Explore topic-wise MCQs in Economics.

This section includes 51 Mcqs, each offering curated multiple-choice questions to sharpen your Economics knowledge and support exam preparation. Choose a topic below to get started.

1.

Which of the following types of unemployment will exist even if the wage is at the competitive equilibrium ?

A. Unemployment due to unions
B. Unemployment due to efficiency wages
C. Frictional Unemployment
D. Unemployment due to minimum-wage laws
Answer» D. Unemployment due to minimum-wage laws
2.

Which one of the following types of Unemployment results from the wage being held above the competitive equilibrium wage ?

A. Structural unemployment
B. Cyclical Unemployment
C. Frictional Unemployment
D. None of these answers
E. Sectoral Unemployment
Answer» B. Cyclical Unemployment
3.

Which of the following statements about efficiency wage theory is true ?

A. Paying above the competitive equilibrium wage tends to cause workers to shirk their responsibilities
B. Firms do not have a choice about whether they pay efficiency wages or not because these wages are determined by law
C. Paying the lowest possible wage is always the most efficient (Profitable)
D. Paying above the competitive equilibrium wage may improve worker health lower worker turnover improve worker quality and increase worker effort
Answer» E.
4.

Which of the following products is least likely to be sold in a monopolistically competitive market ?

A. breakfast
B. cotton
C. video games
D. beer
Answer» C. video games
5.

Which of the following is true with regard to monopolistically competitive firms scale of production and pricing decisions Monopolistically competitive firms produce ?

A. at the efficient scale and charge a price equal to marginal cost
B. at the efficient scale and charge a price above marginal cost
C. With excess capacity and charge a price above marginal cost
D. With excess capacity and charge a price equal to marginal cost
Answer» D. With excess capacity and charge a price equal to marginal cost
6.

Which of the following is true regarding the similarities and differences in monopolistic competition and monopoly ?

A. the monopolist faces a downward-sloping demand curve while the monopolistic competitor faces an elastic demand curve
B. the monopolist charges a price above marginal cost while the monopolistic competitor charges a price equal to marginal cost
C. The monopolist makes economic profits in the long run while the monopolistic competitor makes zero economic profits in the long run
D. Both the monopolist and the monopolistic competitor operate at the efficient scale
Answer» D. Both the monopolist and the monopolistic competitor operate at the efficient scale
7.

Which of the following is true regarding the production and pricing decisions of monopolistically competitive firms? Monopolistically competitive firms choose the quantity at which marginal cost equals ?

A. marginal revenue and then use the demand curve to determine the price consistent with this quantity
B. average total cost and then use the supply curve to determine the price consistent with this quantity
C. marginal revenue and then use the supply curve to determine the price consistent with this quantity
D. average total cost and then use the demand curve to determine the price consistent with this quantity
Answer» B. average total cost and then use the supply curve to determine the price consistent with this quantity
8.

Which of the following is not put forth as a criticism of advertising and brand names ?

A. Advertising manipulates people’s tastes to create a desire that otherwise would not exist
B. Advertising increase competition Which causes unnecessary bankruptcies and layoffs.
C. Advertising increases brand loyalty causes demand to be more inelastic and thus, increase mark-up over marginal cost.
D. All of these answers are criticisms of advertising and brand names
Answer» C. Advertising increases brand loyalty causes demand to be more inelastic and thus, increase mark-up over marginal cost.
9.

Which of the following is not an argument put forth by economists in support of the use of advertising ?

A. Advertising increases competition
B. Advertising provides information to customers about prices, new products and location of retail outlets.
C. Advertising provides a creative outlet for artists and writers
D. Advertising provides new firms with the means to attract customers from existing firms.
Answer» D. Advertising provides new firms with the means to attract customers from existing firms.
10.

Which of the following is not a supply side measure ?

A. Increased training
B. Providing more information
C. Helping individuals to move location to find work
D. Increasing spending on existing industries
Answer» D. Increasing spending on existing industries
11.

Which of the following is not a characteristic of a monopolistically competitive market ?

A. free entry and exit
B. long run economic profits
C. many sellers
D. differentiated products
Answer» C. many sellers
12.

Which of the following is an example of a reason why firms might pay efficiency wages ?

A. At equilibrium wages workers sleep when the boss is not looking because workers are not deeply concerned about being fired
B. At equilibrium wages workers often quit to find better jobs.
C. At equilibrium wages only minimally qualified workers apply for the job
D. At equilibrium wages, workers cannot afford a healthy diet so they fall asleep at work due to a lack of energy
E. All of these answers
Answer» F.
13.

Which of the following government policies would fail to lower the unemployment rate ?

A. Establishing worker training Programs
B. Establishing right-to-work laws
C. Reducing unemployment benefits
D. Establishing employment agencies
E. Raising the minimum wage
Answer» F.
14.

Which of the following firms is most likely to spend a large percentage of their revenue on advertising ?

A. the producer of a highly differentiated consumer product
B. the manufacturer of an undifferentiated consumer commodity
C. a perfect competitor
D. The manufacturer of an industrial product
E. The producer of a low-quality product that costs the same to produce as a similar high-quality product
Answer» B. the manufacturer of an undifferentiated consumer commodity
15.

Which of the following firms has the least incentive to advertise ?

A. a manual fracture of breakfast cereal
B. a wholesaler of crude oil
C. a restaurant
D. a manufacturer of home heating and air conditioning
Answer» C. a restaurant
16.

When firms enter a monopolistically competitive market and the business-stealing externality is larger than the product-variety externality then ?

A. there are too many firms in the market and market efficiency could be increased if firms exited the market
B. the number of firms in the market is optimal and the market is efficient
C. There are too few firms in the market and market efficiency could be be increased with additional entry
D. The only way to improve efficiency in this market is for the government to regulate it like a natural monopoly.
Answer» B. the number of firms in the market is optimal and the market is efficient
17.

Unions tend to increase the disparity in pay between insiders and outsiders by ?

A. increasing the wage in the Unionized sector, Which may create a decrease in the supply of workers in the non-unionized sector
B. Increasing the demand for workers in the Unionized sector
C. decreasing the demand for workers in the Unionized sector
D. Increasing the wage in the Unionized sector which may create an increase in the supply of workers in the non-unionized sector
Answer» E.
18.

Union might increase efficiency in the case Where they ?

A. Raise the wage for insiders above the competitive equilibrium
B. Lower the wage of local outsiders
C. Offset the market power of a large firm that is the dominant employer in a region
D. Threaten a strike but don’t actually follow through so there are not lost hours of work
Answer» D. Threaten a strike but don’t actually follow through so there are not lost hours of work
19.

TO reduce cyclical unemployment the government might ?

A. Increase the budget surplus
B. Increase the balance of payment deficit
C. Reduce interest rates
D. Reduce government expenditure
Answer» E.
20.

The use of word “competition” in the name of the market structure called “monopolistic competition” refers to the fact that ?

A. there are many sellers in a monopolistically competitive market and there is free entry and exit in the market just like a competitive market
B. Monopolistically competitive firms face a downward-sloping demand curve just like competitive firms.
C. Monopolistically competitive firms charge prices equal to the minimum of their average total cost just like competitive firms.
D. The products are differentiated in a monopolistically competitive market just like in a competitive market.
Answer» B. Monopolistically competitive firms face a downward-sloping demand curve just like competitive firms.
21.

The use of the word “monopoly” in the name of the market structure called “monopolistic competition” refers to the fact that ?

A. monopolistically competitive firms charge prices equal to their marginal costs just like monopolists
B. a monopolistically competitive firms faces a downward-sloping demand curve for its differentiated product and so does a monopolist
C. monopolistically competitive markets have free entry and exit just like a monopolistic market
D. monopolistically competitive firms produce beyond their efficient scale and so do monopolists
Answer» C. monopolistically competitive markets have free entry and exit just like a monopolistic market
22.

The natural rate of unemployment is likely to fall if ?

A. unemployment benefits increase
B. Income tax increases
C. More training is available for the unemployed
D. Geographical immobility increases
Answer» B. Income tax increases
23.

The Marginal Revenue Product is ?

A. Upward sloping due to the law of demand
B. Upward sloping due to the law of marginal utility
C. Downward sloping due to the law of diminishing returns
D. Downward sloping due to the law of supply
Answer» B. Upward sloping due to the law of marginal utility
24.

The Marginal Revenue Product is likely to be wage inelastic if ?

A. Labour costs are a high percentage of total costs
B. Demand for the final product is price inelastic
C. It is relatively easy to substitute capital for labour
D. There are many substitutes for the final product
Answer» E.
25.

The amount of unemployment that the economy normally experiences is known as ?

A. The natural rate of unemployment
B. cyclical unemployment
C. efficiency wage unemployment
D. frictional unemployment
Answer» B. cyclical unemployment
26.

Refer to Figure 1. The unemployment rate is ?

A. 3.2 Percent
B. 5.7 Percent
C. 5.8 Percent
D. Not Enough
Answer» D. Not Enough
27.

Refer to Figure 1 The labour fouce is ?

A. 134.0 million
B. None of theses answers
C. 92.3 million
D. 98.0 million
Answer» E.
28.

Refer to Figure 1. The labour force participation rate is ?

A. 47.1 Percent
B. 65.9 Percent
C. 50.2 Percent
D. 70.2 Percent
Answer» E.
29.

Reducing involuntary unemployment ?

A. Helps the economy move on the to Production Possibility Frontier
B. Helps shift the economy’s Production Possibility Frontier outwards
C. Helps the economy move along its Production Possibility Frontier
D. Helps the economy move inside the Production Possibility Frontier
Answer» B. Helps shift the economy’s Production Possibility Frontier outwards
30.

One source of inefficiency in monopolistic competition is that since price is above marginal cost, some units are not produced that buyers value in ?

A. Since price is above marginal cost surplus is redistributed from buyers to sellers
B. monopolistically competitive firms earn economic profits in the long run
C. monopolistically competitive firms produce beyond their efficient scale
D. excess of the cost of production and this causes a deadweight loss.
Answer» E.
31.

Occupational immobility of labour occurs if ?

A. People lack information
B. People do not want to work
C. People do not have the right skills to work
D. People cannot afford to move location
Answer» D. People cannot afford to move location
32.

Less demand in the economy may increase unemployment; this may lead to less spending which may reduce demand further. This is called ?

A. The upward accelerator
B. The downward multiplier
C. The upward PPF
D. The downward mpc
Answer» C. The upward PPF
33.

In the short run, if the price is above average total cost in a monopolistically competitive market, the firm makes ?

A. losses and firms exit the market
B. profits and firms exit the market
C. losses and firms enter the market
D. profits and firms enter the market
Answer» E.
34.

In a perfectly competitive labour market firms are wage takers and the marginal cost of labour equals?

A. The average cost of labour
B. The marginal product
C. The marginal revenue
D. The total cost of labour
Answer» E.
35.

IF Unemployment insurance were so generous that it paid laid off workers 95 percent of their regular salary ?

A. Frictional Unemployment would fall
B. The official unemployment rate would probably understate true unemployment
C. The official unemployment rate would probably overstate true unemployment
D. There would be no impact on the official unemployment rate
E. None of these answers
Answer» D. There would be no impact on the official unemployment rate
36.

If there is cyclical unemployment in the economy the government might ?

A. Increase interest rates
B. Encourage savings
C. Cut taxes
D. Reduce government spending
Answer» C. Cut taxes
37.

If the real wage is too high in the labour market ?

A. The quantity demanded of labour is higher than the quantity supplied
B. The quantity demanded of labour equals the quantity supplied
C. The quantity demanded of labour is lower than the quantity supplied
D. It will automatically adjust in the short run to bring equilibrium
Answer» C. The quantity demanded of labour is lower than the quantity supplied
38.

If the minimum wage is set above the equilibrium wage rate, then another thing unchanged ?

A. There will be equilibrium in the labour market
B. There will excess demand in the labour market
C. There will be excess supply in the labour market
D. More people will be employed
Answer» B. There will excess demand in the labour market
39.

If people are made unemployed because of a fall in aggregate demand this is known as ?

A. Frictional unemployment
B. Seasonal unemployment
C. Cyclical unemployment
D. Structural unemployment
Answer» C. Cyclical unemployment
40.

If, for any reason the wage is held above the competitive equilibrium wage?

A. The quantity of labour supplied will exceed the quantity of labour demanded and there will be Unemployment
B. Unions will likely Strike and the wage will fall to equilibrium
C. The quantity of labour demanded will exceed the quantity of labour supplied and there will be a labour shortage
D. The quality of workers in the applicant pool will tend to fall
Answer» B. Unions will likely Strike and the wage will fall to equilibrium
41.

If employees cannot accept a job because of the costs of moving this is known as ?

A. Occupational immobility
B. Cyclical unemployment
C. Structural immobility
D. Geographical immobility
Answer» C. Structural immobility
42.

Demand for labour is more likely to be wage inelastic if ?

A. Wages are a small proportion of total costs
B. Demand for the final product is price elastic
C. It is easy to replace labour
D. Capital is a good substitute for labour
Answer» B. Demand for the final product is price elastic
43.

Defenders of the use of brand names argue that brand names ?

A. all of these answers
B. are useful even in socialist economics such as the former Soviet Union
C. provide information about the quality of the product
D. give firms incentive to maintain high quality
Answer» B. are useful even in socialist economics such as the former Soviet Union
44.

An increase in the wage rate ?

A. Will usually lead to more people employed
B. Will decrease total earning if the demand for labour is wage elastic
C. is illegal in a free market
D. will cause a shift in the demand for labour
Answer» E.
45.

According to the Office of National Statistics UK, a husband who chooses to stay home and take care of household is ?

A. Employed
B. Not in the labour force
C. A discouraged worker
D. Unemployed
Answer» C. A discouraged worker
46.

A reservation wage is the ?

A. Maximum wage the firm is willing to pay
B. tip necessary to get a waiter to reserve a table
C. minimum wage the worker is willing to accept
D. competitive equilibrium wage.
Answer» D. competitive equilibrium wage.
47.

A profit maximising firm will employ labour up to the point where ?

A. Marginal revenue = marginal product
B. Marginal cost = marginal product
C. Marginal revenue product = average cost of labour
D. Marginal revenue product = marginal cost of labour
Answer» C. Marginal revenue product = average cost of labour
48.

A minimum wage law tends to ?

A. Help all teenagers because they receive a higher wage than they would otherwise
B. have no impact on unemployment as long as it is set above the competitive equilibrium wage
C. Create more Unemployment is high-skill job markets than in low-skill job markets
D. Create more unemployment in low-skill job markets than in high-skill job markets
Answer» E.
49.

A miner who has been unable to find work for so long that he has stopped looking for work is considered to be ?

A. Not in the labour force
B. Not in the adult population
C. Unemployed
D. Employed
Answer» B. Not in the adult population
50.

A fall in demand for labour is likely to lead to ?

A. A lower equilibrium wage and lower quantity of labour
B. A lower equilibrium wage and higher quantity of labour
C. A higher equilibrium wage and higher quantity of labour
D. A higher equilibrium wage and lower quantity of labour
Answer» C. A higher equilibrium wage and higher quantity of labour