PPP Assignment (Due at End of Class)

For today's assignment, share a Google Doc with me (Mrdasilvasjha@gmail.com) labeled the following: "Measuring Development and PPP Assignment."


#1: Go to http://www.economist.com/content/big-mac-index and complete the following:

• A. In your own words, what is the theory behind purchasing power parity?
• B. What does the Big Mac Index measure?
• C. List two countries in which a Big Mac is more expensive than it is in the US
• D. Why is a Big Mac more expensive in these countries?
• E. List two countries in which a Big Mac is cheaper than it is in the US.
• F. Why is a Big Mac cheaper in these countries?

#2: Go to Where Are You on the Global Pay Scale?
Read the article and complete the following:

• A. What is the total value of world income?
• B. If income were to be divided completely evenly, how much income should each person in the world make?
• C. Why is it difficult to calculate the world's average wage?
• D. What is the world's average yearly salary?
• E. Why is the world's average yearly salary higher than your answer for question B?
• F. Why is PPP important to understanding the value of people's wages?

#3: Read ch. 28 from the textbook (link here). Then answer the following questions:

• a. What is the difference between absolute and relative poverty?
• b. What is the cycle of poverty?
• c. Why might a developing country have a much different value for its GNI/GNP than its GDP? (remember that GDP measures goods produced within borders while GNI/GNP tracks where the profits go)
• d. What are some different health and education measures that economists use? What information do they tell us?

#4: Extra Credit: Go here to see some interesting things about the world's population. Then, Go here to see trends in different development statistics.   What is the value of these tools to economists?

Commentary Samples

FEEDBACK

Above is the link to the feedback about your article choices. Your assignment today is to write your commentary. If you've forgotten how, below is a quick outline.

I. Introduction (set context and briefly summarize article)
II. Define and explain relevant terms
III. Use and explain diagrams related to the article.
IV. Evaluate different perspectives on the article or economic decisions implicit in the article.

Here is a link to the outline doc we've used before.




Below are some sample Commentaries for this unit and the Google Form Submission.
Sample A

Sample B (Quotas)

Submit a Google Form for your Econ Commentary Article. 

If you finish your commentary early, start reading Ch. 27.

Answer questions 1-4 on page. 280

Link

Macroeconomics Commentaries

Complete this Form to submit an article.
To see my feedback, click here.


Places to start looking for articles:
BBC News

New York Times

Lots of Different English-Language Newspapers From Around the Globe

CNN 

San Jose Mercury News

Wall Street Journal

Assignment: Find at least one article where you could apply about the macroeconomic concepts we've learned about so far in the class


Samples:

Inequality
Unemployment
Inflation 

If you finish early, start outlining your commentary more in-depth.

Economics HW Due Tuesday 11/24

Aggregate Practice

Pg. 177 1-3

Pg. 181 (1-4)

Pg. 191 (1, 3, 4)

Sample Commentaries

Outline Sheet

Sample #1: Oil

Sample #2: Drought

Sample #3: Electric Cars


Places to start looking for articles:

BBC News

New York Times

Lots of Different English-Language Newspapers From Around the Globe

CNN 

San Jose Mercury News

Wall Street Journal

The Economist (not recommended)


Assignment: Find at least one article where you could apply the concepts we've learned about so far in the class. Once, you have, fill out the the following form.


Here is the list of articles submitted with short comments by Mr. da Silva here.

Assignment for 10/12

READ CAREFULLY!
Materials Required: Externality Notes from Thursday

Setup: Create a Google Document to be shared with Mr. da Silva. Rename that document: "Externality Practice, your name." Title the Document "Externality Practice" at the top and put your name in the top right. Share the document with Mrdasilvasjha@gmail.com.

Record your responses for each question on this document. Answer all questions in complete sentences.


Part 1: Fracking...yes, fracking

• Read this article about what fracking is. 

#1: In your own words, what is fracking and why is it done?
#2: Use a diagram to show how fracking has caused a decline in the price of fossil fuels.

• Read this article about the environmental costs of fracking. 

#3: What are the environmental costs of fracking (specifically discuss at least 3)
#4: Use a diagram to show the negative externality created from fracking.
#5: What are some things that the government could do to limit the negative effect of these externalities? (what type of regulations should be put in place?)

Part 2: Sodas

• Read about the health effects of Sodas.

#6: What are some of the negative externalities created from a person's decision to consume sugary sodas.
#7: Even though these risks are widely known, why do you think sodas still account for a majority of the calories that Americans consume? (meaning, why do people still drink soda?)

• Read the article about the SWEET act and what voters in Berkeley did in 2014 (read up until the bags of sugar picture)

#8: Draw a diagram showing the effect of these specific taxes on soda.
#9. Overall, do you think that taxing soda is a good policy decision for California? Why or why not?

Part 3: Recycling

• Read these 11 facts about recycling.

#10: What facts were you most surprised by (choose 2-3)
#11: Draw a diagram showing the positive externality of recycling.
#12: When people decide to recycle, what is the cost? (Think in terms of opportunity cost).
#13: What could the government do to create more incentives to recycle?

Extra Credit
If you have finished the minimum wage assignment from last week, you should work on outlining and writing your first commentary.

Alternatively, you can get extra credit by creating a set of questions like the ones you've just done for a topic you're interested in. To do this, think about a topic you have an interest in. Find a couple of articles that identify interesting facts or recent events about your topic. Create 3-4 questions that ask potential students to draw diagrams and think about the costs and benefits of dealing with these issues. Use one of the above topics/questions as samples.