# Econ 8100 (PhD Micro)

## Intro

This is the course website for Vanderbilt Economics 8100. This is the first course of the PhD microeconomics core sequence. The course will cover the fundamentals of consumer theory, theory of the firm, and simple markets in partial equilibrium. 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.

## Textbook(s)

Main textbook: *Advanced Microeconomic Theory*, Geoffrey Jehle and Philip Reny. Secondary textbook: *Microeconomic Theory*, Andreu Mas-Colell, Michael D. Whinston, Jerry R. Green.

## Problem Sets

There will be an assignment roughly each week. Problems will be added to the schedule about two weeks before the assignment is due. You must type your homework. This is the perfect time for you to learn to type in $\LaTeX$. There are many online resources for learning $\LaTeX$. One particularly easy way to get started with $\LaTeX$ is through the very user-friendly editor called Lyx. There will be a learning curve at first. Embrace it. This is an investment.

There will be one midterms and a final exam. They are tentatively placed in the schedule below. Grading will be based 30% on midterm exam, 50% on the final exam, and 20% on homework.

## Office Hours / Teaching Assistant

My office hours: Tuesday 11:00-12:00pm on zoom and by appointment. TA: Ji hye Heo. Office Hours: Wed 9:30-10:30am All office hours held on zoom. For links, see brightspace.

## Schedule

Week 1 (Sept 1,3) Choice. 1.1 Primitive Notions. 1.2 Preferences and Utility. A1.4 Real Value Functions. Additional Reading: Rubinstein Lecture Notes Chapter 1.

Problem Set 1: (Due Sept 8. Please type and turn-on on Brightspace.) Prove that Choice Coherence implies Independence of Irelevant Alternatives J&R: 1.2, 1.4, 1.5 (a), (d), and (f), 1.6, and 1.9. Rubinstein: 1,2,3,4,5,6.

Try these for a deeper understanding of [lexicographic preferences](5.1-4 General Equilibrium

Other Stuff

Helpful Tips I wrote these with my classmate Zach Bethune when I was a student. They have come in handy for me many times. If you find an error, or have a suggestion about something to add, let me know. Helpful Tips