Essential Microeconomics is designed to help students deepen their understanding of the core theory of microeconomics. Unlike other texts, this book focuses on the most important ideas and does not attempt to be encyclopedic. Two-thirds of the textbook focuses on price theory. As well as taking a new look at standard equilibrium theory, there is extensive examination of equilibrium under uncertainty, the capital asset pricing model, and arbitrage pricing theory. Choice over time is given extensive coverage and includes a basic introduction to control theory. The final third of the book, on game theory, provides a comprehensive introduction to models with asymmetric information. Topics such as auctions, signaling, and mechanism design are made accessible to students who have a basic rather than a deep understanding of mathematics. There is ample use of examples and diagrams to illustrate issues as well as formal derivations. Essential Microeconomics is designed to help students deepen their understanding of the core theory of microeconomics.

Find all of the following topics, explained in plain-English: Introduction: What is Economics? Not a Perfect Model Microeconomics vs. Macroeconomics 1. Maximizing Utility Decreasing Marginal Utility Opportunity Costs 2. Evaluating Production Possibilities Production Possibilities Frontiers Absolute and Comparative Advantage 3. Demand Determinants of Demand Elasticity of Demand Change in Demand vs. Change in Quantity Demanded 4. Supply Determinants of Supply Elasticity of Supply Change in Supply vs. Change in Quantity Supplied 5. Market Equilibrium How Market Equilibrium is Reached The Effect of Changes in Supply and Demand 6. Government Intervention Price Ceilings and Price Floors Taxes and Subsidies 7. Costs of Production Marginal Cost of Production Fixed vs. Variable Costs Short Run vs. Long Run Sunk Costs Economic Costs vs. Accounting Costs 8. Perfect Competition Firms Are Price Takers Making Decisions at the Margin Consumer and Producer Surplus 9. Monopoly Market Power Deadweight Loss with a Monopoly Monopolies and Government 10. Oligopoly Collusion Cheating the Cartel Government Intervention in Oligopolies 11. Monopolistic Competition Competing via Product Differentiation Loss of Surplus with Monopolistic Competition Conclusion: The Insights and Limitations of Economics

Models in Microeconomic Theory covers basic models in current microeconomic theory. Part I (Chapters 1-7) presents models of an economic agent, discussing abstract models of preferences, choice, and decision making under uncertainty, before turning to models of the consumer, the producer, and monopoly. Part II (Chapters 8-14) introduces the concept of equilibrium, beginning, unconventionally, with the models of the jungle and an economy with indivisible goods, and continuing with models of an exchange economy, equilibrium with rational expectations, and an economy with asymmetric information. Part III (Chapters 15-16) provides an introduction to game theory, covering strategic and extensive games and the concepts of Nash equilibrium and subgame perfect equilibrium. Part IV (Chapters 17-20) gives a taste of the topics of mechanism design, matching, the axiomatic analysis of economic systems, and social choice. The book focuses on the concepts of model and equilibrium. It states models and results precisely, and provides proofs for all results. It uses only elementary mathematics (with almost no calculus), although many of the proofs involve sustained logical arguments. It includes about 150 exercises. With its formal but accessible style, this textbook is designed for undergraduate students of microeconomics at intermediate and advanced levels.

This book offers a clear exposition of introductory macroeconomic theory along with more than 600 one- or two-sentence "news clips" that serve as illustrations and exercises.

Economics, far from being the “dismal science,” offers us valuable lessons that can be applied to our everyday experiences. At its heart, economics is the science of choice, and a study of economic principles allows us to achieve a more informed understanding of how we make our choices, regardless of whether these choices occur in our everyday life or in our work environment. This book brings a real commonsense approach to basic microeconomics. It delivers clear statements of essential economic principles, supported by easy-to-understand examples, and uncluttered by extraneous material; the goal being to provide a concise, readable primer that covers the substance of microeconomic theory. It also looks at the efficient operation of competitive markets and what may cause those markets to fail; the benefits from trade; profit maximization; the consequences of choice; and the implications of imperfect competition.