Principles of Economics

Interested in an online assessment tool for Principles of Economics? We have that...and it is called FLYX! Watch here this demonstration for more information on FLYX Online Learning and Assessment.

Listen to a podcast here of Libby discussing her textbook to gain perspective on her and Tim's text.

Version 1.1 boasts improved coverage throughout the text including significant updates to: Chapters 20 (GDP, Price Level Changes, Business Cycles, and Unemployment) Chapter 21 (Measuring Total Output and Income) Chapter 27 (Government and Fiscal Policy) Chapter 32 (Macroeconomics for the 21st Century)

Flat World Knowledge is honored to publish the revision of this first edition re-launch of Tim Tregarthen’s acclaimed Principles of Economics book, and proud to bring Tim's remarkable talents as a teacher to future generations of students.

In 1996, Tim published the first edition of his principles of economics textbook to great acclaim, and it became widely used in colleges around the country. That same year, MS made him wheelchair-bound. The disease forced his retirement from teaching at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs in 1998. He lost the use of his arms in 2001 and has been quadriplegic ever since.

Tim never let his disease get him down. In fact, he turned back to his love of writing and teaching for inspiration. He obtained a voice-activated computer, recruited a co-author, Libby Rittenberg of Colorado College, and turned his attention to revising his principles of economics book.

Today we are excited to introduce Libby Rittenberg and Timothy Tregarthen’s Principles of Economics V1.1. The authors teach economics as the study of ”choice ” by providing students with an accessible, straightforward overview of economics. This text combines the clarity and writing of Tregarthen's seminal periodical "The Margin" with great teaching insights.

Rittenberg and Tregarthen help students to understand how real individuals actually work with economics. In this new book, the authors illustrate the practicality and relevance of economics with a variety of new illustrations and insights.

The authors take a three-pronged approach to every concept: (1) the concept is covered with a ”Heads Up“ to ward off confusion, (2) a ”You Try It“ section makes sure students are staying on top of the concept and (3) a ”Case and Point“ section that uses a real-world application to harness the concept in reality. For one example of how this plays out in the text see "Chapter 3, Section 2 on Supply." here

This book is intended for a two-semester course in economics taught out of the social sciences or business school.

• Chapter 1: Economics: The Study of Choice
• Chapter 2: Confronting Scarcity: Choices in Production
• Chapter 3: Demand and Supply
• Chapter 4: Applications of Demand and Supply
• Chapter 5: Elasticity: A Measure of Response
• Chapter 6: Markets, Maximizers, and Efficiency
• Chapter 7: The Analysis of Consumer Choice
• Chapter 8: Production and Cost
• Chapter 9: Competitive Markets for Goods and Services
• Chapter 10: Monopoly
• Chapter 11: The World of Imperfect Competition
• Chapter 12: Wages and Employment in Perfect Competition
• Chapter 13: Interest Rates and the Markets for Capital and Natural Resources
• Chapter 14: Imperfectly Competitive Markets for Factors of Production
• Chapter 15: Public Finance and Public Choice
• Chapter 16: Antitrust Policy and Business Regulation
• Chapter 17: International Trade
• Chapter 18: The Economics of the Environment
• Chapter 19: Inequality, Poverty, and Discrimination
• Chapter 20: Macroeconomics: The Big Picture
• Chapter 21: Measuring Total Output and Income
• Chapter 22: Aggregate Demand and Aggregate Supply
• Chapter 23: Economic Growth
• Chapter 24: The Nature and Creation of Money
• Chapter 25: Financial Markets and the Economy
• Chapter 26: Monetary Policy and the Fed
• Chapter 27: Government and Fiscal Policy
• Chapter 28: Consumption and the Aggregate Expenditures Model
• Chapter 29: Investment and Economic Activity
• Chapter 30: Net Exports and International Finance
• Chapter 31: Inflation and Unemployment
• Chapter 32: A Brief History of Macroeconomic Thought and Policy
• Chapter 33: Economic Development
• Chapter 34: Socialist Economies in Transition