Economics presents the core principles of economics, but also seeks to share with students some of the ways that new ideas are expanding the basics of economic theory. The sequence of chapters economics as a common thread economics as a common thread follows a fairly traditional route through the core principles. However, the chapters on individual decision making (Part 3) appear before those on fi rm decisions (Part 4). By thinking first about the choices faced by individuals, students can engage with ideas that more closely relate to their own experiences. In this way, the organization of the text makes core economic ideas more immediately intuitive and better prepares students to eventually understand the choices of firms,groups, and governments. The text proceeds step-by-step from the personal to the public, allowing students to build toward an understanding of aggregate decisions on a solid foundation of individual decision making.
