If you’re going to attack Varian, I’d suggest not focusing on Mathematics for Economists too much. Make sure you understand basic constrained maximization using the lagrangian and then you’re ready for Varian. Anything else he does that seems weird you can pick up as needed. Constrained maximization is usually taught in Calc 3 AFAIK, but I don’t think it’s too difficult if you can handle Calc 1.
A red flag for me is when I read that macro models aren’t generally reducible to micro models.
This shouldn’t be as much of a red flag as it is to most people. Is it a red flag when micro models don’t reduce to plausible theories of psychology? Not if it isn’t worth the effort of doing micro with said theories. Similarly, there’s a trade-off between microeconomic foundations in macro models and actually getting answers out of the models. Often the microeconomic foundations themselves aren’t even plausible to begin with. It still might be a red flag based on the details of the tradeoff at the margin, but I’m not sure it’s that clear.
I was just reviewing Mathematics for Economists. While a lot of it sounds fascinating, it’s probably not what I need at the moment. Too much of it is over my head. So on second thought, I’ll probably just review the first half of Calc 1, learn the second half, and tackle Varian.
On the topic of macro reducing to micro, point taken. I appreciate the clarification.
Good idea. I wouldn’t worry about complicated integrals if you’re just preparing for Varian. You’ll need integration, but I don’t recall anything too complicated. It’s mainly the differential calculus that you’ll need.
No problem!
If you’re going to attack Varian, I’d suggest not focusing on Mathematics for Economists too much. Make sure you understand basic constrained maximization using the lagrangian and then you’re ready for Varian. Anything else he does that seems weird you can pick up as needed. Constrained maximization is usually taught in Calc 3 AFAIK, but I don’t think it’s too difficult if you can handle Calc 1.
This shouldn’t be as much of a red flag as it is to most people. Is it a red flag when micro models don’t reduce to plausible theories of psychology? Not if it isn’t worth the effort of doing micro with said theories. Similarly, there’s a trade-off between microeconomic foundations in macro models and actually getting answers out of the models. Often the microeconomic foundations themselves aren’t even plausible to begin with. It still might be a red flag based on the details of the tradeoff at the margin, but I’m not sure it’s that clear.
I was just reviewing Mathematics for Economists. While a lot of it sounds fascinating, it’s probably not what I need at the moment. Too much of it is over my head. So on second thought, I’ll probably just review the first half of Calc 1, learn the second half, and tackle Varian.
On the topic of macro reducing to micro, point taken. I appreciate the clarification.
Good idea. I wouldn’t worry about complicated integrals if you’re just preparing for Varian. You’ll need integration, but I don’t recall anything too complicated. It’s mainly the differential calculus that you’ll need.