The following case studies were developed by Dr. Eric Brunner in the Economics Department at San Diego State University. Feel free to use these exercises in your classes. You can reach him with your comments and suggestions at brunner@sdsu.mail.edu.
These case studies require students to visit several Websites and to use economic concepts to reflect on what they find. Several case studies involve simple calculations.
Case
1
Focus: Using the principle of opportunity cost to think like an economist.
Examples: Selecting a major and the coice of a career.
Case
2
Focus: Supply and demand, price ceilings and price floors.
Examples: The market for gasoline and the minimum wage.
Case
3
Focus: Real versus nominal values.
Examples: Gross domestic product, gas prices, and a comparsion of living costs
in different US cities.
Case
4
Focus: Long run economic growth.
Examples: A cross section of countries.