Social Studies (2010) Grade(s): 12 - Economics

SS10.E.2

Explain how rational decision making entails comparing additional costs of alternatives to additional benefits.

Unpacked Content

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Rational decision-making requires comparison of marginal costs and marginal benefits.
  • The assumptions made in constructing production- possibilities tables and curves.
  • The efficient, inefficient and unattainable points on a production-possibilities curve.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Use marginal costs and marginal benefits to make decisions.
  • Use a production-possibilities curve to determine possible combinations of goods and services that can be produced.
  • Use a production-possibilities curve to calculate opportunity costs.
  • Determine efficient, inefficient and unattainable points on a production-possibilities curve.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Marginal analysis is necessary to rational decision-making.
  • Scarcity leads to limited production possibilities.
  • There are efficient, inefficient and unattainable points on a production-possibilities curve.

Vocabulary

  • marginal analysis
  • marginal benefit
  • marginal cost
  • production-possibilities curve
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