Which of the following statements most likely lies within the realm of macroeconomics?

• A. A local bakery decides to lower the price of its bread.
• B. A consumer chooses between buying a laptop or a tablet.
• C. A firm analyzes the cost of producing an additional unit of output.
• D. The unemployment rate in a country increased last year.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the difference between microeconomics and macroeconomics. Microeconomics focuses on individual agents such as consumers, firms, and markets, while macroeconomics looks at the economy as a whole, including aggregate indicators like unemployment, inflation, and GDP.
2. Step 2: Analyze each statement to determine whether it deals with individual decision-making or aggregate economic phenomena. For example, a local bakery lowering prices is a microeconomic decision because it concerns one firm.
3. Step 3: Recognize that a consumer choosing between a laptop or a tablet is a microeconomic choice, as it involves individual consumer behavior.
4. Step 4: Note that a firm analyzing the cost of producing an additional unit (marginal cost) is a microeconomic concept related to production decisions within a single firm.
5. Step 5: Identify that the statement about the unemployment rate increasing in a country is a macroeconomic issue because it deals with an aggregate economic indicator affecting the entire economy.