1. Production Possibility Frontier (PPF)

2. Scarce Resources With Choices
The Economic Problem
Unlimited Wants
Scarce Resources With Choices
Discussion can take place here about the key elements of the economic problem – the unlimited wants of humans against the scarce resources that exist to meet those wants. The notion of supply and demand can be introduced here and students can be involved by making a list of all the things they would like to buy if they had unlimited amounts of money! If then asked to trim that list down to meet a budget the more outrageous items disappear. This then introduces the notion of having to make choices – this issue can be discussed further using examples drawn from students own experiences about the choices they have had to make – possibly involving the choice of subjects they have had to make at college or school in relation to the time available, etc! How we use our scarce resources can also be linked into this discussion. The wind turbines highlight an issue raised in the In the News section ( about the intention to build wind farms in areas of the UK and the controversies that it creates – useful to link theory and practice at an early stage.
A wind farm. Copyright: iStock.com

3. Production Possibility Frontiers
PPF Shows the different combinations of goods and services that can be produced with a given amount of resources

5. Production Possibility Frontiers (PPF)
Schools Y1 Y Z1 Z W V
If all production is devoted to bldg school, at point Y, then qty Y of schools will be produced and no motorcars. Point X, shows where no schools are being built, only motorcars. At point Z, resources are being shared between the production of motorcars & bldg of schools. Points on the PPF or PPC show the possible combinations of school bldg and motorcar prodn. It is impossible to build more school w/o also producing fewer motorcars. The opportunity cost of more schools is the number of motorcars that are not produced.
PPF is a curve bec not all of the factors of prodn used to build schools and produce motorcars are equally good at both occupations. See text for further explanation. X X1
Motorcars

6. Production Possibility Frontiers
It can only produce at points outside the PPF if it finds a way of expanding its resources This will push the PPF further outwards.
Production inside the PPF – e.g. point B means the country is not using all its resources
Capital Goods C Y1 A .B Yo Xo X1
Consumer Goods

7. Making a fuller use of resourcesx
Production inside
the production
possibility curve y
Food v O
Clothing