ECS1501/101/3/2019
Tutorial Letter 101/3/2019
Economics 1A
ECS 1501
Semesters 1 and 2
Department of Economics
This tutorial letter contains important information
about your module.
BARCODE
, CONTENTS
Page
1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................. 3
2 PURPOSE AND OUTCOMES ......................................................................................................... 3
2.1 Purpose ..... ........................................................................................................................................... 3
2.2 Outcomes ........................................................................................................................................... 3
3 LECTURER AND CONTACT DETAILS ...................................................................................... 3
3.1 Lecturer and Department ...................................................................................................................... 3
3.2 University ........................................................................................................................................... 3
4 RESOURCES ..................................................................................................................................... 4
4.1 Tutorial letters ...................................................................................................................................... 4
4.2 myUnisa ... ........................................................................................................................................... 4
4.3 E-tutors ..... ........................................................................................................................................... 5
4.4 Face-to-face tutors ................................................................................................................................ 5
5 STUDY PLAN .................................................................................................................................... 5
5.1 First semester........................................................................................................................................ 6
5.2 Second semester ................................................................................................................................... 7
6 ASSESSMENT ................................................................................................................................... 7
6.1 Assignments ......................................................................................................................................... 7
6.1.1 Due dates for assignments .................................................................................................................... 8
6.1.2 Submitting assignments........................................................................................................................ 8
6.1.3 Assignment marks ................................................................................................................................ 9
6.2 Examinations ........................................................................................................................................ 9
6.2.1 Examination admission ...................................................................................................................... 10
6.2.2 Examination paper format .................................................................................................................. 10
6.2.3 Examination script reviews or re-marks............................................................................................. 10
6.2.4 Marks ........ ......................................................................................................................................... 10
7 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................................. 11
8 ASSIGNMENTS ............................................................................................................................... 12
8.1 FIRST SEMESTER ASSIGNMENTS............................................................................................... 12
8.2 SECOND SEMESTER ASSIGNMENTS ......................................................................................... 31
2
, ECS1501/101
1 INTRODUCTION
Welcome to Economics 1A, an introduction to Microeconomics. We hope that you will find this module
interesting and rewarding. We will do our best to make your study of this module successful. You will be
well on your way to success if you start studying early in the semester and keep on working throughout
the semester.
2 PURPOSE AND OUTCOMES
2.1 Purpose
When you are credited with this module, you will have a basic knowledge of microeconomic theory and
you will be able to apply, analyse and interpret microeconomic concepts and principles. The purpose of
this module is to gain insight into the solving of economic problems in different economic systems and to
understand how households and firms take decisions and prices are determined.
2.2 Outcomes
The main outcomes of this module are the following:
You must be able to
• conceptualise and apply the main economic problem in different economic systems and use a
diagram to explain how the economy functions
• explain and conceptualise the interaction between consumers and producers in a perfectly
competitive goods market
• conceptualise, apply, calculate and evaluate the price decisions of firms under perfect market
conditions in both the short and the long run
• conceptualise the factors that influence the labour market
More detailed module outcomes and assessment criteria can be found in each learning unit.
3 LECTURER AND CONTACT DETAILS
3.1 Lecturer and Department
Direct all academic enquiries about the content of this module (i.e. not administrative queries) to us.
Ensure that you have your study material and student number with you when you contact us. You can use
the following e-mail addresses to contact the department:
• First Semester
• Second Semester
You may also contact the administrative coordinator at the Department of Economics, Mrs Mpho Mudau,
at 012 433 4686.
3.2 University
If you need to contact the University about matters not related to the content of this module, consult the
brochure my Studies @ Unisa, which you have received with your study material. This brochure contains
3
, information on how to contact the University (e.g. who to write to for different queries, important
telephone numbers, addresses, and details of the times certain facilities are open). Below you will find
some important e-mail addresses for the departments that you might need to contact.
You can also send you enquiry directly to the following addresses:
• , for assignments queries
• , for study material queries
• , for queries on the examination
• , for account queries
• , for application and registration queries
• , for assistance with myLife e-mail accounts
• , for assistance with myUnisa
4 RESOURCES
4.1 Tutorial letters
It is imperative for your own success to read all the tutorial letters immediately.
• Tutorial Letter 501 covers all the academic content of the module. Please note there is no
prescribed textbook for this module – everything you need to prepare for the examination is
covered in the Tutorial Letter 501.
• This tutorial letter (Tutorial letter 101) contains administrative information about this module
as well as the assignments that you need to complete during the semester (see Section 8).
• Tutorial Letter 102 is a glossary that contains definitions of important economics terms and
concepts in English, Afrikaans, isiZulu, isiXhosa, Northern Sotho, Sesotho and Setswana.
• Tutorial Letter 103 gives you more information on the examination.
• Solutions to the questions in the assignments are included in Tutorial Letters 201 to 204 (these
tutorial letters will only be available after the closing date of the specific assignment).
4.2 myUnisa
With internet access, you can get resources and information on the Unisa online campus, myUnisa. Start
on the main Unisa website at http://www.unisa.ac.za and then click on the orange myUnisa block. This
will take you to the myUnisa website. To go to the myUnisa website directly, go to https://my.unisa.ac.za.
When you are on the myUnisa website, click on the Claim UNISA Login on the left-hand side of the
screen. You will then be prompted to give your student number to claim your initial myUnisa details and
to get your myLife login details.
You will see ECS1501-19-S1 (S2 in second semester) in the row of modules on the
top of the webpage. If you cannot find the module you require, click on More Sites.
Click on the module you want to open.
4
Tutorial Letter 101/3/2019
Economics 1A
ECS 1501
Semesters 1 and 2
Department of Economics
This tutorial letter contains important information
about your module.
BARCODE
, CONTENTS
Page
1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................. 3
2 PURPOSE AND OUTCOMES ......................................................................................................... 3
2.1 Purpose ..... ........................................................................................................................................... 3
2.2 Outcomes ........................................................................................................................................... 3
3 LECTURER AND CONTACT DETAILS ...................................................................................... 3
3.1 Lecturer and Department ...................................................................................................................... 3
3.2 University ........................................................................................................................................... 3
4 RESOURCES ..................................................................................................................................... 4
4.1 Tutorial letters ...................................................................................................................................... 4
4.2 myUnisa ... ........................................................................................................................................... 4
4.3 E-tutors ..... ........................................................................................................................................... 5
4.4 Face-to-face tutors ................................................................................................................................ 5
5 STUDY PLAN .................................................................................................................................... 5
5.1 First semester........................................................................................................................................ 6
5.2 Second semester ................................................................................................................................... 7
6 ASSESSMENT ................................................................................................................................... 7
6.1 Assignments ......................................................................................................................................... 7
6.1.1 Due dates for assignments .................................................................................................................... 8
6.1.2 Submitting assignments........................................................................................................................ 8
6.1.3 Assignment marks ................................................................................................................................ 9
6.2 Examinations ........................................................................................................................................ 9
6.2.1 Examination admission ...................................................................................................................... 10
6.2.2 Examination paper format .................................................................................................................. 10
6.2.3 Examination script reviews or re-marks............................................................................................. 10
6.2.4 Marks ........ ......................................................................................................................................... 10
7 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................................. 11
8 ASSIGNMENTS ............................................................................................................................... 12
8.1 FIRST SEMESTER ASSIGNMENTS............................................................................................... 12
8.2 SECOND SEMESTER ASSIGNMENTS ......................................................................................... 31
2
, ECS1501/101
1 INTRODUCTION
Welcome to Economics 1A, an introduction to Microeconomics. We hope that you will find this module
interesting and rewarding. We will do our best to make your study of this module successful. You will be
well on your way to success if you start studying early in the semester and keep on working throughout
the semester.
2 PURPOSE AND OUTCOMES
2.1 Purpose
When you are credited with this module, you will have a basic knowledge of microeconomic theory and
you will be able to apply, analyse and interpret microeconomic concepts and principles. The purpose of
this module is to gain insight into the solving of economic problems in different economic systems and to
understand how households and firms take decisions and prices are determined.
2.2 Outcomes
The main outcomes of this module are the following:
You must be able to
• conceptualise and apply the main economic problem in different economic systems and use a
diagram to explain how the economy functions
• explain and conceptualise the interaction between consumers and producers in a perfectly
competitive goods market
• conceptualise, apply, calculate and evaluate the price decisions of firms under perfect market
conditions in both the short and the long run
• conceptualise the factors that influence the labour market
More detailed module outcomes and assessment criteria can be found in each learning unit.
3 LECTURER AND CONTACT DETAILS
3.1 Lecturer and Department
Direct all academic enquiries about the content of this module (i.e. not administrative queries) to us.
Ensure that you have your study material and student number with you when you contact us. You can use
the following e-mail addresses to contact the department:
• First Semester
• Second Semester
You may also contact the administrative coordinator at the Department of Economics, Mrs Mpho Mudau,
at 012 433 4686.
3.2 University
If you need to contact the University about matters not related to the content of this module, consult the
brochure my Studies @ Unisa, which you have received with your study material. This brochure contains
3
, information on how to contact the University (e.g. who to write to for different queries, important
telephone numbers, addresses, and details of the times certain facilities are open). Below you will find
some important e-mail addresses for the departments that you might need to contact.
You can also send you enquiry directly to the following addresses:
• , for assignments queries
• , for study material queries
• , for queries on the examination
• , for account queries
• , for application and registration queries
• , for assistance with myLife e-mail accounts
• , for assistance with myUnisa
4 RESOURCES
4.1 Tutorial letters
It is imperative for your own success to read all the tutorial letters immediately.
• Tutorial Letter 501 covers all the academic content of the module. Please note there is no
prescribed textbook for this module – everything you need to prepare for the examination is
covered in the Tutorial Letter 501.
• This tutorial letter (Tutorial letter 101) contains administrative information about this module
as well as the assignments that you need to complete during the semester (see Section 8).
• Tutorial Letter 102 is a glossary that contains definitions of important economics terms and
concepts in English, Afrikaans, isiZulu, isiXhosa, Northern Sotho, Sesotho and Setswana.
• Tutorial Letter 103 gives you more information on the examination.
• Solutions to the questions in the assignments are included in Tutorial Letters 201 to 204 (these
tutorial letters will only be available after the closing date of the specific assignment).
4.2 myUnisa
With internet access, you can get resources and information on the Unisa online campus, myUnisa. Start
on the main Unisa website at http://www.unisa.ac.za and then click on the orange myUnisa block. This
will take you to the myUnisa website. To go to the myUnisa website directly, go to https://my.unisa.ac.za.
When you are on the myUnisa website, click on the Claim UNISA Login on the left-hand side of the
screen. You will then be prompted to give your student number to claim your initial myUnisa details and
to get your myLife login details.
You will see ECS1501-19-S1 (S2 in second semester) in the row of modules on the
top of the webpage. If you cannot find the module you require, click on More Sites.
Click on the module you want to open.
4
