How to Use (and Make) EconGraphs

Chris Makler
Stanford University

econgraphs.org

JET SET 2022

Follow and play along: https://bit.ly/econgraphs-jetset

Outline

  • Motivation
  • Things I've made
  • How to create your own!

Motivation

  • 10 years in ed tech industry
  • Found that interactive graphs are incredibly effective teaching tools
  • Most exist behind paywalls/logins
  • Decided to make my own as a public good
  • Have been using in my own classes since 2015

Uses of Interactives

  • Classroom demonstrations
  • Student exploration
  • In textbook explanations
  • Assessment questions

SECRETLY ALREADY PUBLISHED

LONG-TERM PLAN

P
p(q)
Q

The total revenue is the price times quantity (area of the rectangle)

Classroom Demonstration: Marginal Revenue

P
p(q)
Q
\Delta P
\Delta Q

The total revenue is the price times quantity (area of the rectangle)

If the firm wants to sell \(\Delta Q\) more units, it needs to drop its price by \(\Delta P\)

Revenue loss from
lower price on existing sales

Revenue gain from additional sales

\text{marginal revenue} = \Delta P \times Q + \Delta Q \times P

Creating Your Own

  • KineticGraphs.org
  • Desmos.com

Feedback: cmakler@stanford.edu

Twitter: @econgraphs

Graphs: econgraphs.org

Authoring: kineticgraphs.org