment.
B) there are no job vacancies.
C) there is neither a shortage  nor a surplus of labor.
D) the money wage rate equals the real wage rate.
Answer: C
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
58) Equilibrium  in the labor market
A) cannot  occur if the production  function is shifting upward.
B) can happen only when real GDP exceeds potential  GDP.
C) means  that resources  are allocated  inefficiently
D) occurs  when actual GDP is equal to potential  GDP
Answer: D
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
59) When  the quantity of labor demanded  exceeds the quantity of labor supplied,  the real wage rate
A) rises to eliminate  the labor -market shortage.
B) falls to eliminate  the labor -market surplus.
C) rises to eliminate  the labor -market surplus.
D) falls to eliminate  the labor -market shortage.
Answer: A
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   29
60) If the labor market is in equilibrium  and then the labor supply curve shifts rightward,
A) there will be a shortage  of labor at the original equilibrium  wage rate.
B) there will be a surplus of labor at the original equilibrium  wage rate.
C) the equilibrium  wage rate will rise.
D) there will be a surplus of jobs at the new equilibrium.
Answer: B
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
61) In the labor market, an increase in labor productivity  ________  the real wage rate and ________
the level of employment.
A) raises;  increases
B) raises;  decreases
C) lowers;  increases
D) lowers;  decreases
Answer: A
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
Real wage rate
(2005 dollars
per hour)Quantity  of labor
demanded  (billions
of hours per year)Quantity  of labor
supplied  (billions
of hours per year)
15 70 10
20 60 20
25 50 30
30 40 40
35 30 50
62) The table above shows the labor market for the country of Pickett. When the labor market is in
equilibrium,  the real wage rate is ________  and ________  of labor a year are employed.
A) any value less than $25 an hour; any value greater than 40 billion hours
B) any value greater than $30 an hour; any value more than 40 billion hours
C) any value greater than or equal to $25 an hour; any value less than 40 billion hours
D) $30 an hour; 40 billion hours
Answer: D
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

30   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
63) In the above figure, at the real wage rate of $50
A) there is a surplus of 100 billion hours per year.
B) there is a shortage  of 100 billion hours per year.
C) there is a surplus of 60 billion hours per year.
D) there is shortage  of 20 billion hours per year.
Answer: C
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
64) In the above figure, what is the full-employment  real wage rate and quantity of hours per year?
A) $40 and 60 billion hours per year
B) $50 and 100 billion hours per year
C) $35 and 100 billion hours per year
D) $50 and 40 billion hours per year
Answer: A
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   31
65) In the above figure, at a wage rate of $20 per hour,
A) there is a shortage  of labor.
B) there is a surplus of labor.
C) the labor supply curve will shift rightward.
D) the labor demand curve will shift rightward.
Answer: B
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
66) In the figure, when the real wage rate is $10 an hour, ________.
A) a shortage  of labor exists and the real wage rate will rise
B) the demand for labor will increase
C) the demand for labor will decrease
D) a surplus of labor exists and the real wage rate will fall
Answer: A
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

32   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
67) In the above figure, the equilibrium  real wage rate is
A) $10 per hour.
B) $15 per hour.
C) $20 per hour.
D) none of the above
Answer: B
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
68) In the above figure, the equilibrium  level of labor is
A) 100 billion hours.
B) 150 billion hours.
C) 200 billion hours.
D) none of the above
Answer: B
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
69) In the above figure, if the real wage is $20 per hour, a labor
A) shortage  will occur and the real wage will rise.
B) shortage  will occur and the real wage will fall.
C) surplus  will occur and the real wage will rise.
D) surplus  will occur and the real wage will fall.
Answer: D
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
70) In the above figure, if the real wage is $10 per hour, a labor
A) shortage  will occur and the real wage will rise.
B) shortage  will occur and the real wage will fall.
C) surplus  will occur and the real wage will rise.
D) surplus  will occur and the real wage will fall.
Answer: A
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   33
71) Full employment  corresponds  to
A) equilibrium  in the labor market, with real GDP being equal to potential  GDP.
B) labor demand being greater than labor supply and real GDP being equal to potential  GDP.
C)being at the point where the marginal  product of labor equals zero.
D) equilibrium  in the labor market, and real GDP exceeding  potential  GDP.
Answer: A
Topic: The  Labor Market and Full Employment
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Real wage rate
(2005 dollars
per hour)Quantity  of labor
demanded  (billions
of hours per year)Quantity  of labor
supplied  (billions
of hours per year)
15 70 10
20 60 20
25 50 30
30 40 40
35 30 50
Real GDP
(trillions  of 2005
dollars per year)Quantity  of labor 
(billions of hours
per year)
3 20
9 30
14 40
18 50
21 60
72) The tables above show the labor market and the production  function schedule  for the country of
Pickett. Potential  GDP is ________.
A) $40 trillion
B) $6 trillion
C) $14 trillion
D) $25 trillion
Answer: C
Topic: Labor  Market and Full Employment
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

34   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
73) The tables above show the labor market and the production  function schedule  for the country of
Pickett. An increase in population  changes the labor supply by 20 billion hours at each real
wage rate. Potential  GDP ________.
A) does not change
B) decreases  to $3 trillion
C) increases  to $50 trillion
D) increases  to $18 trillion
Answer: D
Topic: Labor  Market and Full Employment
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
74) Real GDP grows when
I. the quantities  of the factors of production  grow
II. persistent  advances  in technology  make factors of production  increasingly  productive
III. human  capital grows
A) Only I.
B) Both I and III.
C) Only II.
D) I, II, and III.
Answer: D
Topic: Economic  Growth Rate
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
75) If the labor and capital grow more quickly, then real GDP will
A) not grow fast enough.
B) grow more quickly.
C) grow more slowly.
D) stay fixed at potential  GDP.
Answer: B
Topic: Economic  Growth Rate
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
76) The real wage rate will fall if the
A) labor supply curve shifts rightward  and the labor demand curve does not shift.
B) labor supply curve shifts leftward  and the labor demand curve does not shift.
C) labor demand curve shifts rightward  and the labor supply curve does not shift.
D) labor demand curve shifts rightward  more than the labor supply curve shifts rightward.
Answer: A
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium  with an Increase in Population
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   35
77) An increase in a nationʹs population  results in
A) an upward shift in the production  function.
B) a movement  along the production  function.
C) a leftward  shift in the labor supply curve.
D) Both answers A and C are correct.
Answer: B
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium  with an Increase in Population
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
78) An increase in a nationʹs population  results in
A) a rightward  shift in the labor demand curve.
B) a movement  along the nationʹs production  function.
C) a decrease  in the full-employment  quantity of labor.
D) an upward shift of the nationʹs production  function.
Answer: B
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium  with an Increase in Population
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
79) An increase in the population  and hence the supply of labor causes a
A) shortage  of labor at the original real wage rate and the real wage rate will fall.
B) surplus  of labor at the original real wage rate and the real wage rate will rise.
C) surplus  of labor at the original real wage rate and the real wage rate will fall.
D) shortage  of labor at the original real wage rate and the real wage rate will rise.
Answer: C
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium  with an Increase in Population
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
80) Employment  and (total) potential  GDP increase if the
A) labor supply curve shifts rightward  and the labor demand curve does not shift.
B) labor demand curve shifts leftward  more than the labor supply curve shifts rightward.
C) labor demand curve shifts leftward  and the labor supply curve does not shift.
D) None  of the above answers are correct.
Answer: A
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium  with an Increase in Population
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

36   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
81) When  the population  increases  with no change in labor productivity,  employment  ________  and
potential  GDP ________.
A) decreases;  decreases
B) increases;  increases
C) decreases;  increases
D) increases;  decreases
Answer: B
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium  with an Increase in Population
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
82) If the population  increases,  then potential  GDP ________  and employment  ________.
A) increases;  increases
B) increases;  decreases
C) decreases;  increases
D) decreases;  decreases
Answer: A
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium  with an Increase in Population
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
83) An increase in the working -age population  results in a
A) rightward  shift of demand for labor curve and an increase in potential  GDP.
B) rightward  shift of the demand for labor curve and no change in potential  GDP.
C) rightward  shift of the supply of labor curve and an increase in potential  GDP.
D) leftward  shift of the supply of labor curve and a decrease  in potential  GDP.
Answer: C
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium  with an Increase in Population
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
84) Potential  GDP per labor hour can increase due to
A) increases  in labor productivity.
B) increases  in the quantity of money.
C) increases  in population.
D) decreases  in the quantity of capital.
Answer: A
Topic: Economic  Growth Rate
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: New  10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   37
85) Labor  growth depends  mainly on ________  and labor productivity  growth depends  on
________.
A) population  growth; increases  in real GDP
B) population  growth; technological  advances
C) growth  in real GDP per person; growth rate of capital
D) growth  in real GDP per person; technological  advances
Answer: B
Topic: Labor  Productivity
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
86) Labor  productivity  is
A) real GDP per hour of labor times the hours of work.
B) real GDP per hour of labor times the number of people.
C) real GDP per hour of labor.
D) the rate of change in real GDP per hour of labor.
Answer: C
Topic: Labor  Productivity
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
87) Dividing  the value of real GDP by aggregate  labor hours gives
A) the net domestic  product.
B) labor productivity.
C) the size of the labor force.
D) the rate of capital accumulation.
Answer: B
Topic: Labor  Productivity
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
88) Labor  productivity  is defined as
A) total output attributable  to labor.
B) total real GDP.
C) the growth rate of the labor force.
D) real GDP per hour of labor.
Answer: D
Topic: Labor  Productivity
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

38   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
89) Labor  productivity  equals
A) real GDP divided by the capital stock.
B) real GDP divided by the working -age population.
C) total wages divided by real GDP.
D) real GDP divided by aggregate  labor hours.
Answer: D
Topic: Labor  Productivity
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
90) Labor  productivity  is
A) the average amount of real GDP produced  per worker times the number of workers.
B) the average amount of real GDP produced  per worker times the number of people.
C) the average amount of real GDP produced  per hour of labor.
D) the rate of change in the amount of real GDP produced  per hour of labor.
Answer: C
Topic: Labor  Productivity
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
91) If real GDP is $800 million and aggregate  labor hours are 20 million, labor productivity  is
________.
A) $40 per hour
B) $16,000  million
C) $40 million
D) $160 per hour
Answer: A
Topic: Labor  Productivity
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
92) If real GDP is $13,000 billion and aggregate  hours are 270 billion, labor productivity  equals
A) $6.50 per hour.
B) $45 per hour.
C) $48 per hour.
D) $650 per hour.
Answer: C
Topic: Labor  Productivity
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   39
93) If real GDP is $13,500 billion and aggregate  hours are 110 billion, labor productivity  equals
A) $6.75 per hour.
B) $104 per hour.
C) $123 per hour.
D) $675 per hour.
Answer: C
Topic: Labor  Productivity
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
94) If real GDP is $11,750 billion and aggregate  hours are 175 billion, labor productivity  equals
A) $23.50  per hour.
B) $52 per hour.
C) $67 per hour.
D) $235 per hour.
Answer: C
Topic: Labor  Productivity
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
95) An increase in productivity  relates to
A) working  harder over time.
B) working  longer over time.
C) producing  the same output with fewer labor hours.
D) producing  the same output with more labor hours.
Answer: C
Topic: Labor  Productivity
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
96) When  labor productivity  increases,  the demand for labor curve ________  and the supply of
labor curve ________.
A) shifts  rightward;  shifts rightward
B) shifts rightward;  does not shift
C) shifts  leftward;  shifts rightward
D) shift s leftward;  does not shift
Answer: B
Topic: Demand  for Labor
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

40   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
97) If the nationʹs capital stock increases  so that workers become more productive,  the
A) demand  for labor will increase
B) supply  of labor will increase
C) demand  for labor will decrease
D) supply  of labor will decrease
Answer: A
Topic: Demand  for Labor Curve
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
98) Which  of the following  statements  is correct?
A) When  workers become more productive,  the demand for labor curve shifts rightward.
B) When  technology  decreases,  the supply of labor curve shifts leftward.
C) When  labor force participation  increases,  the supply of labor curve shifts leftward.
D) When  human capital increases,  the demand for labor curve shifts leftward.
Answer: A
Topic: Demand  for Labor Curve
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
99) If both the supply of labor and the demand for labor increase,  then
A) potential  GDP decreases.
B) potential  GDP increases.
C) full employment  decreases.
D) the real wage rate increases.
Answer: B
Topic: Shifts  in Labor Demand and Labor Supply
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
100) An increase in labor productivity  ________  the real wage rate and an increase in population
________  the real wage rate.
A) raises;  lowers
B) raises;  raises
C) lowers;  lowers
D) lowers;  raises
Answer: A
Topic: Shifts  in Labor Demand and Labor Supply
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   41
101) If the demand for labor increases
I. employment  increases.
II. the real wage rate increases.
A) Only I is correct.
B) Only II is correct.
C) Both I and II are correct.
D) Neither  I nor II is correct.
Answer: C
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium  with an Increase in Productivity
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
102) An advance in technology  that results in increased  productivity  results in a
A) rightward  shift of the labor supply curve.
B) rightward  shift of the labor demand curve.
C) rightward  shift of both the labor supply and labor demand curves.
D) movement  along the production  function.
Answer: B
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium  with an Increase in Productivity
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
103) An advance in technology  that increases  productivity  and an increase in the working -age
population  results in a
A) rightward  shift of the labor supply curve.
B) rightward  shift of the labor demand curve.
C) rightward  shift of the labor supply curve and of the labor demand curve.
D) movement  along the production  function.
Answer: C
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium  with an Increase in Productivity
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
104) An advance in technology  increases  the productivity  of labor.  As a result, the nationʹs
production  function shifts ________  and the ________  labor curve shifts rightward.
A) upward;  demand for
B) downward;  demand for
C) upward;  supply of
D) downward;  supply of
Answer: A
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium  with an Increase in Productivity
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

42   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
105) An increase in physical capital or a technological  advance
A) raises  the real wage rate.
B) decreases  the quantity of labor employed.
C) shifts  the production  function downward.
D) decreases  demand for labor.
Answer: A
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium  with an Increase in Productivity
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
106) An advance in technology  will
A) not shift the production  function but will lead to a movement  down along the production
function.
B) shift the production  function downward.
C) not shift the production  function but will lead to a movement  up along the production
function.
D) shift the production  function upward.
Answer: D
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium  with an Increase in Productivity
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
107) An advance in technology  shifts the production  function upward and shifts the labor
A) demand  curve leftward.
B) supply  curve leftward.
C) demand  curve rightward.
D) supply  curve rightward.
Answer: C
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium  with an Increase in Productivity
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
108) An increase in labor productivity  shifts the labor ________  curve ________.
A) demand;  rightward
B) demand;  leftward
C) supply;  rightward
D) supply;  leftward
Answer: A
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium  with an Increase in Productivity
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   43
109) If new capital increases  labor productivity,  the supply of labor ________  and the demand for
labor ________.
A) stays the same; increases
B) increases;  increases
C) increases;  decreases
D) decreases;  stays the same
Answer: A
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium  with an Increase in Productivity
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
110) As a result of the rightward  shift in the demand curve for labor from LD0 to LD1, the
equilibrium  level of employment  ________  and potential  GDP ________.
A) increases;  increases
B) increases;  decreases
C) decreases;  increases
D) decreases;  decreases
Answer: A
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium  with an Increase in Productivity
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

44   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
111) The  figure above shows the U.S. production  function.  From 1986 to 2008 the United States
experienced  major advances  in technology  as well as an increase in the working -age
population.  The combined  effect can best be shown by a
A) movement  from point W to point X.
B) movement  from point Y to point Z.
C) movement  from point Y to point X.
D) movement  from point W to point Z.
Answer: D
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium  with an Increase in Productivity
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
112) A decrease  in the real wage rate
A) shifts  the labor demand curve rightward.
B) shifts the labor demand curve leftward.
C) shifts  the labor supply curve leftward.
D) none of the above because a change in the real wage rate does not shift either the labor
demand or labor supply curve.
Answer: D
Topic: Study  Guide Question,  Demand for Labor
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   45
113) The  demand for labor curve
A) is downward  sloping because productivity  of labor diminishes  as more workers are
employed.
B) is upward sloping and the supply curve of labor is downward  sloping.
C) is upward sloping because productivity  of labor diminishes  as more workers are
employed.
D) shifts  rightward  when the real wage rate rises.
Answer: A
Topic: Study  Guide Question,  Demand for Labor
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
114) An increase in labor productivity
A) labor demand curve rightward.
B) labor demand curve leftward.
C) labor supply curve rightward.
D) labor supply curve leftward
Answer: A
Topic: Study  Guide Question,  Increase in Productivity
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
115) A decrease  in population  shifts the
A) labor demand curve rightward.
B) labor demand curve leftward.
C) labor supply curve rightward.
D) labor supply curve leftward
Answer: D
Topic: Study  Guide Question,  Population
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
4  Why Labor Productivity  Grows
1) The Industrial  Revolution  in England in large was the result of
A) growth  in human capital.
B) technological  innovations  encouraged  by the patent system.
C) population  growth.
D) technological  innovations  that were financed  mainly by government  spending.
Answer: B
Topic: Achieving Faster Economic  Growth
Skill: Recognition
Question history: New  10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

46   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
2) Which  of the following  is NOT an important  factor affecting  growth in labor productivity?
A) the saving rate
B) the speed with which prices fall
C) the growth rate of physical capital
D) the growth rate of labor productivity
Answer: B
Topic: Factors  Creating Economic  Growth
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Modified 10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
3) All of the following  contribute  to labor productivity  growth EXCEPT:
A) population  growth.
B) physical  capital growth.
C) human  capital growth.
D) technological  advancements.
Answer: A
Topic: Factors  Creating Economic  Growth
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: New  10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
4) Technological  change
A) lowers  the real wage rate.
B) decreases  labor productivity.
C) has no effect on employment.
D) increases  potential  GDP.
Answer: D
Topic: Factors  Creating Economic  Growth
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
5) Factors  that influence  labor productivity  include ________.
A) the inflation rate, the real wage rate, and the exchange  rate
B) the labor demand curve
C) physical  capital, the real wage rate, and technology
D) physical  capital, human capital, and technology
Answer: D
Topic: Labor  Productivity
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   47
6) Labor  productivity,  real GDP per labor hour, increases  if
A) saving  and investment  cause an increase in the quantity of capital per worker.
B) there is an increase in the accumulation  of human capital.
C) new technologies  are continuously  discovered.
D) All of the above answers are correct.
Answer: D
Topic: Labor  Productivity
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
7) Which  of the following  directly creates growth in labor productivity?
I. Growth  in capital per hour of labor.
II. Technological  change.
III. Population  growth.
A) I only
B) II only
C) I and II
D) I and III
Answer: C
Topic: Labor  Productivity,  Changes in Capital Stock
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
8) Labor  productivity  rises
A) if the amount of capital per worker increases.
B) in the absence of technological  progress.
C) if firms invest in hiring more workers rather than buying more capital.
D) if the amount of capital per worker decreases.
Answer: A
Topic: Labor  Productivity,  Changes in Capital Stock
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
9) Which  of the following  contributes  to an increase in labor productivity?
A) increased  consumption  expenditure
B) decreased  investment
C) increased  capital stock
D) All of the above contribute  to an increase in labor productivity.
Answer: C
Topic: Labor  Productivity,  Changes in Capital Stock
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

48   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
10) Which  of the following  does NOT increase labor productivity?
A) increases  in aggregate  hours
B) physical  capital growth
C) human  capital growth
D) technological  advances
Answer: A
Topic: Labor  Productivity,  Changes in Capital Stock
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
11) If capital per worker rises,
A) labor productivity  decreases.
B) no technological  progress  occurs.
C) labor productivity  increases.
D) firms respond by raising their prices.
Answer: C
Topic: Labor  Productivity,  Changes in Capital Stock
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
12) If the quantity of capital per worker in the economy  increases,
A) the amount of money held by workers increases.
B) labor productivity  increases.
C) the stock of human capital necessarily  increases.
D) the stock of financial  assets held by the public increases.
Answer: B
Topic: Labor  Productivity,  Changes in Capital Stock
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
13) Saving  and investment  that increase a nationʹs capital lead to
A) slower  growth because there is a lack of consumption.
B) a decrease  in labor productivity  as capital is used to replace labor.
C) a decrease  in the amount of capital per worker.
D) an increase in labor productivity.
Answer: D
Topic: Labor  Productivity,  Changes in Capital Stock
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   49
14) An increase in saving that leads to more capital accumulation  ________  labor productivity.
A) increases
B) does not change
C) decreases
D) probably  changes but in an ambiguous  direction
Answer: A
Topic: Labor  Productivity,  Changes in Capital Stock
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
15) A higher savings rate that leads to an increase in the capital stock
A) leads to higher interest rates.
B) leads to increases  in labor productivity.
C) immediately  decreases  investment.
D) is associated  with a decrease  in the rate of growth of the population.
Answer: B
Topic: Labor  Productivity,  Changes in Capital Stock
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
16) Labor  productivity  increases  with
A) increases  in consumption  expenditure.
B) increases  in depreciation.
C) increases  in capital.
D) All of the above answers are correct.
Answer: C
Topic: Labor  Productivity,  Changes in Capital Stock
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
17) If capital per hour of labor increases,  real GDP per hour of labor
A) decreases  for a given level of technology.
B) increases  because the level of technology  increases.
C) increases  for a given level of technology.
D) decreases  because the level of technology  decreases.
Answer: C
Topic: Labor  Productivity,  Changes in Capital Stock
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

50   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
18) If capital per hour of labor decreases,  real GDP per hour of labor
A) decreases  because the level of technology  decreases.
B) increases  because the level of technology  increases.
C) increases  for a given level of technology.
D) decreases  for a given level of technology.
Answer: D
Topic: Labor  Productivity,  Changes in Capital Stock
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
19) An increase in education  and training
A) increases  labor productivity.
B) increases  aggregate  hours.
C) decreases  real GDP growth.
D) increases  the employment -to-population  ratio.
Answer: A
Topic: Human  Capital
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
20) ________  is the knowledge  and skill that people have obtained  from education  and on-the-job
training.
A) Labor  productivity
B) Human  capital
C) Capital
D) Technology
Answer: B
Topic: Human  Capital
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
21) Human  capital is the
A) machinery  used by humans to produce GDP.
B) technology  used by humans to produce GDP.
C) skill and knowledge  accumulated  by humans.
D) plant and equipment  produced  by humans and not by machines.
Answer: C
Topic: Human  Capital
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   51
22) Human  capital is
A) the saving done by human beings.
B) people ʹs knowledge  and skills.
C) a measure  of the labor productivity  of workers.
D) the investment  people make in industries  that make capital goods.
Answer: B
Topic: Human  Capital
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
23) Human  capital is, in part, the
A) amount  of money held by a worker.
B) stock of knowledge  of a worker.
C) stock of plant and equipment.
D) stock of financial  assets held by the public.
Answer: B
Topic: Human  Capital
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
24) A workerʹs stock of knowledge  is known as
A) monetary  capital.
B) human  capital.
C) physical  capital.
D) financial  capital.
Answer: B
Topic: Human  Capital
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
25) On -the-job-training is an example of
A) increasing  labor force participation.
B) investment  in human capital.
C) investment  in physical capital.
D) technological  change.
Answer: B
Topic: Human  Capital
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

52   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
26) The more education  that workers have, the ________  is their human capital and ________  is their
productivity.
A) larger;  higher
B) larger;  smaller
C) smaller;  larger
D) smaller;  smaller
Answer: A
Topic: Human  Capital
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
27) During  World War II, the increasing  productivity  of workers who built ships was due primarily
to
A) human  capital accumulation  through schooling  and training.
B) human  capital accumulation  by repeatedly  doing the same tasks.
C) discoveries  of new and better technologies.
D) investments  by shipyards  in new capital equipment.
Answer: B
Topic: Human  Capital
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
28) Which  of the following  statements  regarding  human capital is INCORRECT ?
A) Human  capital is the accumulated  skill and knowledge  of human beings.
B) Education  is the only vehicle for the creation of human capital because training simply
reinforces  what has already been learned.
C) The accumulation  of human capital is the source of both increased  productivity  and
technological  advance.
D) Writing  and mathematics,  the most basic of human skills, are crucial elements  in economic
progress.
Answer: B
Topic: Human  Capital
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
29) Workers  who pursue an education  directly increase their
A) financial  capital.
B) physical  capital.
C) human  capital.
D) saving.
Answer: C
Topic: Human  Capital
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   53
30) In addition  to saving and investment  in capital, making an even larger contribution  to
long -term economic  growth in real GDP per person
A) are technological  advances.
B) is lower current consumption.
C) is higher current consumption.
D) is a larger work force.
Answer: A
Topic: Labor  Productivity,  Technological  Advance
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
31) Most  ________  is embodied  in physical capital.
A) human  capital
B) technological  change
C) labor productivity
D) economic  growth
Answer: B
Topic: Labor  Productivity,  Technological  Advance
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
32) If the level of technology  rises, real GDP per hour of labor
A) increases  for any level of capital per hour of labor.
B) increases  because the amount of capital per hour of labor increases.
C) decreases  for a given level of capital per hour of labor.
D) decreases  because the level of capital per hour of labor decreases.
Answer: A
Topic: Labor  Productivity,  Technological  Advance
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
33) In developing  nations, microloans
A) have increased  the indebtedness  of impoverished  people, thereby slowing economic
growth.
B) are primarily  used to finance consumption  expenditure,  thereby leading to economic
growth.
C) have enabled small businesses  with limited access to credit to purchase  capital and
expand, thus allowing  greater economic  growth.
D) are far too small to have any discernible  effect.
Answer: C
Topic: Microloans
Skill: Recognition
Question history: New  10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

54   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
5  Growth Theories,  Evidence,  and Policies
1) Which  of the following  is associated  with classical growth theory?
I. Growth  in real GDP can continue  indefinitely.
II. Technological  growth increases  as the population  grows.
III. Population  explosions  bring real GDP per person back to subsistence  levels.
A) I
B) II
C) III
D) I and III
Answer: C
Topic: Classical  Growth Theory
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
2) The view that population  growth occurs when real GDP per person exceeds the amount
necessary  to sustain life is part of the ________.
A) classical  growth theory
B) modern  theory of population  growth
C) neoclassical  growth theory
D) new growth theory
Answer: A
Topic: Classical  Growth Theory
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
3) An assumption  of classical growth theory is that when ________  the population  growth rate
________.
A) real GDP per person exceeds the subsistence  level; increases
B) people  become more skilled; decreases
C) the real wage rate falls; increases
D) saving  declines;  decreases
Answer: A
Topic: Classical  Growth Theory
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Modified 10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
4) Classical  growth theory asserts that
A) an increase in the labor supply raises real wage rates.
B) the economy  can grow indefinitely.
C) real wage rates fall over time and, as they fall, they increase the population  growth rate.
D) population  growth is determined  by the level of real GDP per person.
Answer: D
Topic: Classical  Growth Theory
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   55
5) Which  of the following  is consistent  with the classical theory of growth?
A) permanent  increases  in real wages
B) permanent  growth in productivity
C) rapid  population  growth in poor countries
D) permanent  increases  in living standards
Answer: C
Topic: Classical  Growth Theory
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
6) Classical  growth theory states that
A) growth  is maximized  when everyone  is fully employed.
B) growth  is followed  by increases  in the population,  eventually  leaving real GDP per person
unchanged.
C) growth  in real GDP per person is difficult in the beginning  but easier in the later stages.
D) advances  in technology  will always insure a permanent  increase in real GDP per person.
Answer: B
Topic: Classical  Growth Theory
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
7) Which  of the following  predicts that there can be no sustained  rise in real GDP per person above
the subsistence  level?
A) classical  growth theory
B) neoclassical  growth theory
C) new growth theory
D) None  of the above because all predict that there will be a sustained  rise above the
subsistence  level.
Answer: A
Topic: Classical  Growth Theory
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Modified 10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
8) Classical  growth theory argues that when real GDP per person rises above the subsistence  level,
A) technological  change slows down, stagnating  the economy.
B) population  growth increases,  driving real GDP per person back to subsistence  level.
C) people  donʹt want to work as much, decreasing  labor supply.
D) the economy  enjoys a period of permanent  growth.
Answer: B
Topic: Classical  Growth Theory
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Modified 10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

56   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
9) What best explains why real GDP per person is always driven to the subsistence  level in the
classical model?
A) Population  growth occurs, increasing  the supply of labor.
B) Population  growth occurs, shifting the labor supply curve leftward.
C) Growth  is not possible so the demand for labor never changes.
D) Investment  in capital decreases  labor demand,  decreasing  the demand for labor.
Answer: A
Topic: Classical  Growth Theory
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Modified 10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
10) Which  of the following  ideas are included  in classical growth theory?
I. Subsistence  real GDP per person
II. Growth  in real GDP per person is temporary.
III. Technological  change induces investment.
A) I only
B) I and II
C) II and III
D) I, II and III
Answer: B
Topic: Classical  Growth Theory
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Modified 10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
11) The assumption  that population  growth will lead to a fall in real GDP per person rate back to
subsistence  level is
A) accepted  by all economists  today.
B) associated  with Malthusians.
C) part of the neoclassical  school of growth theory.
D) central  to the new growth theory.
Answer: B
Topic: Classical  Growth Theory
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Modified 10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
12) According  to the classical growth theory of Thomas Malthus,
A) labor productivity  increases  continuously.
B) the population  growth rate is fixed.
C) technological  advances  lead to permanent  increases  in real GDP per person.
D) increases  in real GDP per person are only temporary.
Answer: D
Topic: Classical  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   57
13) Population  increases  are the limiting factor in the growth process in
A) classical  growth theory.
B) neoclassical  growth theory.
C) the new growth theory.
D) real growth theory.
Answer: A
Topic: Classical  Growth Theory
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
14) Classical  growth theory proposes  that real GDP growth is ________  and that real GDP per
person will ________  the subsistence  level.
A) permanent;  temporarily  be above
B) permanent;  always be above
C) temporary;  temporarily  be above
D) temporary;  be above and below
Answer: C
Topic: Classical  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
15) Classical  economists  believed that
A) real GDP per person would rise above its subsistence  level in the long run.
B) real GDP per person would never rise above its subsistence  level in the long run.
C) the demand for labor increases  when the population  increases.
D) population  growth decreases  as real GDP per person rises.
Answer: B
Topic: Classical  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Modified 10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
16) Classical  growth theory asserts that
A) growth  in real GDP per person is temporary.
B) only some countries  can have economic  growth.
C) real GDP growth will eventually  be a constant 3 percent per year.
D) nominal  GDP growth is most important.
Answer: A
Topic: Classical  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

58   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
17) The classical model of Malthus predicted  that economies  would
A) continue  to grow indefinitely.
B) experience  rapid technological  progress.
C) reach  a state where the growth of real GDP per person stopped.
D) experience  significant  productivity  growth.
Answer: C
Topic: Classical  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
18) Which  of the following  is consistent  with classical growth theory?
A) Real GDP per person will increase because technological  change induces investment.
B) Real GDP per person will never permanently  increase.
C) Competition  destroys  innovation  and decreases  profit.
D) As real GDP increases,  there will be a decrease  in the rate of population  growth.
Answer: B
Topic: Classical  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
19) According  to the neoclassical  growth theory,
A) increases  in labor productivity  are only temporary.
B) technological  change depends  on peopleʹs choices.
C) forces  other than GDP growth determine  population  growth.
D) higher  saving rates generate  permanently  faster growth in GDP per person.
Answer: C
Topic: Neoclassical  Growth Theory
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
20) Neoclassical  growth theory predicts that
A) population  growth rates slow as employment  opportunities  for women increase.
B) population  explosions  decrease  real GDP per person.
C) economic  growth leads to technological  change.
D) the pursuit of profit creates perpetual  growth.
Answer: A
Topic: Neoclassical  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: New  10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   59
21) Which  of the following  ideas apply to the neoclassical  growth theory?
I. The rate of technological  change influences  the rate of economic  growth.
II. Technological  change promotes  saving and investment.
III. Convergence  of economic  growth rates across countries.
A) I only
B) III only
C) I and II
D) I, II and III
Answer: D
Topic: Neoclassical  Growth Theory
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
22) Which  of the following  ideas apply to the neoclassical  growth theory?
I. Technological  change results from chance.
II. Growth  in real GDP stops if technology  stops advancing.
A) I only
B) II only
C)both I and II
D) neither  I nor II
Answer: C
Topic: Neoclassical  Growth Theory
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
23) Neoclassical  growth theory attributes  economic  growth to
A) technological  change.
B) fiscal policy.
C) the law of diminishing  returns.
D) increasing  population  growth.
Answer: A
Topic: Neoclassical  Growth Theory
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
24) The neoclassical  growth theory says, in part, that
A) a population  explosion  driven by economic  growth will end economic  growth.
B) technological  change leads to economic  growth.
C) the differences  in nationʹs growth rates will persist indefinitely.
D) technology  does not play a role in economic  growth.
Answer: B
Topic: Neoclassical  Growth Theory
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

60   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
25) In neoclassical  growth theory, technological  change ________.
A) occurs  by chance
B) is influenced  by population  growth
C) is influenced  by the rate of economic  growth
D) occurs  at a steady rate
Answer: A
Topic: Neoclassical  Growth Theory
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
26) An assumption  of neoclassical  growth theory is that
A) technological  change is random.
B) technological  change can be influenced  by savings.
C) more growth encourages  more technological  change.
D) None  of the above answers is correct.
Answer: A
Topic: Neoclassical  Growth Theory
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
27) Neoclassical  growth theory assumes that technological  progress
A) is determined  by investment.
B) is determined  by saving.
C) responds  to economic  incentives.
D) is a purely chance event.
Answer: D
Topic: Neoclassical  Growth Theory
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
28) Neoclassical  growth theory proposes  that
A) technological  progress  increases  the population  growth rate and drives down real wages.
B) real GDP per person grows because technological  change increases  profit opportunities.
C) real GDP growth is caused by growth in the population.
D) discoveries  result from choices that increase profits.
Answer: B
Topic: Neoclassical  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Modified 10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   61
29) Within  neoclassical  growth theory, technological  change ________  saving and ________
investment.
A) increases;  increases
B) increases;  decreases
C) decreases;  increases
D) decreases;  decreases
Answer: A
Topic: Neoclassical  Growth Theory
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
30) Neoclassical  growth theory is based on the proposition  that real GDP per person grows when
A) the population  growth rate increases.
B) the population  growth rate decreases.
C) technological  advances  occur.
D) saving  decreases.
Answer: C
Topic: Neoclassical  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
31) According  to neoclassical  growth theory, the higher real GDP per person from economic  growth
will
A) not last because the population  will increase.
B) last because there is no link between growth and population.
C) last indefinitely  regardless  of any other factor.
D) last as long as technological  change continues.
Answer: B
Topic: Neoclassical  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Modified 10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
32) Neoclassical  growth theory predicts that
A) advances  in technology  increase the productivity  of capital, which leads to an increase in
investment  and rising real GDP per person.
B) advances  in technology  are a result of discoveries  motivated  by the pursuit of profits.
C) growth  in real GDP can increase without any increase in investment.
D) growth  in real GDP can continue  indefinitely.
Answer: A
Topic: Neoclassical  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Modified 10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

62   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
33) Neoclassical  growth theory
A) predicts  that growth rates and incomes per person throughout  the world will converge.
B) predicts  that the faster growing  underdeveloped  nations will overtake  and then surpass
the industrial  nations.
C) predicts  that nations that enjoy a technological  advantage  will maintain  that advantage.
D) makes  no predictions  about the relative growth or incomes among countries.
Answer: A
Topic: Neoclassical  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
34) Neoclassical  growth theory predicts that Chinaʹs economic  growth rate will ________.
A) decrease  when the interest rate increases
B) continue  at around 10 percent a year
C) always  remain above the U.S. economic  growth rate
D) eventually  converge  to the U.S. economic  growth rate.
Answer: D
Topic: Neoclassical  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
35) A problem with the neoclassical  growth theory is its
A) prediction  that population  growth lowers the real wage rate.
B) inability  to explain persistent  differences  between countries ʹ GDP growth rates.
C) prediction  that population  growth raises the real wage rate.
D) comparison  of the economy  to a perpetual  motion machine.
Answer: B
Topic: Neoclassical  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
36) The notion that technological  change is not random but instead is driven by the pursuit of
profits is an essential  element of
A) classical  growth theory.
B) neoclassical  growth theory.
C) the new growth theory.
D) perpetual  growth theory.
Answer: C
Topic: New  Growth Theory
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   63
37) According  to the new growth theory, competition
A) reduces  profit.
B) increases  profit.
C) has no impact on real profit, only nominal profit.
D) is only theoretical  because all firms are growing  at some rate.
Answer: A
Topic: New  Growth Theory
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
38) According  to new growth theory, technological  change is driven by
A) random  chance.
B) government  policies.
C) foreign  firmsʹ attempts  to increase their sales in the domestic  market.
D) firmsʹ attempts  to increase their profit.
Answer: D
Topic: New  Growth Theory
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
39) Because  of the choices people make in the pursuit of profit, new growth theory argues that
A) technology  growth slows down in the long -run.
B) population  growth increases  will bring real GDP per person back to subsistence  level.
C) the capital stock experiences  diminishing  returns.
D) the economy  can enjoy persisting  economic  growth.
Answer: D
Topic: New  Growth Theory
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Modified 10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
40) ________  predicts that real GDP per person can grow indefinitely.
A) New growth theory
B) Classical  growth theory
C) Profit  growth theory
D) Neoclassical  growth theory
Answer: A
Topic: New  Growth Theory
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

64   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
41) New  growth theory predicts that
A) economic  growth is only temporary.
B) economic  growth can last indefinitely.
C) economic  growth is eroded by changes in taxes.
D) government  policies can do nothing to foster increased  growth.
Answer: B
Topic: New  Growth Theory
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
42) A central proposition  of the new growth theory is that
A) growth  will cease but prosperity  will persist.
B) knowledge  is not subject to diminishing  returns.
C) government  direction  and oversight  is necessary  for consistent  growth.
D) growth  is often just an illusion fostered by growth accounting.
Answer: B
Topic: New  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
43) New  growth theory assumes that
A) all inputs experience  diminishing  returns.
B) only random technological  advances  produce growth.
C) knowledge  does not experience  diminishing  returns.
D) None  of the above answers is correct.
Answer: C
Topic: New  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
44) A key feature of the new growth theory is the assumption  of
A) diminishing  returns to labor.
B) diminishing  returns to knowledge.
C) no diminishing  returns to knowledge.
D) no diminishing  returns to labor.
Answer: C
Topic: New  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   65
45) According  to the new growth theory
A) the rate of technological  progress  is determined  by chance.
B) knowledge  is not subject to diminishing  returns.
C) the labor demand curve does not shift rightward  over time.
D) the concept of a labor market is not necessary.
Answer: B
Topic: New  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
46) According  to new growth theory ________.
A) ever -advancing  productivity  keeps the population  growth rate high
B) knowledge  does not experience  diminishing  returns
C) growth  rates and income levels per person around the globe will converge
D) knowledge  is subject to the law of diminishing  returns
Answer: B
Topic: New  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
47) Which  theory emphasizes  the significance  of new discoveries  that can be used by many people
at the same time?
A) neoclassical  growth theory
B) new growth theory
C) classical  growth theory
D) None  of the above answers are correct.
Answer: B
Topic: New  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
48) Which  of the following  is NOT associated  with the new growth theory?
A) natural  resources
B) research
C) technology
D) innovation
Answer: A
Topic: New  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

66   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
49) New  growth theory
A) dates from the 18th century.
B) concludes  that economic  growth is temporary.
C) states  that economic  growth arises from peopleʹs choices.
D) asserts  that population  growth is the source of economic  growth.
Answer: C
Topic: New  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
50) An important  foundation  of the new growth theory is that
A) we will get more technological  advances  the more the government  is involved  in deciding
which technology  to pursue.
B) we will get more technological  advances  the greater the rewards people receive from
making technological  advances.
C) the growth rate of the capital stock is more important  than the growth rate of new
knowledge  in generating  economic  growth.
D) improvements  in labor productivity  are poor measures  of technological  growth.
Answer: B
Topic: New  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
51) New  growth theory economists  believe that:
I. Economic  growth can continue  as long as we keep finding new ideas.
II. The marginal  product of capital diminishes  very rapidly, so we must rely upon
technological  advances  to create economic  growth.
A) I only
B) II only
C)both I and II
D) neither  I nor II
Answer: A
Topic: New  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
52) New  growth theory proposes  that real GDP per person grows because of ________  and that
growth ________.
A) the pursuit of profit; can persist indefinitely
B) productivity  shocks; can persist indefinitely
C) technological  change; can only increase above the subsistence  level temporarily
D) productivity  shocks; occurs randomly
Answer: A
Topic: New  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   67
53) Which  growth theory models growth as a perpetual  motion machine?
A) new growth theory
B) classical  growth theory
C) neoclassical  growth theory
D) all growth theories model growth as a perpetual  motion machine
Answer: A
Topic: New  Growth Theory
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
54) Which  growth theory predicts perpetual  growth?
A) classical  growth theory
B) neoclassical  growth theory
C) new growth theory
D) None  of the above answers is correct.
Answer: C
Topic: New  Growth Theory
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
55) The growth theory that predicts perpetual  economic  growth is
A) classical  growth theory.
B) neoclassical  growth theory.
C) the new growth theory.
D) real growth theory.
Answer: C
Topic: New  Growth Theory
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
56) Which  one of the following  statements  about growth theories is correct?
A) In the new growth theory, knowledge  is not subject to diminishing  returns.
B) In neoclassical  growth theory, technological  progress  is the result of rapid increases  in
saving and investment  in capital per person.
C) In classical growth theory, real GDP per person is unrelated  to the subsistence  real GDP.
D) In classical growth theory physical resources  are unlimited.
Answer: A
Topic: Sorting  Out the Growth Theories
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

68   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
57) Ongoing  economic  growth in real GDP per person requires all of the following  except ________.
A) investment  in human capital
B) the discovery  of new technologies
C) saving  and investment  in new capital
D) population  growth
Answer: D
Topic: Achieving Faster Economic  Growth
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
58) Which  of the following  has NOT been one of the primary sources of economic  growth over the
last 200 years?
A) investment  in new capital
B) resource  conservation
C) investment  in human capital
D) discoveries  of new technology
Answer: B
Topic: Achieving Faster Economic  Growth
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
59) Which  of the following  policy actions could speed productivity  growth?
I. Tax incentives  to encourage  saving.
II. Encouraging  international  trade.
III. Directing  public funds toward financing  basic research.
A) II only.
B) I and III.
C) I only.
D) I, II, and III.
Answer: D
Topic: Achieving Faster Economic  Growth
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
60) A higher saving rate leads to faster growth because
A) more saving produces  greater additions  to capital per hour of labor, raising real GDP per
person.
B) capital  would wear out faster.
C) people  could consume  more of an economy ʹs output.
D) population  growth would accelerate.
Answer: A
Topic: Achieving Faster Growth, Saving
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   69
61) If the saving rate increases,  a countryʹs growth rate of real GDP per hour of labor ________  and
capital per hour of labor ________.
A) increases;  increases
B) increases;  decreases
C) decreases;  increases
D) decreases;  decreases
Answer: A
Topic: Achieving Faster Growth, Saving
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
62) Savings  is an important  factor influencing  economic  growth because saving
A) can finance new investment  and capital formation.
B) helps the economy  maintain  the current level of total expenditures  when a recession
begins.
C) provides  a fund for wages needed from any unexpected  population  growth.
D) All of the above answers are correct.
Answer: A
Topic: Achieving Faster Growth, Saving
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
63) Which  of the following  statements  is CORRECT ?
I. Higher  savings rates can stimulate  economic  growth.
II. Limiting  international  trade can stimulate  economic  growth.
A) I only
B) II only
C)both I and II
D) neither  I nor II
Answer: A
Topic: Achieving Faster Growth, Saving
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
64) One policy that would increase the saving rate would be
A) raising  taxes on the returns to saving.
B) raising  taxes on the returns to investment.
C) taxing  consumption.
D) raising  taxes on saving.
Answer: C
Topic: Achieving Faster Growth, Saving
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

70   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
65) To achieve faster growth, one possibility  is to tax
A) consumption.
B) saving.
C) hiring.
D) immigration.
Answer: A
Topic: Achieving Faster Growth, Saving
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
66) Activities  that encourage  faster growth are
A) investment  in new capital and human capital.
B) high levels of consumption  and low levels of savings.
C) taxes on saving that serve to encourage  more spending  and less saving.
D) developing  trade barriers to protect national industries.
Answer: A
Topic: Achieving Faster Economic  Growth
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
67) Which  of the following  policies improves  prospects  for more rapid economic  growth?
A) policies  to increase government  expenditure
B) limitations  on international  trade
C) policies  to increase the educational  attainment  of the labor force
D) encouragement  of political instability
Answer: C
Topic: Achieving Faster Economic  Growth
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
68) All of the following  lead to more rapid economic  growth EXCEPT
A) restricting  international  trade.
B) encouraging  higher rates of saving.
C) supporting  more research and development.
D) encouraging  higher quality education.
Answer: A
Topic: Achieving Faster Economic  Growth
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: New  10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   71
69) A country would achieve faster growth by ________.
A) encouraging  free trade
B) increasing  the cost of education
C) increasing  union membership
D) taxing  income and not consumption
Answer: A
Topic: Achieving Faster Growth, International  Trade
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
70) Several  factors are important  for achieving  faster economic  growth. Which of the following  is
one of those factors?
A) expansion  of international  trade
B) increased  government  expenditure
C) increased  taxes on saving
D) promotion  of consumption  expenditure
Answer: A
Topic: Achieving Faster Growth, International  Trade
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
71) Economic  growth tends to be higher in a country that
A) has a low savings rate.
B) has an economy  open to international  trade.
C) has an undeveloped  system of property  rights.
D) does not grant patents to inventors.
Answer: B
Topic: Achieving Faster Growth, International  Trade
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
72) The relationship  between education  and economic  growth can best be summarized  by saying
that
A) educated  people are less apt to consume  goods that deplete economic  resources,  which
encourages  economic  growth.
B) educational  expenditures  tend to divert funds from productive  investments,  which
discourages  economic  growth.
C) educational  expenditures  tend to be inflationary,  which discourages  economic  growth.
D) education  has benefits beyond those who receive the education,  which encourages
economic  growth.
Answer: D
Topic: Achieving Faster Growth, Education
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

72   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
73) All of the following  would increase the growth rate of the economy  EXCEPT
A) raising  the saving rate.
B) stimulating  research and development.
C) discouraging  international  trade.
D) None  of the above answers is correct because they all would increase the growth rate.
Answer: C
Topic: Achieving Faster Economic  Growth
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
74) Which  of the following  will NOT work to increase the rate of economic  growth?
A) increase  saving
B) limit competition  from international  trade
C) improve  the quality of education
D) All of the above will work to increase the rate of economic  growth.
Answer: B
Topic: Achieving Faster Economic  Growth
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
75) All of the following  would stimulate  economic  growth EXCEPT
A) decreasing  taxes on consumption  (for instance,  decreasing  a sales taxes) and increasing
income taxes.
B) subsidizing  basic research.
C) decreasing  tuition charges at state universities.
D) encouraging  international  trade.
Answer: A
Topic: Achieving Faster Economic  Growth
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
76) According  to empirical  evidence,
A) providing  international  aid to developing  nations stimulates  economic  growth.
B) providing  international  aid to developing  nations does not have a positive effect on
economic  growth.
C) international  trade stimulates  economic  growth in richer nations, but actually slows
economic  growth in developing  economies.
D) international  trade stimulates  economic  growth in developing  economies,  but actually
slows economic  growth in richer nations.
Answer: B
Topic: Achieving Faster Economic  Growth
Skill: Recognition
Question history: New  10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   73
77) Which  theory of economic  growth concludes  that in the long run real GDP per person will be at
its subsistence  level?
A) the classical theory
B) the neoclassical  theory
C) the new theory
D) all of the theories
Answer: C
Topic: Study  Guide Question,  Classical Theory
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Modified 10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
78) A factor that turned out to be a weakness  of the classical theory of growth is its
A) emphasis  on saving and investment.
B) assumption  that the growth rate of the population  increases  when income increases.
C) reliance  on constant growth in technology.
D) neglect  of the subsistence  real wage.
Answer: B
Topic: Study  Guide Question,  Classical Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
79) An assumption  of the neoclassical  theory of growth is that
A) people  receive only subsistence  real GDP per person.
B) all technological  advances  are the result of chance.
C) the marginal  product of all types of capital increases  as more capital is accumulated.
D) knowledge  has diminishing  returns.
Answer: B
Topic: Study  Guide Question,  Neoclassical  Growth Theory
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
80) In the neoclassical  theory of growth, growth in ________  is the result of luck.
A) saving
B) income
C) technology
D) the real interest rate
Answer: C
Topic: Study  Guide Question,  Neoclassical  Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

74   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
81) A key assumption  of new growth theory is that
A) all technological  change is the result of luck.
B) higher  incomes lead to a higher birth rate.
C) a successful  innovator  has the opportunity  to earn a temporary,  above -average profit.
D) the population  growth rate is lower than the real interest rate.
Answer: C
Topic: Study  Guide Question,  New Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
82) Which  theory of economic  growth concludes  that growth can continue  indefinitely?
A) the classical theory
B) the neoclassical  theory
C) the new theory
D) all of the theories
Answer: C
Topic: Study  Guide Question,  New Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
6  News Based Questions
1) The table below shows data for China.
Population
(millions)Real GDP
(yuan, billions)Nominal  GDP
(yuan, billions)
2000 1267 4999 9921
2003 1292 6498 13582
2006 1315 8776 21087
The economic  growth rate in China between 2000 and 2003 was ________  percent.
A) 30
B) 37
C) 1.97
D) 98
Answer: A
Topic: Economic  Growth Rate
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   75
2) The table below shows data for China.
Population
(millions)Real GDP
(yuan, billions)Nominal  GDP
(yuan, billions)
2000 1267 4999 9921
2003 1292 6498 13582
2006 1315 8776 21087
The standard  of living between 2003 and 2006 increased  by ________.
A) 55.3 percent
B) 1.8 percent
C) 35 percent
D) 32.7 percent
Answer: D
Topic: Economic  Growth Rate
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
3)ʺIT Policy Can Spur Economic  Growth, Industry  Saysʺ
As staffers on Capitol Hill know all too well, the growth of technology  has created an economy
increasingly  reliant on energy consumption,  as BlackBerrys,  laptops, and other devices become
everyday  necessities.  The right policies, however,  can make IT growth a part of the energy
solution rather than the problem,  IT representatives  said Monday at a forum, in a congressional
office, hosted by the Information  Technology  & Innovation  Foundation.
Information  technology  could reduce the expected  growth in carbon emissions  by one third
over 10 years, said Daniel Castro, a senior analyst with the ITIF.
Information  and communication  technology  has ʺgreat promise in driving economic  growth as
well as reducing  emissions, ʺ added David Isaacs, director of government  affairs for
Hewlett -Packard,  but ʺpolicy should drive these results.ʺ 
www.news.cnet.com   11/17/2008
In order to drive economic  growth in real GDP per person, the changes in information
technology  that the article addresses  must
A) cause  a movement  along the aggregate  production  function.
B) increase  labor productivity.
C) increase  labor supply.
D) decrease  the demand for labor.
Answer: B
Topic: Increase  in Productivity
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Communication
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

76   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
4)ʺPremier Liu Chao -shiuan announced  Tuesday  a government  plan to distribute  NT$82.9 billion
(US$2.51  billion) in consumption  coupons to Taiwanʹs citizens in a bid to stimulate  … economic
growth.ʺ
www.etaiwannews.com  11/18/2008
The Premierʹs plan to boost economic  growth by boosting  consumption
A) will work because employment  will increase.
B) will work because there will be a movement  out along Taiwanʹs aggregate  production
function.
C) will not work because real GDP per person will decrease.
D) will not work because economic  growth is boosted by labor productivity,  not
consumption.
Answer: D
Topic: Increase  in Productivity
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
5) Hu Tells Leaders China Growth Will Help World Economy
Chinese President  Hu Jintao told world leaders that his country ʺhas taken an active part in the
international  cooperation  to deal with the financial  crisisʹʹ by providing  a ʺ$586 billion economic
stimulus,  focused on building  low-rent housing,  roads, railways  and airports. The package also
allows tax deductions  for fixed assets such as machinery  to stimulate  investment.  Farmers will
also benefit from more subsidies. ʺ
Hu stated that ʺChina is in itself an important  contribution  to international  financial  stability
and world economic  growth.ʹʹ
www.bloomberg.com  11/15/2008
If the fiscal stimulus  spending  does generate  economic  growth, we can expect to see
A) growth  in labor productivity.
B) growth  Chinaʹs price level.
C) an excess supply of labor in Chinaʹs labor market.
D) growth  in the supply of labor.
Answer: A
Topic: Increase  in Productivity
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Communication
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   77
6) Hu Tells Leaders China Growth Will Help World Economy
Chinese President  Hu Jintao told world leaders that his country ʺhas taken an active part in the
international  cooperation  to deal with the financial  crisisʹʹ by providing  a ʺ$586 billion economic
stimulus,  focused on building  low-rent housing,  roads, railways  and airports. The package also
allows tax deductions  for fixed assets such as machinery  to stimulate  investment.  Farmers will
also benefit from more subsidies. ʺ
Hu stated that ʺChina is in itself an important  contribution  to international  financial  stability
and world economic  growth.ʹʹ
www.bloomberg.com  11/15/2008
Which of the following  will occur if Chinaʹs spending  generates  economic  growth in real GDP
per person?
i. There  will be an upward shift in Chinaʹs aggregate  production  function.
ii. There  will be a rightward  shift in Chinaʹs labor demand curve.
iii. There  will be an increase in the real wage.
A) i and ii only.
B) i, ii and iii.
C) i and iii only.
D) ii and iii only.
Answer: B
Topic: Increase  in Productivity
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
7) Hu Tells Leaders China Growth Will Help World Economy
Chinese President  Hu Jintao told world leaders that his country ʺhas taken an active part in the
international  cooperation  to deal with the financial  crisisʹʹ by providing  a ʺ$586 billion economic
stimulus,  focused on building  low-rent housing,  roads, railways  and airports. The package also
allows tax deductions  for fixed assets such as machinery  to stimulate  investment.  Farmers will
also benefit from more subsidies. ʺ
Hu stated that ʺChina is in itself an important  contribution  to international  financial  stability
and world economic  growth.ʹʹ
www.bloomberg.com  11/15/2008
China wants to increase investment  because this change will
A) increase  the growth in physical capital and speed up economic  growth.
B) increase human capital.
C) cause  an increase in the supply of labor.
D) not cause the real wage rate to increase so employment  will increase.
Answer: A
Topic: Why  Labor Productivity  Grows
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

78   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
8) Strategy  to Address Dependence  on Foreign Workers,  Labour Market Demands
The prime minister of Malaysia  announced  his government ʹs ʺimmediate  focus would be to
enhance skills development  and improve  the quality of education. ʺ  By ʺthe constant upgrading
of skills of the countryʹs workforce ʺ he hoped to improve  the countryʹs ʺglobal competitiveness
and raise average incomes of workers. ʺ
www.thestar.com.my  11/21/2008
The story describes
A) a plan increase physical capital.
B) improvements  in Malaysia ʹs incentive  system.
C) a consequence  of economic  growth.
D) a plan to increase human capital.
Answer: D
Topic: Human  Capital
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
9) Strategy  to Address Dependence  on Foreign Workers,  Labour Market Demands
The prime minister of Malaysia  announced  his government ʹs ʺimmediate  focus would be to
enhance skills development  and improve  the quality of education. ʺ  By ʺthe constant upgrading
of skills of the countryʹs workforce ʺ he hoped to improve  the countryʹs ʺglobal competitiveness
and raise average incomes of workers. ʺ
www.thestar.com.my  11/21/2008
The long -run benefit of enhancing  ʺskill development  and improve….education ʺ is to
A) improve  property  rights.
B) increase  labor supply.
C) speed  economic  growth.
D) smooth  the growth of labor productivity.
Answer: C
Topic: Economic  Growth Rate
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   79
10)ʺWhy India Cannot Sustain High Economic  Growthʺ, by Kunal KumarKundu
In his article about Indiaʹs prospects  for growth, the author notes that ʺPer capita availability  of
food grain is falling as population  is growing  faster than food grain production.  Deplorable
rural infrastructure  leads to India wasting an amount of food grain … . Indiaʹs agriculture  is still
so very highly monsoon  dependent… ʺ
www.rediff.com  5/29/2008
This view of Indiaʹs economic  growth is best reflected  in the ________.
A) classical  growth theory.
B) new growth theory.
C) neoclassical  growth theory.
D) aggregate  production  theory.
Answer: A
Topic: Classical  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
11)ʺWhy India Cannot Sustain High Economic  Growthʺ, by Kunal KumarKundu
In his article about Indiaʹs prospects  for growth, the author notes that ʺPer capita availability  of
food grain is falling as population  is growing  faster than food grain production.  Deplorable
rural infrastructure  leads to India wasting an amount of food grain … . Indiaʹs agriculture  is still
so very highly monsoon  dependent… ʺ
www.rediff.com  5/29/2008
If the author is suggesting  that Indiaʹs growth prospects  are explained  by the classical growth
theory, we also expect that
A) real GDP per worker will increase.
B) the subsistence  wage will increase.
C) the economy  will perpetually  grow.
D) labor productivity,  which has risen in recent years, will eventually  decline.
Answer: D
Topic: Classical  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

80   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
12) Use the table below to answer this question.   The data show national savings rates as a
percentage  of GDP; the growth rate of real GDP per person; and birth rates in 2006.
CountryNational  Saving
(% of GDP)Growth rate of
real GDP per
person Birth Rate
Japan 28 1.6 9.96
Canada 24 2.6 11.4
Germany 23 1.9 9.35
U.S. 14 1.9 14.2
www.econstats.com;  www.os -connect.com
If the data support the neoclassical  growth theory, we would expect to see
A)Japan with the highest economic  growth rate because the high saving means that more
capital is accumulated.
B) the United States with the highest economic  growth rate because a lower savings rate
means more income is spent on consumption.
C) Canada  with the highest economic  growth rate because it has the highest real GDP per
person.
D) the United States with the highest economic  growth rate because it has the highest birth
rate.
Answer: A
Topic: Neoclassical  Growth Theory
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
13)ʺGlobal Innovation  1000—Money  Isnʹt Everything. ʺ 
The report by Booz Allen Hamilton  Consulting  claims that ʺThere is no direct relationship
between R&D spending  and significant  measures  of corporate  success such as growth,
profitability,  and shareholder  return. …However,  the pace of corporate  R&D spending  continues
to accelerate,  as many executives  continue  to believe that enhanced  innovation  is required  to
fuel their future growth.
www.boozallen.com  10/11/2005
The report provides  ________  evidence  of the ________.
A) conflicting;   new growth model which claims that profits are linked to innovation.
B) supporting;  new growth model which claims that innovation  is indirectly  related to profit.
C) conflicting;  neoclassical  growth model which claims that population  growth spurs
technology.
D) supporting;  neoclassical  growth model which claims that technology  advances  are
random.
Answer: A
Topic: New  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   81
14) According  to UNESCO  reporting,  ʺGovernments  in North America  and Western Europe
invested  the highest shares of national resources  in education:  5.6 percent of GDP.ʺ  As a result,
we would expect ________,  all else held constant.
www.worldometers.info
A) higher  economic  growth rates in these countries  compared  to other countries
B) lower  economic  growth rates in the countries  because fewer resources  can be devoted to
innovation.
C) lower  research and development  spending  and lower economic  growth unless the
governments  can raise taxes.
D) lower  saving rates and slower economic  growth.
Answer: A
Topic: Achieving Faster Growth, Education
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
15) Cuba spends the highest percentage  of GDP (18.7 percent) on education  while the United States
is the  38th highest spender with 5.7 percent of GDP.  If spending  on education  is important  for
economic  growth, which of the following  statements  explain why Cubaʹs economic  growth rate
is lower than the U.S. economic  growth rate?
(data from United Nations Human Development  Programme)
A) Cuba trades with many more countries  than does the United States.
B) Cuba doesnʹt offer property  rights that promote  innovation.
C) Cubaʹs population  is smaller than the U.S. population.
D) all of the above explain why Cubaʹs economic  growth rate is lower than the U.S. economic
growth rate.
Answer: D
Topic: Achieving Faster Economic  Growth
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
7  Essay Questions
1) How has U.S. real GDP per person changed  over the last 100 years?
Answer: Although  the U.S. economy  usually displays growth in real GDP per person, there have
been periods of time when real GDP per person has fallen. The decline is usually mild,
although  this was not the case during the Great Depression,  which had a severe decrease
in real GDP per person. Overall, the average yearly growth rate was higher after World
War II than prior to the Great Depression.  Prior to the Great Depression,  the yearly U.S.
growth rate of real GDP per person averaged  only about 1.4 percent per year, while after
World War II it averaged  2 percent per year. And, over the entire 100 years, the U.S.
growth rate of real GDP per person has averaged  about 2 percent per year.
Topic: U.S.  Economic  Growth
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Communication
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

82   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
2) Briefly  explain how growth in real GDP differs across economies  including  the United States,
Japan, Africa, Central America,  Hong Kong, Korea, and Singapore.
Answer: Over  the past 100 years, growth in real GDP per person in the United States has averaged
2 percent per year. The growth rate has varied from one period to the next. Some rich
nations, such as Japan, are catching up to the U.S. level of real GDP per person. Many
poor nations, especially  those in Africa and Central America  are not catching up. But
Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore,  and Taiwan are generally  growing  more rapidly than the
United States and so they are catching up.
Topic: Real  GDP Growth in the World Economy
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Communication
3) How has the U.S. growth experience  compared  to that of Central Europe and Africa? How has
compared  to the recent experience  of Asian nations such as Hong Kong and Singapore.
Answer: A  persistent  gap in the level of real GDP per person has existed between the United States
and most other nations in the world. Nations from Central Europe and Africa have
consistently  grown at a slower rate and have therefore  fallen further behind in real GDP
per person. An exception  to this rule has been the experience  of several Asian nations
such as Hong Kong and Singapore.  These and other Asian nations have experienced,  on
average, higher growth rates than the United States and so have (partially)  closed the gap
in real GDP per person.
Topic: Real  GDP Growth in the World Economy
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Communication
4) Discuss  the aggregate  production  function.  How does the aggregate  production  function relate
to the labor market and potential  GDP?
Answer: The  aggregate  production  function shows the maximum  amounts  of real GDP that can be
produced  as the quantity of labor changes,  holding constant all other influences  on
aggregate  production.  As the quantity of labor increases,  real GDP increases  but at a
decreasing  rate, that is, the aggregate  production  function shows diminishing  returns.
The aggregate  production  function ʺstands betweenʺ the labor market and potential  GDP.
In particular,  the quantity of employment  is determined  in the labor market. The
aggregate  production  function then shows the amount of real GDP that is produced  by
this quantity of employment.  When the quantity of employment  determined  in the labor
market is the equilibrium  quantity,  then the amount of real GDP produced  is potential
GDP.
Topic: Aggregate Production  Function
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Communication
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   83
5) Define  the aggregate  production  function.  Discuss why the aggregate  production  function
exhibits diminishing  returns.
Answer: The  aggregate  production  function is the relationship  that shows the maximum  quantity
of real GDP that can be produced  as the quantity of labor employed  changes and all other
influences  on aggregate  production  remain the same. The aggregate  production  function
exhibits diminishing  returns because the quantity of capital (and other resources)  is fixed.
As more labor is hired, the extra output produced  decreases  because the extra workers
have less capital with which to work. As a result, the additional  workers cannot produce
as much additional  output as did the previously  hired workers.
Topic: Aggregate Production  Function
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Communication
6) What is the real wage rate?
Answer: The  real wage rate is the money wage rate ʺcorrected ʺ for changes in the price level. It is
calculated  by dividing  the money wage rate by the price level. The real wage rate is the
quantity of goods and services that can be purchased  by an hourʹs worth of work.
Topic: Real  Wage Rate
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Modified 10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
7) Explain  how the labor market and the production  function determine  potential  GDP.
Answer: The  labor market determines  the equilibrium  quantity of labor. In other words, the
amount of employment  is determined  by supply and demand in the labor market. The
production  function shows the amount of output, real GDP, that is produced  for all
different  amounts  of employment.  Intuitively,  the production  function ʺconverts ʺ the
amount of employment  from the labor market into real GDP. If the labor market is in
equilibrium,  so that the level of employment  is equal to full employment,  then the
amount of real GDP produced,  determined  from the production  function is potential
GDP.
Topic: Labor  Market and Potential GDP
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Communication
8) How will an increase in physical capital affect labor productivity,  labor demand,  and potential
GDP?
Answer: An  increase in capital increases  labor productivity.  It shifts the production  function
upward and, because productivity  has increased,  it increases  the demand for labor.
Equilibrium  employment  increases  because of the increase in demand for labor. Potential
GDP increases  because employment  increases  and because the production  function has
shifted upward.
Topic: Labor  Market and Potential GDP
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Communication
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

84   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
9) What happens  to the real wage rate and potential  GDP if population  increases?
Answer: An  increase in population  increases  the supply of labor. As a result, the labor supply
curve shifts rightward.  The labor demand curve does not shift. The increase in the supply
of labor means that employment  increases  and the real wage rate falls. The economy
moves along its (unchanged)  production  function to a higher level of potential  GDP.
Topic: Labor  Market and Potential GDP
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Communication
10) With  no change in labor productivity,  what would happen to the real wage rate and potential
GDP if the population  increased?
Answer: An  increase in population  increases  the supply of labor. As a result, the labor supply
curve shifts rightward.  Neither the labor demand curve not the production  function
shifts. The increase in the supply of labor means that employment  increases  and the real
wage rate falls. The economy  moves along its (unchanged)  production  function to a
higher level of potential  GDP.
Topic: Labor  Market and Potential GDP
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Communication
11) What  is the effect on real GDP per person if labor productivity  increases?
Answer: Real  GDP equals (aggregate  hours) ×(labor productivity).  Hence an increase in labor
productivity  increases  real GDP. Real GDP per person equals (real GDP)/(population).
Therefore  an increase in real GDP with no change in the population  increases  real GDP
per person.
Topic: Labor  Productivity
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Communication
12) Define  labor productivity.  Discuss the relationship  between labor productivity,  human capital
growth, and technology  change.
Answer: Labor  productivity  is real GDP per hour of labor, so it equals (real GDP) ÷ (aggregate
hours). The expansion  of human capital and the discovery  of new technology  are two
factors that increase labor productivity.  Increasing  human capital increases  labor
productivity  because workersʹ skills and knowledge  increase,  which allows them to
produce more goods and services without boosting  aggregate  hours. Similarly,  the
discovery  and use of new technologies  allows workers to produce more goods and
services without increasing  aggregate  hours.
Topic: Labor  Productivity
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Communication
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   85
13) What  factors raise the productivity  of labor?
Answer: The  productivity  of labor is affected by the amount physical capital, the amount of
human capital, and the level of technology.  An increase in either physical capital or
human capital means that more goods and services can be produced  with a given amount
of labor, so that the productivity  of labor increases.  Similarly  a technological
improvement  also increases  the productivity  of labor.
Topic: Labor  Productivity
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
14) List and explain the factors that can increase labor productivity.
Answer: The  three factors that can increase labor productivity  are saving and investment  in
physical capital, expansion  of human capital, and discovery  of new technology.  Saving
and investing  in physical capital increases  the amount of capital per worker and thereby
increases  workersʹ productivity.  Increasing  the amount of human capital means that
workersʹ skills, knowledge,  and talents increase,  which thereby increases  their
productivity.  And, the discovery  and use of new technologies  allows workers to produce
more goods and services than before, which increases  their productivity.
Topic: Labor  Productivity
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
15) What  are the sources of human capital?
Answer: Human  capital, the accumulated  skills and knowledge  people possess, comes from both
formal education  and training,  and from on-the-job experience.  On-the-job experience
creates ʺlearning by doing,ʺ in which workers become more knowledgeable  about the best
way to accomplish  a task as they do the task.
Topic: Human  Capital
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
16) What  are the basic arguments  of the classical growth theory?
Answer: The  classical growth theory originated  during the late 18th century. Although  proposed
by many leading economists  of the time, it has most often associated  with Malthus.  The
classical theory states that economic  growth will be temporary.  The reason why the
growth is temporary  is because any economic  growth will lead to a population  explosion.
The growth in population  increases  labor hours, which lead to a reduction  in capital per
labor hour. Productivity  declines until real GDP per person falls to the subsistence  level
where life is just sustained.  At this point, economic  growth ceases.
Topic: Classical  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Modified 10th edition
AACSB: Communication
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

86   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
17) What  is the main difference  between classical economists ʹ ideas about economic  growth versus
what modern evidence  suggests?
Answer: Classical  economists  assumed  that as real GDP per person rises, the population  growth
rate increased.  But, contrary to this assumption,  the data show that population  growth
rate is approximately  independent  of the economic  growth rate. Classical  economists
concluded  that the increase in population,  which increases  labor supply, would drive real
GDP per person back to the subsistence  level. But the data show that in advanced  nations
real GDP per person is well above the subsistence  wage rate.
Topic: Classical  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Modified 10th edition
AACSB: Communication
18) In the classical theory of growth, what is the final outcome  of an increase in growth and labor
productivity?
Answer: In  the classical growth theory, a rise in labor productivity  and the resulting  economic
growth result in a population  explosion  that drives real GDP per person back to the
subsistence  level. In the classical viewpoint,  resources  are limited and technological
change occurs infrequently,  so that technological  advances  are not sufficient  to
compensate  for the lack of resources.  Hence, in the long run people earn only a
subsistence  level of real income.
Topic: Classical  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Communication
19) What  are the basic arguments  of the neoclassical  growth theory?
Answer: The  neoclassical  growth theory explains economic  growth as the result of technological
change. Technological  change leads to a level of saving and investment  that makes capital
per hour of labor grow. Growth, therefore,  only ends if technological  change ends.
However  the theory looks at technological  change as being the result of chance and luck
and so offers no explanation  for how or why technological  change occurs.
Topic: Neoclassical  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Communication
20)ʺAccording  to the neoclassical  growth theory, national incentives  to save, invest, accumulate
human capital, and develop new technology  influence  the countryʹs growth rate of real GDP.ʺ
Comment  on the accuracy  of the previous  statement.
Answer: The  sentence  is inaccurate.  The neoclassical  growth theory says that a nationʹs growth
rate of real GDP depends  on the growth rate of technology.  The neoclassical  growth
theory assumes that the growth rate of technology  is the result of chance and luck. It is
the new growth theory that asserts that growth depends  on peopleʹs incentives,  so it is
the new growth theory that predicts that a nationʹs growth rate depends  on its national
incentives  to save, invest, accumulate  human capital, and develop new technology.
Topic: Neoclassical  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Communication
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   87
21) What  is the role of profits in the neoclassical  growth theory versus the new growth theory?
Answer: Profits  play essentially  norole in the neoclassical  growth theory. In the new growth
theory, they are key because it is based on the idea that technological  change results from
the choices that people make in the pursuit of profit. Discoveries  result from peopleʹs
choices, such as whether to look for something  new and, if so, how intensively  to look.
Profit affects these choices. A new discovery  brings the discovered  high profits but
eventually  competitors  emerge and the above -average profit is competed  away.
Topic: Neoclassical  and New Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Communication
22) What  is the main shortcoming  of the neoclassical  growth model and how does the new growth
theory address this shortcoming?
Answer: One  difficulty  with the neoclassical  model is that it predicts all nations will converge  to
the same level of per capita income. The new growth theory is based on the idea that
technological  change results from the choices that people make in the pursuit of profit. So
if people in different  nations face different  incentives  to innovate,  technological  progress
and hence economic  growth can differ among nations.
Topic: Neoclassical  and New Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Communication
23) How  does the new growth theory explain economic  growth?
Answer: The  new growth theory explains growth as the result of choices made in the pursuit of
profit. If people choose to look intensively  for new technologies  they will be found more
quickly. Profit is the motive to look for technological  change. The reason is that
competition  squeezes  profits. Firms are constantly  looking for ways to reduce costs and
increase profits through technological  change. The economy  can grow forever as long as
people make the choices that encourage  the search for new technologies.
Topic: New  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Communication
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

88   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
24) Of the three economic  growth theories,  which is the most optimistic  about the chances of real
GDP per person growing  indefinitely?  Which is the most pessimistic?  What accounts  for the
differences?
Answer: The  most optimistic  is the new growth theory, which concludes  that real GDP per person
can continue  to grow indefinitely.  The most pessimistic  is the classical theory, which
concludes  that growth in real GDP per person will stop and that people will produce only
the subsistence  level of real GDP per person. The difference  in the two conclusions  can be
traced to differences  in assumptions  in three key areas. First, the new growth theory
concludes  that technology  will advance forever because people, seeking profit, make
decisions  to develop new technology.  Classical  growth theory assumes that technological
advances  are rare and infrequent.  Second, the new growth theory assumes that the
economy  is not subject to diminishing  returns. Hence, as the economy  accumulates  more
capital, the returns to capital do not diminish  and so the incentive  to add yet more capital
continues  undiminished.  The classical growth theory assumes that capital (and labor) is
subject to diminishing  returns. Thus as more capital is accumulated,  the returns diminish
and so the incentive  to continue  adding more capital disappears.  Thus the capital stock
eventually  stops growing.  Finally, the new growth theory assumes that the population
does not grow more rapidly as real GDP per person increases.  The classical theory
assumes that whenever  real GDP per person exceeds the subsistence  level, rapid
population  growth occurs and, because of diminishing  returns to labor, the increased
population  drives the level of real GDP back to the subsistence  amount.
Topic: Growth  Theories
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Communication
25) Explain  the role played by technological  change in classical growth theory, neoclassical  growth
theory, and new growth theory.
Answer: Technology  plays a secondary  role in classical growth theory. While technology  might
increase real GDP in the classical growth model, population  changes drive real GDP per
person back to a subsistence  level of income. Technology  also plays a secondary  role in
neoclassical  growth theory. Neoclassical  theory has technological  change bringing  about
an increase in real GDP but diminishing  returns brings an end to economic  growth. The
new growth theory emphasizes  the role of technological  change in creating continuous
growth because entrepreneurs  have an incentive  to develop new technologies  as a means
of generating  profits for themselves.
Topic: Growth  Theories
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Communication
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   89
26) Suppose  the President  asks you to write him a letter suggesting  ways the government  might
help the economy  achieve permanently  higher rates of economic  growth. Based on your
understanding  of growth theory and growth accounting,  what would you suggest?
Answer: According  to both neoclassical  and new growth theories,  the key to faster growth is
generating  higher rates of technological  progress.  Because many technological  advances
are embodied  in new capital, sustaining  a high rate of saving and investment  is
important.  Government  might help stimulate  saving supply by tax incentives  such as
IRAs and stimulate  investment  demand by offering investment  tax credits, accelerated
depreciation  and reductions  in corporate  profit tax rates. New ideas are also embodied  in
human capital. Government  can finance education  and training directly and provide
low-interest loans to students  and training tax credits to businesses.  Finally, we need to
generate  more new ideas, by stimulating  research and development  efforts. This includes
government  funding of basic research and tax credits to businesses  for R&D expenses.
Topic: Achieving Faster Economic  Growth
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Communication
27) Describe  ways that governments  can promote  faster economic  growth.
Answer: Policies  for increasing  the economic  growth rate are 1) Stimulate  saving (for instance,  tax
incentives  could be directed at increasing  saving which will then increase the capital
stock); 2) Stimulate  research and development  (inventions  can be copied, so government
subsidies  can lead to more inventions  that spread throughout  the economy);  3) Encourage
international  trade (free international  trade encourages  economic  growth because free
trade extracts all the possible gains from specialization  and exchange);  4) Improve  the
quality of education  (education  creates benefits beyond the ones enjoyed by the students
who receive education).
Topic: Achieving Faster Economic  Growth
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Communication
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

90   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
8  Numeric  and Graphing  Questions
Labor demand
(billions of
hours per year)Real wage rate
(2005 dollars)Labor supply
(billions of
hours per year)
0 30 6
1 25 5
2 20 4
3 15 3
4 10 2
Employment
(billions of
hours per year)Real GDP
(billions of
2005 dollars)
6 95
5 90
4 80
3 60
2 30
1) The first table above gives the labor demand and labor supply schedules  for a nation. The
second table gives its production  function.
a) What  is the equilibrium  real wage rate and the level of employment?
b) What  is potential  GDP?
Answer: a) The  equilibrium  real wage rate is $15 an hour because this is the real wage rate for
which the quantity of labor demanded  equals the quantity supplied.  The equilibrium
level of employment  is 3 billion hours a year.
b) With  employment  equal to 3 billion hours per year, potential  GDP is equal to $60
billion.
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   91
Real wage rate
(2005 dollars)Labor demand
(billions of
hours per year)Labor supply
(billions of
hours per year)
30 100 700
25 200 600
20 300 500
15 400 400
10 500 300
Employment
(billions of
hours per year)Real GDP
(trillions  of
2005 dollars)
200 3.0
300 4.0
400 4.8
500 5.4
600 5.8
2) The first table above gives the labor demand and labor supply schedules  for a nation. The
second table gives its production  function.
a) What  is the equilibrium  real wage rate and the level of employment?
b) What  is potential  GDP?
Answer: a) The  equilibrium  real wage rate is $15 an hour because this is the real wage rate for
which the quantity of labor demanded  equals the quantity supplied.  The equilibrium
level of employment  is 400 billion hours a year.
b) With  employment  equal to 400 billion hours per year, potential  GDP is equal to $4.8
trillion.
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

92   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
Real wage rate
(2005 dollars)Labor demand
(billions of
hours per year)Labor supply
(billions of
hours per year)
5 360 260
10 325 275
15 300 300
20 280 330
Employment
(billions of
hours per year)Real GDP
(trillions  of
2005 dollars)
100 2.0
200 3.0
300 3.8
400 4.4
3) The first table above gives the labor demand and labor supply schedules  for a nation. The
second table gives its production  function.
a) What  is the equilibrium  real wage rate and the level of employment?
b) What  is potential  GDP? If you cannot determine  a precise amount, give the range in which
potential  GDP must lie.
Answer: a) The  equilibrium  real wage rate is $15 an hour because this is the real wage rate for
which the quantity of labor demanded  equals the quantity supplied.  The equilibrium
level of employment  is 300 billion hours a year.
b) With  employment  equal to 300 billion hours per year, potential  GDP is equal to $3.8
trillion.
Topic: Labor  Market Equilibrium
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
4) Real GDP equals $12 trillion and aggregate  hours equals 300 billion hours. What does labor
productivity  equal?
Answer: Labor  productivity  is (real GDP)/(aggregate  hours), so labor productivity  equals ($12
trillion)/(300  billion hours) = $40 per hour.
Topic: Labor  Productivity
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
9  True or False
1) Economists  are interested  in long -term economic  growth because growth increases  real GDP
per person and improves  our standard  of living.
Answer: TRUE
Topic: Economic  Growth Rate
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   93
2) Over the last 100 years, real GDP per person in the United States has grown at an average rate of
approximately  2 percent per year.
Answer: TRUE
Topic: Growth  in the U.S. Economy
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
3) The United States had the largest real GDP per person until the 2009 when the Chinaʹs real GDP
per person overtook  and then exceeded  that in the United States.
Answer: FALSE
Topic: Real  GDP Growth in the World Economy
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Modified 10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
4) Because  the United States is a developed  economy,  every other country is catching up to the
level of U.S. real GDP per person.
Answer: FALSE
Topic: Real  GDP Growth in the World Economy
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
5) The gap between real GDP per person in the United States and South America  has been
narrowing  since 1980.
Answer: FALSE
Topic: Real  GDP Growth in the World Economy
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Modified 10th edition
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
6) Real GDP per person is slowly converging  around the world.
Answer: FALSE
Topic: Real  GDP Growth in the World Economy
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
7) Labor  productivity  has grown at almost the same rate each year over the last 40 years in the
United States.
Answer: FALSE
Topic: Labor  Productivity
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

94   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
8) If the price level rises faster than the money wage rate, the real wage rate falls.
Answer: TRUE
Topic: Real  Wage Rate
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
9) The real wage rate measures  the quantity of goods and services an hourʹs work will buy.
Answer: TRUE
Topic: Real  Wage Rate
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
10) The demand curve for labor shows how many hours workers demand to work.
Answer: FALSE
Topic: Demand  for Labor
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
11) In general, a higher real wage rate decreases  the quantity of labor supplied  because fewer
people enter the labor force.
Answer: FALSE
Topic: Labor  Supply
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
12) The higher the real wage rate, the higher the labor force participation  rate.
Answer: TRUE
Topic: Labor  Supply
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
13) To achieve faster growth, economies  can increase income tax rates in order to increase saving
rates.
Answer: FALSE
Topic: Achieving Faster Growth, Saving
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
14) Faster  long -term growth can be achieved  by discouraging  saving and encouraging
consumption.
Answer: FALSE
Topic: Achieving Faster Growth, Saving
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   95
15) All else equal, an increase in population  decreases  potential  GDP.
Answer: FALSE
Topic: An Increase in Population
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
16) The classical growth theory shows how technology  changes continually  generate  economic
growth.
Answer: FALSE
Topic: Classical  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
17) The classical growth theoryʹs view of the economy  and its ability to achieve growth can be
compared  to a perpetual  motion machine.
Answer: FALSE
Topic: Classical  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
18) The neoclassical  growth theory is based on a subsistence  real wage rate.
Answer: FALSE
Topic: Neoclassical  Growth Theory
Skill: Recognition
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
19) The neoclassical  growth theory concluded  that economic  growth is temporary  because of a
population  explosion  that occurs as a result of economic  growth.
Answer: FALSE
Topic: Neoclassical  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
20) In neoclassical  growth theory, technological  progress  is the key to continuous  growth in labor
productivity.
Answer: TRUE
Topic: Neoclassical  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

96   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
21) New  growth theory claims that economic  growth occurs because firms reap profits from
research and add to the stock of capital.
Answer: TRUE
Topic: New  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
22) New  growth theory holds that choices, and the discoveries  that result from them, result in
growth that is temporary  in nature.
Answer: FALSE
Topic: New  Growth Theory
Skill: Conceptual
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Reflective  Thinking
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

Chapter 6   Economic  Growth   97
10  Extended  Problems
Leisure 
(hours)Real GDP 
(2005 dollars)
0 2,000
40 1,920
80 1,680
120 1,280
160 720
200 0
1) The people of Palm Island are willing to work 80 hours a day for a real wage rate of $4 an hour.
Then each dollar increase in the real wage, they are willing to work 10 additional  hours a day.
Palm Islandʹs production  possibilities  are in the table above.
a) Draw  Palm Islandʹs demand for labor curve.
b) Draw  Palm Islandʹs supply of labor curve.
c) What  are the full-employment  equilibrium  real wage rate and quantity of labor in Palm
Islandʹs economy?
d) What  is Palm Islandʹs potential  GDP?
Answer:
a) See the figure above. Palm Islandʹs demand for labor curve is the marginal  product of
labor curve. The marginal  product of labor for each quantity of labor employed  is the
change in real GDP divided by the change in quantity of labor employed.  For example,
100 hours of labor employed  is the midpoint  between 80 and 120 hours on the production
function.  The 40 hors of additional  labor between 80 and 100 hours produce
$1,680 – $1,280 = $400 of additional  real GDP. So for these 40 hours of labor, one hour
will produce additional  real GDP of $400/40 = $10 per hour. So the marginal  product of
labor is $10 per hour when 100 hours of labor are employed.  The rest of the marginal
products  are calculated  similarly  and are in the figure above.
b) The figure above shows the labor supply curve.
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98   Parkin · Macroeconomics , Tenth Edition
c) The full-employment  equilibrium  real wage rate is the one at which the quantity of
labor demanded  equals the quantity of labor supplied  so that real GDP is at its
full-employment  level. In the economy  of Palm Island, the figure above shows that the
full-employment  equilibrium  real wage rate is $8 per hour and the full-employment
quantity of labor is 120 hours per day.
d) Potential  GDP is the level of real GDP at full employment.  As the figure above shows,
Palm Islandʹs full employment  is 120 hours per day. And the production  function shows
that 120 hours of labor can produce a real GDP of $1,280. So Palm Islandʹs potential  GDP
is $1,280 per day.
Topic: Labor  Market and Potential GDP
Skill: Analytical
Question history: Previous  edition, Chapter 6
AACSB: Analytical Skills
Copyright  © 2012 Pearson Education,  Inc.

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