In the eternal struggle between economics and sociology, a savage blow is struck with Problem 2.10, Workouts in Intermediate Microeconomics [7 ed.], by Theodore C. Bergstrom and Hal R. Varian [2006]:
Martha is preparing for exams in economics and sociology. She has time to read 40 pages of economics and 30 pages of sociology. In the same amount of time she could also read 30 pages of economics and 60 pages of sociology.
(a) Assuming that the number of pages per hour that she can read of either subject does not depend on how she allocates her time, how many pages of sociology could she read if she decided to spend all her time on sociology and none on economics? (Hint: You have two points on her budget line, so you should be able to determine the entire line.)
(b) How many pages of economics could she read if she decided to spend all of her time reading economics?
150 pages of sociology or 50 pages of economics? Can I have an economics degree now?
Haha, I know, it hardly seems ‘intermediate’ does it? These guys would be lost in a third year sociology course.
More problems like this! 😀