I85PREP
⌘ K
Saxony-Anhalt Abitur Business and Economics study materials
Saxony-Anhalt Abitur Business and Economics study resources

Saxony-Anhalt Abitur Business and Economics practice questions

One question at a time. Build your Saxony-Anhalt Abitur Business and Economics understanding.

First 50 of 190 questions. Each one lists the choices, the correct answer, and an explanation. The checker at the top of this page saves progress in this browser when it is available.

Continue in the practice tool above to load more questions, 50 at a time.

Question 1Finance, accounting and controls

A company finances a replacement machine out of the cash it has recovered through the depreciation charges built into its selling prices. How is this classified?

  1. Innenfinanzierung - Finanzierung aus Abschreibungsgegenwerten Correct answer.
  2. Außenfinanzierung - Beteiligungsfinanzierung
  3. Außenfinanzierung - Kreditfinanzierung
  4. Innenfinanzierung - Beteiligungsfinanzierung

Explanation

Innenfinanzierung means capital is generated inside the firm from the sales process rather than supplied by outside investors or lenders. Depreciation is a cost that reduces profit but causes no cash outflow, so the cash earned back through revenue stays in the business and can fund replacement - the Kapitalfreisetzungseffekt.

Question 2Finance, accounting and controls

A machine costs €120,000, has a useful life of 8 years and no residual value. What is the annual lineare Abschreibung?

  1. €15,000 Correct answer.
  2. €12,000
  3. €8,000
  4. €24,000

Explanation

Lineare Abschreibung = (Anschaffungskosten − Restwert) ÷ Nutzungsdauer = (120,000 − 0) ÷ 8 = €15,000 per year. The same amount is written off in every year of the useful life.

Question 3Finance, accounting and controls

A firm reports equity of €400,000 and total assets (Gesamtkapital) of €1,000,000. What is its Eigenkapitalquote?

  1. 40 % Correct answer.
  2. 250 %
  3. 60 %
  4. 25 %

Explanation

Eigenkapitalquote = Eigenkapital ÷ Gesamtkapital × 100 = 400,000 ÷ 1,000,000 × 100 = 40 %. A higher ratio means more loss-absorbing own capital and therefore lower insolvency risk and usually better credit terms.

Question 4Finance, accounting and controls

Which of the following Kreditsicherheiten is a Personensicherheit rather than a Sachsicherheit (Realsicherheit)?

  1. Bürgschaft Correct answer.
  2. Grundschuld
  3. Sicherungsübereignung
  4. Lombardverpfändung von Wertpapieren

Explanation

A Bürgschaft is a Personensicherheit: a third party personally undertakes to pay if the borrower defaults, so the lender's protection rests on that guarantor's creditworthiness. Grundschuld, Sicherungsübereignung and Lombard all give the lender rights over a specific ASSET and are therefore Sachsicherheiten.

Question 5Finance, accounting and controls

An investment costs €168,000. It is expected to earn an annual profit of €12,000 and to carry annual depreciation of €30,000. What is the statische Amortisationszeit?

  1. 4.0 years Correct answer.
  2. 14.0 years
  3. 5.6 years
  4. 2.4 years

Explanation

The annual Rückfluss (cash-back) is Gewinn + Abschreibung = 12,000 + 30,000 = €42,000, because depreciation is a non-cash cost that stays in the business. Amortisationszeit = Kapitaleinsatz ÷ Rückfluss = 168,000 ÷ 42,000 = 4.0 years.

Question 6Finance, accounting and controls

An investment of €200,000 with no residual value is expected to earn an average annual profit of €18,000. What is its Rentabilität under the Rentabilitätsvergleichsrechnung?

  1. 18 %, using average tied-up capital of €100,000 Correct answer.
  2. 9 %, using the full acquisition cost of €200,000
  3. 11.1 %, using the profit plus depreciation
  4. 36 %, using half of the profit against half of the capital

Explanation

In the statische Rentabilitätsvergleichsrechnung the capital base is the AVERAGE tied-up capital, because the asset is written down evenly over its life: (Anschaffungswert + Restwert) ÷ 2 = (200,000 + 0) ÷ 2 = €100,000. Rentabilität = 18,000 ÷ 100,000 × 100 = 18 %.

Question 7Finance, accounting and controls

An investment costs €50,000 today and returns €30,000 at the end of year 1 and €30,000 at the end of year 2. At a Kalkulationszinssatz of 10 %, what is the Kapitalwert (net present value)?

  1. About +€2,066, so the project is worthwhile Correct answer.
  2. About +€10,000, so the project is worthwhile
  3. About −€2,066, so the project should be rejected
  4. Exactly €0, so the firm is indifferent

Explanation

Discount each cash flow: 30,000 ÷ 1.10 = €27,272.73 and 30,000 ÷ 1.21 = €24,793.39, a present value of €52,066.12. Kapitalwert = 52,066.12 − 50,000 = €2,066.12. A positive Kapitalwert means the project earns more than the 10 % required return, so it should be undertaken.

Question 8Finance, accounting and controls

What does the interner Zinsfuß (internal rate of return) of an investment tell you?

  1. The discount rate at which the Kapitalwert equals zero; the project is worthwhile if this rate exceeds the Kalkulationszinssatz Correct answer.
  2. The bank interest rate actually charged on the loan used to finance the project
  3. The average accounting profit divided by the acquisition cost
  4. The number of years needed for the cash-backs to repay the capital employed

Explanation

The interner Zinsfuß is defined as the discount rate at which discounted inflows exactly equal the initial outlay, i.e. Kapitalwert = 0. It expresses the project's own effective return. If it exceeds the required return (Kalkulationszinssatz), the project creates value, which is the same decision the Kapitalwertmethode gives for a normal cash-flow pattern.

Question 9Finance, accounting and controls

A firm earns a Gesamtkapitalrentabilität of 12 %. It pays 6 % interest on debt. Equity is €400,000 and debt is €800,000. What is the Eigenkapitalrentabilität under the Leverage-Effekt?

  1. 24 % Correct answer.
  2. 12 %
  3. 18 %
  4. 6 %

Explanation

Leverage formula: rEK = rGK + (rGK − i) × FK/EK = 12 % + (12 % − 6 %) × (800,000 ÷ 400,000) = 12 % + 6 % × 2 = 24 %. Check directly: total capital €1,200,000 earns €144,000 before interest; interest is €48,000; profit is €96,000; 96,000 ÷ 400,000 = 24 %.

Question 10Finance, accounting and controls

A firm holds liquid funds of €40,000, short-term receivables of €80,000 and inventories of €150,000 against short-term liabilities of €100,000. What is the Liquidität 2. Grades?

  1. 120 % Correct answer.
  2. 40 %
  3. 270 %
  4. 150 %

Explanation

Liquidität 2. Grades = (flüssige Mittel + kurzfristige Forderungen) ÷ kurzfristige Verbindlichkeiten × 100 = (40,000 + 80,000) ÷ 100,000 × 100 = 120 %. Inventories are excluded because they must first be sold before they generate cash.

Question 11Finance, accounting and controls

A company has Fremdkapital of €750,000 and Eigenkapital of €500,000. What is its Verschuldungsgrad?

  1. 150 % Correct answer.
  2. 60 %
  3. 66.7 %
  4. 40 %

Explanation

Verschuldungsgrad = Fremdkapital ÷ Eigenkapital × 100 = 750,000 ÷ 500,000 × 100 = 150 %. For every euro of own capital the firm carries €1.50 of outside capital, which increases both the leverage potential and the insolvency risk.

Question 12Finance, accounting and controls

How does a Ratendarlehen differ from an Annuitätendarlehen?

  1. The Ratendarlehen has a constant repayment (Tilgung) and therefore a falling total payment, while the Annuitätendarlehen has a constant total payment with a rising repayment share Correct answer.
  2. The Ratendarlehen has a constant total payment, while the Annuitätendarlehen repays everything at maturity
  3. Both have identical payment profiles; only the interest rate differs
  4. The Ratendarlehen charges no interest in the first year, whereas the Annuitätendarlehen does

Explanation

With a Ratendarlehen the Tilgung is the same each period, so as the outstanding balance shrinks the interest falls and the total annual payment declines. With an Annuitätendarlehen the total payment (Annuität) stays constant, so as interest falls the repayment portion inside it grows. A Fälligkeitsdarlehen, by contrast, repays the whole principal at maturity.

Question 13Finance, accounting and controls

A supplier offers payment terms of '2 % Skonto within 10 days, net within 30 days'. Using the standard commercial formula, roughly what annual interest rate does the Lieferantenkredit cost?

  1. About 36 % per year Correct answer.
  2. About 2 % per year
  3. About 24 % per year
  4. About 12 % per year

Explanation

By forgoing the discount, the firm 'buys' 20 extra days of credit (30 − 10) for 2 % of the invoice. Annualised: 2 % × 360 ÷ 20 = 36 % per year (using the exact base 2/98 gives about 36.7 %). This makes the Lieferantenkredit one of the most expensive short-term financing sources - usually dearer than a Kontokorrentkredit.

Question 14Finance, accounting and controls

In the typical sequence of Unternehmenskrisen, which order best describes how a crisis escalates?

  1. Strategische Krise → Erfolgskrise → Liquiditätskrise → Insolvenz Correct answer.
  2. Liquiditätskrise → Erfolgskrise → strategische Krise → Insolvenz
  3. Erfolgskrise → Insolvenz → Liquiditätskrise → strategische Krise
  4. Insolvenz → Liquiditätskrise → strategische Krise → Erfolgskrise

Explanation

A crisis normally begins strategically: the firm loses competitive position or its products age (strategische Krise). Earnings then deteriorate (Erfolgskrise), which erodes cash reserves (Liquiditätskrise). Only when the firm can no longer meet its obligations, or is over-indebted, does insolvency proceedings follow. Recognising the earliest stage is what makes turnaround still cheap and possible.

Question 15Finance, accounting and controls

An investment costs €100,000, returns €40,000 at the end of each of three years, and can be sold for a Restwert of €10,000 at the end of year 3. At a discount rate of 8 %, what is the Kapitalwert?

  1. About +€11,022 Correct answer.
  2. About +€30,000
  3. About +€3,084
  4. About −€8,978

Explanation

Discount factors at 8 %: 1/1.08 = 0.9259, 1/1.1664 = 0.8573, 1/1.2597 = 0.7938. Cash flows: 40,000 × (0.9259 + 0.8573 + 0.7938) = €103,084. Restwert: 10,000 × 0.7938 = €7,938. Total present value €111,022 minus the €100,000 outlay gives a Kapitalwert of about +€11,022, so the project is worthwhile.

Question 16Finance, accounting and controls

Machine A has annual fixed costs of €60,000 and variable costs of €8 per unit. Machine B has annual fixed costs of €100,000 and variable costs of €5 per unit. At what output are the two machines equally expensive (kritische Menge)?

  1. About 13,333 units; above that, machine B is cheaper Correct answer.
  2. About 13,333 units; above that, machine A is cheaper
  3. About 7,500 units; above that, machine B is cheaper
  4. About 20,000 units; above that, machine A is cheaper

Explanation

Set the total cost functions equal: 60,000 + 8x = 100,000 + 5x → 3x = 40,000 → x ≈ 13,333 units. Machine B carries €40,000 more fixed cost but saves €3 per unit, so it only pays off once volume is high enough to recover that fixed-cost gap. Above roughly 13,333 units B is cheaper; below it, A is cheaper.

Question 17Finance, accounting and controls

A €200,000 Annuitätendarlehen carries 5 % interest and a constant annuity of €30,000. How do interest and repayment split in the SECOND year?

  1. Interest €9,000 and Tilgung €21,000 Correct answer.
  2. Interest €10,000 and Tilgung €20,000
  3. Interest €9,000 and Tilgung €30,000
  4. Interest €15,000 and Tilgung €15,000

Explanation

Year 1: interest = 5 % of €200,000 = €10,000, so Tilgung = 30,000 − 10,000 = €20,000 and the balance falls to €180,000. Year 2: interest = 5 % of €180,000 = €9,000, so Tilgung = 30,000 − 9,000 = €21,000. The annuity stays constant while the repayment share grows each year.

Question 18Finance, accounting and controls

A factory pays €12,000 monthly hall rent, unchanged whether it produces 0 units or 5,000 units. Classified by behaviour with respect to the Beschäftigungsgrad (capacity utilisation), what kind of cost is this?

  1. Fixkosten (fixed cost) Correct answer.
  2. Proportionale variable Kosten (proportional variable cost)
  3. Degressive variable Kosten (degressive variable cost)
  4. Materialeinzelkosten (direct material cost)

Explanation

Classifying Kostenarten by Beschäftigungsgrad splits costs into Fixkosten, which stay constant in total across the relevant output range, and variable Kosten, which change with output. Rent that is €12,000 at zero output and still €12,000 at 5,000 units is a textbook Fixkosten item.

Question 19Finance, accounting and controls

Total fixed costs are €60,000 per month. Output rises from 1,000 to 3,000 units. What happens to the fixed cost per unit?

  1. It falls from €60 to €20 per unit Correct answer.
  2. It stays at €60 per unit, because total fixed costs do not change
  3. It rises from €20 to €60 per unit
  4. It falls from €60 to €40 per unit

Explanation

This is the Gesetz der Fixkostendegression. Total fixed costs remain €60,000, so fixed cost per unit = 60,000 ÷ x. At 1,000 units that is €60; at 3,000 units it is €20. Spreading unchanged fixed costs over more units lowers the unit fixed cost.

Question 20Finance, accounting and controls

A product sells for €50 per unit and has variable unit costs of €30. What is the Stückdeckungsbeitrag (unit contribution margin)?

  1. €20 Correct answer.
  2. €30 - the variable unit cost is the contribution
  3. €50 - the selling price is the contribution
  4. It cannot be determined without knowing the fixed costs

Explanation

db = Preis − variable Stückkosten = €50 − €30 = €20. The Stückdeckungsbeitrag measures how much each unit contributes first to covering fixed costs and then to profit. Fixed costs are not needed to compute it.

Question 21Finance, accounting and controls

Fixed costs are €80,000, the selling price is €50 per unit and variable unit costs are €30. What is the Break-Even-Point in units?

  1. 4,000 units Correct answer.
  2. 1,600 units
  3. 2,667 units
  4. 2,000 units

Explanation

BEP = Fixkosten ÷ Stückdeckungsbeitrag = 80,000 ÷ (50 − 30) = 80,000 ÷ 20 = 4,000 units. At 4,000 units the total contribution exactly covers the fixed costs and the Betriebsergebnis is zero.

Question 22Finance, accounting and controls

Fixed costs are €150,000, the price is €60 per unit and variable unit costs are €36. What break-even REVENUE (Break-Even-Umsatz) must the firm reach?

  1. €375,000 Correct answer.
  2. €250,000
  3. €225,000
  4. €150,000

Explanation

db = 60 − 36 = €24, so the break-even quantity is 150,000 ÷ 24 = 6,250 units and the break-even revenue is 6,250 × €60 = €375,000. Equivalently, the Deckungsbeitragsquote is 24 ÷ 60 = 40 %, so 150,000 ÷ 0.40 = €375,000.

Question 23Finance, accounting and controls

A firm has fixed costs of €45,000, variable unit costs of €12 and a price of €27. It sells 6,000 units. What is the Betriebsergebnis?

  1. €45,000 profit Correct answer.
  2. €90,000 profit
  3. €117,000 profit
  4. €62,000 profit

Explanation

Erlöse = 6,000 × €27 = €162,000. Gesamtkosten = 45,000 + 6,000 × €12 = 45,000 + 72,000 = €117,000. Betriebsergebnis = 162,000 − 117,000 = €45,000. Via contribution: db = 27 − 12 = €15; total DB = 6,000 × 15 = €90,000; minus fixed costs €45,000 = €45,000.

Question 24Finance, accounting and controls

Variable unit costs are €18, fixed costs allocated at normal capacity are €7 per unit, so full unit cost is €25. What is the kurzfristige Preisuntergrenze (short-run price floor)?

  1. €18 Correct answer.
  2. €25
  3. €7
  4. €21.50

Explanation

The short-run price floor is the variable unit cost, €18. Fixed costs continue whether or not the order is taken, so any price above €18 yields a positive Deckungsbeitrag and improves the Betriebsergebnis. The long-run (langfristige) price floor is the full cost of €25, since in the long run fixed costs must also be earned back.

Question 25Finance, accounting and controls

A firm with free capacity is offered a Zusatzauftrag of 2,000 units at €22 per unit. Variable unit costs are €18 and full unit cost is €25. What should it do?

  1. Accept - each unit adds a Deckungsbeitrag of €4, improving the Betriebsergebnis by €8,000 Correct answer.
  2. Reject - €22 is below the full cost of €25, so each unit makes a €3 loss and the total loss is €6,000
  3. Accept - profit rises by €44,000, the full revenue of the order
  4. It makes no difference, because the extra revenue exactly offsets the extra cost

Explanation

With free capacity, fixed costs are incurred regardless and are therefore not decision-relevant. Only the variable costs of €18 are caused by the additional order, so db = 22 − 18 = €4 and the Betriebsergebnis improves by 2,000 × €4 = €8,000. This is the classic Teilkostenrechnung argument for accepting an extra order.

Question 26Finance, accounting and controls

A component costs €14 in variable costs plus €6 of allocated (unavoidable) fixed costs if produced in-house, i.e. €20 full cost. A supplier offers it for €17. There is free capacity. What is the correct Eigenfertigung/Fremdbezug decision?

  1. Produce in-house: only the €14 variable cost is relevant, so buying at €17 would cost €3 more per unit while the €6 fixed costs continue anyway Correct answer.
  2. Buy in: €17 is below the €20 full cost, so outsourcing saves €3 per unit
  3. Buy in: outsourcing removes the €6 fixed costs as well, saving €9 per unit
  4. The firm is indifferent, because €14 + €6 minus a €3 saving equals €17

Explanation

Only costs that change with the decision are relevant. With free capacity the €6 of fixed costs are incurred either way, so the comparison is €14 (make) versus €17 (buy). In-house production is €3 per unit cheaper. Buying would leave the firm paying €17 to the supplier AND still carrying €6 of unavoidable fixed cost.

Question 27Finance, accounting and controls

A single-product firm sells 8,000 units with a Stückdeckungsbeitrag of €12. Fixed costs are €70,000. What is the Betriebsergebnis?

  1. €26,000 profit Correct answer.
  2. €96,000 profit
  3. €70,000 profit
  4. €166,000 profit

Explanation

Gesamtdeckungsbeitrag = 8,000 × €12 = €96,000. Betriebsergebnis = Gesamtdeckungsbeitrag − Fixkosten = 96,000 − 70,000 = €26,000. The firm is above its break-even point of 70,000 ÷ 12 ≈ 5,834 units.

Question 28Finance, accounting and controls

Machine time is the bottleneck. Product A has a Stückdeckungsbeitrag of €30 and needs 5 machine-minutes; product B has €24 and needs 3 machine-minutes. Which product should be produced first?

  1. Product B, because its relativer Deckungsbeitrag is €8 per machine-minute versus €6 for A Correct answer.
  2. Product A, because its absoluter Deckungsbeitrag of €30 is the higher one
  3. Both equally, because €30 ÷ 5 and €24 ÷ 3 both round to €7
  4. Product A, because it uses more machine time and therefore generates more contribution per order

Explanation

When one factor is scarce, ranking must use the relativer Deckungsbeitrag = db ÷ consumption of the bottleneck factor. A: 30 ÷ 5 = €6 per minute. B: 24 ÷ 3 = €8 per minute. B earns more contribution per scarce minute, so it is produced first.

Question 29Finance, accounting and controls

A product shows a full-cost loss of €2 per unit but a positive Deckungsbeitrag of €5 per unit. The fixed costs are unavoidable in the short run. What follows for the Produktionsprogramm?

  1. Keep the product: dropping it would remove €5 per unit of fixed-cost coverage and worsen the Betriebsergebnis Correct answer.
  2. Drop the product immediately, because every unit sold destroys €2 of profit
  3. Drop it, because the €2 loss disappears together with its allocated fixed costs
  4. Keep it only if its total Deckungsbeitrag exceeds the firm's entire fixed cost block

Explanation

A positive Deckungsbeitrag means each unit contributes €5 towards fixed costs that would be incurred anyway. Eliminating the product removes that €5 per unit of coverage without removing the fixed costs, so the overall Betriebsergebnis gets worse. This is the standard critique of pure Vollkostenrechnung as a programme-planning tool.

Question 30Finance, accounting and controls

Fixed costs are €120,000 and the Stückdeckungsbeitrag is €15. How many units must be sold to reach a target Betriebsergebnis of €45,000?

  1. 11,000 units Correct answer.
  2. 8,000 units
  3. 3,000 units
  4. 12,000 units

Explanation

Target quantity = (Fixkosten + Zielgewinn) ÷ db = (120,000 + 45,000) ÷ 15 = 165,000 ÷ 15 = 11,000 units. The break-even alone is 120,000 ÷ 15 = 8,000 units, so 3,000 additional units are needed to earn the €45,000 target.

Question 31Finance, accounting and controls

Bottleneck capacity is 12,000 machine-minutes. Product A: db €30, 5 min/unit, maximum sales 1,500 units. Product B: db €24, 3 min/unit, maximum sales 2,000 units. What is the optimales Produktionsprogramm?

  1. 2,000 units of B and 1,200 units of A, giving a total Deckungsbeitrag of €84,000 Correct answer.
  2. 1,500 units of A and 1,500 units of B, giving a total Deckungsbeitrag of €81,000
  3. 4,000 units of B only, giving a total Deckungsbeitrag of €96,000
  4. 2,400 units of A only, giving a total Deckungsbeitrag of €72,000

Explanation

Relative contributions: A = 30 ÷ 5 = €6/min, B = 24 ÷ 3 = €8/min, so B is produced up to its sales ceiling of 2,000 units, using 6,000 minutes. The remaining 6,000 minutes allow 6,000 ÷ 5 = 1,200 units of A. Total DB = 2,000 × 24 + 1,200 × 30 = 48,000 + 36,000 = €84,000.

Question 32Finance, accounting and controls

A firm currently sells 10,000 units; its break-even quantity is 7,500 units. What is the Sicherheitskoeffizient (margin of safety as a percentage of actual sales)?

  1. 25 % Correct answer.
  2. 33.3 %
  3. 75 %
  4. 40 %

Explanation

Sicherheitsstrecke = 10,000 − 7,500 = 2,500 units. The Sicherheitskoeffizient expresses this as a share of ACTUAL sales: 2,500 ÷ 10,000 = 25 %. Sales could fall by a quarter before the firm slips into a loss.

Question 33Finance, accounting and controls

Fixed costs are €90,000, price €40, variable unit costs €25. A supplier price increase raises variable unit costs to €28. What happens to the break-even quantity?

  1. It rises from 6,000 to 7,500 units, an increase of 25 % Correct answer.
  2. It falls from 6,000 to 7,500 units
  3. It rises from 6,000 to 6,720 units
  4. It stays at 6,000 units, because the fixed costs are unchanged

Explanation

Before: db = 40 − 25 = €15, BEP = 90,000 ÷ 15 = 6,000 units. After: db = 40 − 28 = €12, BEP = 90,000 ÷ 12 = 7,500 units. A 12 % rise in variable unit cost cuts the contribution margin by 20 % and pushes the break-even quantity up by 25 % - a good illustration of operating leverage.

Question 34Markets and economic choice

Which set of assumptions defines the vollkommener Markt in the model of Preisbildung?

  1. Homogeneous goods, no personal, spatial or temporal preferences, full market transparency and infinitely fast reaction Correct answer.
  2. Many small suppliers, state price controls and free entry of new competitors
  3. Differentiated branded goods, strong customer loyalty and advertising
  4. One supplier facing many buyers, with the supplier setting the price

Explanation

The vollkommener Markt is an abstract benchmark defined by four premises: goods are homogeneous, market participants have no sachliche, persönliche, räumliche or zeitliche Präferenzen, everyone has complete information about prices and quantities, and reactions to price changes are instantaneous. Under these conditions a single uniform market price forms (Gesetz der Unterschiedslosigkeit der Preise).

Question 35Markets and economic choice

Rising prices in a market prompt suppliers to shift resources into producing that good. Which Funktion des Preises does this illustrate?

  1. Lenkungsfunktion - the price steers scarce factors into their most valued use Correct answer.
  2. Ausgleichsfunktion - the price equates supply and demand
  3. Erlösfunktion - the price generates revenue for the supplier
  4. Auslesefunktion - the price forces inefficient suppliers out of the market

Explanation

The Lenkungsfunktion (allocation function) describes how price signals direct production factors towards goods that consumers value most highly. A rising price signals unmet demand, raises expected profits, and therefore attracts capital and labour into that line of production.

Question 36Markets and economic choice

The state sets a binding Höchstpreis BELOW the equilibrium price of a good. What is the direct consequence in the market model?

  1. A Nachfrageüberhang (excess demand/shortage), often leading to queues, waiting lists or black markets Correct answer.
  2. An Angebotsüberhang (excess supply), leading to unsold surpluses
  3. The equilibrium price falls, but supply and demand remain equal
  4. Nothing changes, because suppliers simply reduce their costs

Explanation

At a price below equilibrium, the quantity demanded exceeds the quantity supplied. Because the price is no longer allowed to clear the market, the shortage persists and rationing takes over: queues, waiting lists, allocation by acquaintance, or illegal secondary markets. A Mietpreisbremse is the classic German example discussed under marktkonträre Eingriffe.

Question 37Markets and economic choice

In the Marktformenschema, one supplier faces a very large number of small buyers. Which Marktform is this?

  1. Angebotsmonopol Correct answer.
  2. Nachfragemonopol
  3. Bilaterales Monopol
  4. Angebotsoligopol

Explanation

The Marktformenschema (after Stackelberg) classifies markets by the number of participants on each side. One supplier facing many buyers is an Angebotsmonopol: the single seller has price-setting power and moves along the market demand curve, unlike a Polypolist on a perfect market who must accept the market price.

Question 38Markets and economic choice

Demand is p = 100 − 2x and supply is p = 20 + 2x (p in €, x in 1,000 units). What are the Gleichgewichtsmenge and the Gleichgewichtspreis?

  1. x = 20 and p = €60 Correct answer.
  2. x = 20 and p = €40
  3. x = 30 and p = €40
  4. x = 15 and p = €70

Explanation

Set the two functions equal: 100 − 2x = 20 + 2x → 80 = 4x → x = 20. Substituting back gives p = 100 − 2(20) = €60 from the demand side and p = 20 + 2(20) = €60 from the supply side. Both must agree - that mutual check is the fastest way to catch algebra slips.

Question 39Markets and economic choice

With demand p = 100 − 2x, supply p = 20 + 2x and equilibrium at x = 20, p = €60, what is the Konsumentenrente?

  1. 400 monetary units Correct answer.
  2. 800 monetary units
  3. 1,200 monetary units
  4. 40 monetary units

Explanation

The Prohibitivpreis (choke price) is the demand price at x = 0, i.e. €100. The Konsumentenrente is the triangle between the demand line and the market price: ½ × Menge × (Prohibitivpreis − Gleichgewichtspreis) = ½ × 20 × (100 − 60) = 400. It measures the extra benefit consumers gain because they pay less than their maximum willingness to pay.

Question 40Markets and economic choice

With supply p = 20 + 2x and an equilibrium at x = 20, p = €60, what is the Produzentenrente?

  1. 400 monetary units, because the Mindestangebotspreis is €20 Correct answer.
  2. 1,200 monetary units, the whole equilibrium turnover
  3. 800 monetary units, the full rectangle between €20 and €60
  4. 0, because on a perfect market suppliers earn no surplus

Explanation

At x = 0 the supply function gives the Mindestangebotspreis of €20 - the lowest price at which any supplier is willing to sell. The Produzentenrente is the triangle between the market price and the supply curve: ½ × 20 × (60 − 20) = 400. It measures the surplus of suppliers who would have sold at a lower price than €60.

Question 41Markets and economic choice

A price rise from €20.00 to €22.00 cuts sales from 5,000 to 4,400 units. What is the Preiselastizität der Nachfrage?

  1. −1.2, so demand is elastic Correct answer.
  2. −0.83, so demand is inelastic
  3. −12, so demand is extremely elastic
  4. −0.12, so demand is almost completely inelastic

Explanation

The price change is +10 % (2 ÷ 20) and the quantity change is −12 % (600 ÷ 5,000). Preiselastizität = percentage change in quantity ÷ percentage change in price = −12 % ÷ +10 % = −1.2. Because the absolute value exceeds 1, demand reacts more than proportionally: it is elastic.

Question 42Markets and economic choice

Demand for a good has a price elasticity of −1.2. The supplier raises the price by 10 %. What happens to turnover?

  1. Turnover falls, because the 12 % quantity loss outweighs the 10 % price gain Correct answer.
  2. Turnover rises, because the higher price more than compensates for lost volume
  3. Turnover is unchanged, because elasticity of exactly 1.2 is close enough to 1
  4. Turnover rises, because elastic demand always means a strong brand

Explanation

With elastic demand (|E| > 1) quantity falls proportionally more than the price rises, so revenue declines. Numerically: 5,000 × €20 = €100,000 before, 4,400 × €22 = €96,800 after - a fall of €3,200. Price rises only increase turnover when demand is INELASTIC (|E| < 1).

Question 43Markets and economic choice

An agricultural Mindestpreis is set ABOVE the market equilibrium price. What follows?

  1. An Angebotsüberhang arises, which the state must buy up, store or subsidise for export Correct answer.
  2. A Nachfrageüberhang arises, so consumers must be rationed
  3. The market clears at the new price without any surplus
  4. Producers reduce output, because the higher price makes production unattractive

Explanation

Above the equilibrium price, suppliers want to sell more while buyers want to buy less, so a persistent Angebotsüberhang appears. Because the price is not allowed to fall, the surplus does not clear itself and the state typically has to intervene by buying, storing or subsidising exports - historically the mechanism behind EU intervention stocks.

Question 44Markets and economic choice

Which state intervention counts as marktkonform rather than marktkonträr?

  1. A tax or subsidy that shifts the supply curve and lets the price mechanism find a new equilibrium Correct answer.
  2. A statutory Höchstpreis that fixes the price below the equilibrium
  3. A statutory Mindestpreis that fixes the price above the equilibrium
  4. A binding production quota that caps the quantity each supplier may sell

Explanation

Marktkonforme Eingriffe work THROUGH the market mechanism: they change the underlying conditions (costs, incomes, curve positions) and leave the price free to clear the market. Taxes and subsidies are the standard examples. Marktkonträre Eingriffe suspend the mechanism by dictating prices or quantities directly.

Question 45Markets and economic choice

Household incomes rise sharply and the good in question is a normales Gut. What happens in the market diagram?

  1. The demand curve shifts to the right, raising both the equilibrium price and the equilibrium quantity Correct answer.
  2. Demand moves along the existing curve, so price rises but quantity falls
  3. The supply curve shifts to the right, lowering the equilibrium price
  4. The demand curve shifts to the left, because higher incomes make consumers save more

Explanation

A change in a determinant OTHER than the good's own price - income, tastes, population, price of substitutes - shifts the whole demand curve. For a normal good, higher income raises demand at every price, so the curve shifts right and the new intersection lies at both a higher price and a higher quantity.

Question 46Markets and economic choice

A monopolist faces the Preis-Absatz-Funktion p = 120 − 3x and has costs K = 30x + 400. What is the Cournot'scher Punkt?

  1. x = 15 and p = €75 Correct answer.
  2. x = 20 and p = €60
  3. x = 30 and p = €30
  4. x = 15 and p = €45

Explanation

Total revenue E = p·x = 120x − 3x², so Grenzerlös E' = 120 − 6x. Grenzkosten K' = 30. Profit is maximised where Grenzerlös = Grenzkosten: 120 − 6x = 30 → x = 15. The Cournot price comes from the Preis-Absatz-Funktion: p = 120 − 3(15) = €75. Profit is 15 × 75 − (30 × 15 + 400) = 1,125 − 850 = €275.

Question 47Markets and economic choice

Why are prices in an Angebotsoligopol often strikingly rigid despite intense competition?

  1. A price cut is matched by rivals, so little volume is gained, while a price rise is not followed, so many customers are lost - both moves are unattractive Correct answer.
  2. Oligopolists are legally forbidden to change their prices without approval
  3. Oligopolists face perfectly elastic demand, so any price change destroys all sales
  4. Because there are so few suppliers, none of them can influence the market price at all

Explanation

In an oligopoly each supplier is large enough that rivals notice and react. If one cuts its price, competitors follow to protect their share, so the price-cutter gains little volume but earns less per unit. If it raises its price, rivals hold theirs and it loses customers. This asymmetric reaction pattern - modelled by the kinked Preis-Absatz-Funktion - produces rigid prices and pushes competition into quality, service and advertising.

Question 48Markets and economic choice

Demand is p = 100 − 4x and supply is p = 40 + 2x. The state imposes a Höchstpreis of €48. How large is the resulting Marktungleichgewicht?

  1. A Nachfrageüberhang of 9 units (13 demanded versus 4 supplied) Correct answer.
  2. An Angebotsüberhang of 9 units (13 supplied versus 4 demanded)
  3. A Nachfrageüberhang of 3 units, measured against the equilibrium quantity of 10
  4. No imbalance, because €48 lies below the equilibrium price of €60

Explanation

Equilibrium: 100 − 4x = 40 + 2x → 60 = 6x → x = 10 and p = €60. At the ceiling of €48, demand is 48 = 100 − 4x → x = 13, while supply is 48 = 40 + 2x → x = 4. The gap is 13 − 4 = 9 units of excess demand, which cannot be cleared by price and must be rationed some other way.

Question 49Macroeconomics and policy models

What is the idealtypische order of the phases of the Konjunkturzyklus?

  1. Aufschwung → Hochkonjunktur (Boom) → Abschwung (Rezession) → Tiefphase (Depression) Correct answer.
  2. Hochkonjunktur → Aufschwung → Tiefphase → Abschwung
  3. Abschwung → Tiefphase → Hochkonjunktur → Aufschwung
  4. Tiefphase → Abschwung → Aufschwung → Hochkonjunktur

Explanation

The stylised cycle runs Aufschwung (rising output, falling unemployment, rising investment), Hochkonjunktur (capacity fully used, prices and wages rising), Abschwung (orders and investment fall, unemployment rises) and Tiefphase (low capacity utilisation, weak prices), before a new upswing begins. Real cycles vary in length and amplitude, which is why the model is explicitly idealtypisch.

Question 50Macroeconomics and policy models

Which of the following is a Frühindikator of the business cycle?

  1. The ifo Geschäftsklimaindex and incoming orders (Auftragseingänge) Correct answer.
  2. The registered unemployment figure
  3. Realised gross domestic product for the past quarter
  4. The volume of completed investment in plant and equipment

Explanation

Frühindikatoren move BEFORE overall activity. Business expectations such as the ifo Geschäftsklimaindex and incoming orders signal what firms will produce in coming months. Präsenzindikatoren such as current GDP move with the cycle, and Spätindikatoren such as unemployment react only with a delay.