This is the course website for Vanderbilt Economics 6100. This course focuses on the formal analysis of the behavior of individuals and firms and how these behaviors aggregate in a market. We will analyze market performance and determine how performance is influenced by various changes. This page will be continuously updated throughout the semester. Please check it on a regular basis. Consider subscribing to changes using a service such as Visual Ping or Wachete.
Some concepts and formulas from differential calculus will be used, but most of the presentations, homework and exams will involve diagrams, algebra and analytical reasoning. A review of the relevant mathematical concepts will occur on the first day of class.
Intermediate Microeconomics with Calculus: A Modern Approach by Hal R. Varian.
Workouts in Intermediate Microeconomics (Ninth Edition), by Theodore C. Bergstrom and Hal R. Varian.
Problem sets will consist of selections from the odd-numbered problems in the “Workouts” book, as well as problems written by the instructor. The problem sets will be posted on this page in the schedule below. I encourage working on the homework in groups. The homework will be graded by the teaching assistant, and reviewed by the instructor.
There will be two midterms and a final exam. They are tentatively placed in the schedule below. Grading will be based 40% on midterm exams, 40% on the final exam, and 20% on homework.
My office hours: Tuesday 2:00-3:00 or by appointment in Calhoun 404. Matthew Chambers (TA) office hours: TBA.
Week 1: Aug. 22
Overview of Syllabus and Mathematical Review.
Please Read: Review of Functions.
Problem Set(Due 8/29).
Week 2: Aug. 27, 29
Chapter 2.1-2.7: Budget Constraint and Chapter 3.1-3.8: Preferences
Week 3: (Sept. 3,5)
Chapter 3.1-3.8: Preferences and Chapter 4.1-4.5: Utility
Problem Set 1(Due 9/17)
Week 4: (Sept. 10, 12) Chapter 5.1-3&5.5 (Skip Lagrange Method).
Week 5: (Sept. 17, 19) Chapter 6.1-6.8: Demand. Chapter 8.1-8.7: Slutsky Equation
Problem Set 2: (Due Oct. 15) Workouts: 6.1, 6.3, 6.5, 6.7, 8.1, 8.5, 8.10, 8.11, 9.1, 9.3, 9.11, 10.1, 10.3, 10.9. For additional practice try 6.11 and 8.7 (No need to turn these two problems in.)
Week 6: (Sept. 24, 26): Exam,
Sept. 26: Midterm exam covering Chapters 1-6 & 8
Key Concepts
Week 7: (Oct. 1) Chapter 9.1-9.4: Buying and Selling
Problem Set 3: (Due Oct. 22) Workouts:
Chapter 15: 15.1-15.4 & 15.7
Chapter 16: 16.1, 16.3, 16.5, 16.7, 16.9, 16.11.
Week 8: (Oct. 8, 10) Chapter 10.1-10.5: Intertemporal Choice and Chapter 15.1-15.2,15.5-15.6,15.8,15.11: Market Demand
Week 9: (Oct. 15, 17) Chapter 16.1-16.9: Equilibrium
Week 10: (Oct.22) Chapter 19:.1-19.10 Technology
Problem Set 4: (Due Nov. 12)
Chapter 19: 19.0, 19.1, 19.3, 19.5, 19.9, 19.11.
Chapter 20: 20.1, 20.3, 20.6, 20.7, 20.11
Chapter 21: 21.1, 21.3, 21.5, 21.7, 21.9
This Problem:
Suppose f(x1,x2)=x131x231
Week 11: (Oct. 29, Oct. 31): Chapter 20.1,20.5-20.10: Profit Maximization Chapter 21.1,21.3-21.6: Cost Minimization
Nov. 5: Midterm exam covering Chapters 9-10, 15-16 and 19
Key Concepts
Week 12: (Nov. 5, 7) Exam. Chapter 22.1-22.3,22.5,22.7: Cost Curves Chapter 23.1-23.9: Firm Supply
Week 13: (Nov. 12, 14) Chapter 24.1-24.6: Industry Supply Chapter 26.1-26.6: Monopoly Behavior
Extra Practice Problems
Chapter 22: 22.1, 22.3, 22.5, 22.9
Chapter 23: 23.1, 23.3, 23.7, 23.9
Chapter 24: 24.0, 24.5, 24.7, 24.11
These Problems (To Be Added)
No Class Nov. 20,22- Thanksgiving Holiday
Week 14: (Nov. 26, 28) Chapter 32.1-32.7, 32.9-32.13: Exchange Chapter 34.1-34.3, 34.5-34.6: Welfare and Chapter 35.1,35.3-35.6: Externalities
Week 15: (Dec. 3,5) Chapter 37.1-37.7,37.9: Public Goods, Review.
Final Exam: Week of Decemeber 10; cumulative exam.