AP Microeconomics AMSCO Guided Notes

4.1: Introduction to Imperfectly Competitive Markets

AP Microeconomics
AMSCO Guided Notes

AP Microeconomics Guided Notes

AMSCO 4.1 - Introduction to Imperfectly Competitive Markets

Essential Questions

  1. What is an imperfectly competitive market?
I. Imperfectly Competitive Market Structures

1. What is imperfect competition and how does it differ from perfect competition?

2. What are the two main types of markets and what is bought and sold in each?

3. How do monopolistic competition and oligopoly differ in terms of the number of firms?

A. Market Power

1. What determines the market power of a monopoly?

II. What Does Imperfect Competition Look Like?

1. Why must firms in imperfectly competitive markets lower their prices to sell additional units?

2. What are examples of barriers to entry and how do they sustain imperfectly competitive market structures?

III. Inefficient Markets

1. Why is the relationship between price and marginal cost different in perfect competition versus monopoly?

2. How does monopoly market power lead to inefficiency and what are the consequences for consumers?

Key Terms

imperfect competition

product market

factor market

monopoly

monopolistic competition

oligopoly