1.4 Comparative Advantage and Trade

Cards (42)

  • What is comparative advantage defined as?
    Lower opportunity cost
  • Comparative advantage is the ability to produce a good or service at a lower opportunity cost compared to another individual or country.
  • Specialization and trade can benefit both parties under comparative advantage.

    True
  • Steps to identify opportunity costs:
    1️⃣ Consider two goods or services that can be produced
    2️⃣ Determine how much of one good must be given up to produce another
    3️⃣ The opportunity cost is the amount sacrificed
  • Match the concept with its definition:
    Absolute Advantage ↔️ Produce more with the same inputs
    Comparative Advantage ↔️ Produce at lower opportunity cost
  • The production possibilities curve (PPC) shows the maximum combinations of two goods an economy can produce given its available resources and technology.
  • The concave shape of the PPC reflects increasing opportunity cost as more of one good is produced.
  • Countries should specialize in producing goods where they have the lowest opportunity cost.
  • Match the advantage with its definition:
    Absolute Advantage ↔️ Ability to produce more with the same inputs
    Comparative Advantage ↔️ Ability to produce at a lower opportunity cost
  • What does the Production Possibilities Curve (PPC) illustrate?
    Tradeoffs and opportunity cost
  • Gains from specialization and trade arise when countries focus on producing goods where they have a comparative advantage.

    True
  • Specialization and trade enable both countries to increase their consumption, leading to higher overall welfare.
  • Comparative advantage is the ability of an individual or country to produce a good at a lower opportunity cost.
  • Match the type of advantage with its definition:
    Absolute Advantage ↔️ Ability to produce more with the same inputs
    Comparative Advantage ↔️ Ability to produce at a lower opportunity cost
  • Steps to identify opportunity costs:
    1️⃣ Identify choices
    2️⃣ Assess trade-offs
    3️⃣ Calculate costs
  • Gains from specialization and trade occur when countries focus on goods where they have a comparative advantage.

    True
  • Comparative advantage drives international trade and specialization in the real world.

    True
  • Absolute advantage means producing at a lower opportunity cost.
    False
  • What is opportunity cost defined as?
    Next best alternative
  • Opportunity cost is irrelevant in determining comparative advantage.
    False
  • Points inside the PPC represent efficient resource use.
    False
  • What is the key difference between absolute and comparative advantage?
    Opportunity cost
  • Steps to identify opportunity costs:
    1️⃣ Consider two goods or services that can be produced
    2️⃣ Determine how much of one good must be given up to produce another
    3️⃣ The opportunity cost is the amount sacrificed
  • Comparing opportunity costs is the basis for determining comparative advantage.
  • The PPC demonstrates that to produce more of one good, the economy must sacrifice the production of the other good, with the amount sacrificed representing the opportunity cost.
  • Match the country with its specialization after trade:
    Country A ↔️ Wheat
    Country B ↔️ Cloth
  • Comparative advantage explains why countries should specialize in producing goods where they have the lowest opportunity cost.

    True
  • Comparative advantage refers to the ability to produce more of a good with the same inputs as another country.
    False
  • Opportunity cost is the value of the next best alternative given up when making a choice.

    True
  • The position of the PPC reflects the economy's productive capacity.

    True
  • Match the type of advantage with its definition:
    Absolute Advantage ↔️ Ability to produce more with the same inputs
    Comparative Advantage ↔️ Ability to produce at a lower opportunity cost
  • What does a point on the PPC indicate about production efficiency?
    All resources fully utilized
  • A PPC further from the origin indicates lower productive capacity.
    False
  • Specialization and trade under comparative advantage can benefit all parties involved.

    True
  • Opportunity cost is the cost of the best alternative that is chosen when making a decision.
    False
  • Arrange the characteristics of the Production Possibilities Curve (PPC) in a logical order:
    1️⃣ Downward Sloping
    2️⃣ Concave Shape
    3️⃣ Reflects Productive Capacity
  • What is the combined total output of Country A and Country B without specialization and trade?
    120 units
  • What is the key difference between comparative advantage and absolute advantage?
    Opportunity cost
  • Comparative advantage explains why countries specialize in producing goods where they have the lowest opportunity cost
  • In comparative advantage, one party is relatively better at producing one good.