The balance of trade is the

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BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

The question asks about the definition of the balance of trade and provides five options to choose from.
Option 1: 'surplus that occurs when nations engage in exporting.' This is not accurate because a balance of trade is not defined as a surplus from exporting alone; it depends on the net difference between exports and imports, which could be a surplus, deficit, or zero.
Option 2: 'sum of the monetary value of a nation's exports and imports.' This describes total trade activity (gross trade) rather than the balance of trade, which is concerned with the difference between the two flows, not their sum.
Option 3: 'state of equilibrium when two neighboring nations participate in countertrade.' Countertrade and bilateral equilibrium are different concepts; balance of trade focuses on net values of exports minus imports for a country, not specifically a bilateral countertrade arrangement or an equilibrium state.
Option 4: 'monetary value of a nation's exports divided by its imports.' This option resembles a ratio, sometimes called the export-import ratio, but it is not the standard definition of the balance of trade, which is a difference, not a quotient.
Option 5: 'difference between the monetary value of a nation's exports and imports.' This matches the conventional definition of the balance of trade: exports minus imports, indicating whether a country has a trade surplus or deficit.
In summary, the correct understanding centers on netting exports against imports to obtain a single value, rather than summing, ratioing, or describing any bilateral agreement. The other options mischaracterize what the balance of trade measures, either by describing total trade, a ratio, a surplus from exporting alone, or a bilateral equilibrium concept rather than a national net difference.

MKT250002.2025FA POM Quiz 2, Chs 6 - 10- Requires Respondus LockDown Browser

The balance of trade is the

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