🌱 Week 7 Homework β€” Feedback

Student: Giovanni Rampello
Assignment: Solow Model with Technological & Population Growth

⚠️ Overall Assessment

Result: ⚠️ Partial (<50% Correct)

The submission includes the challenge exercise (population growth only) and the homework exercise (with technology). The homework section has correct helper function calls and proper parameter calibration. However, several key requirements are missing: (1) no steady-state reference lines on either plot, (2) no printed steady-state summary, and (3) figures not saved. The interpretation is present but could be more explicit about convergence speed.

πŸ” Task-by-Task Checklist

# Requirement Status Notes
1 Separate simulate_growth_tech.m helper with correct signature βœ… Provided with four outputs.
2 Helper preallocates arrays and final values βœ… Column vectors, final period handled.
3 Law of motion divides by (1+n)(1+g) βœ… Correct implementation.
4 Technology path updates with (1+g) βœ… Included in loop.
5 Main script sets required parameters (Ξ±, Ξ΄, s, T=80, k0, A0) βœ… Matches homework specification.
6 Scenario matrix includes (0,0), (0.01,0.02), (0.02,0.03) βœ… Three separate function calls.
7 Reuses simulation outputs for later steps βœ… Stores results in variables (k1, k2, k3, etc.).
8 Plot k_t for the three scenarios βœ… Figure shows all paths.
9 Add steady-state reference lines on k_t plot ❌ Missing yline overlays.
10 Plot y_t/A_t for the three scenarios βœ… Figure implemented.
11 Add steady-state reference lines on y_t/A_t plot ❌ Missing yline overlays.
12 Save figures to Figures/ (PNG/PDF) ❌ Figures not saved.
13 Provide steady-state summary (table or print) ❌ No numerical output of k*/(y/A)*.
14 Interpretation answers both homework questions ⚠️ Addresses steady-state effects well but convergence speed discussion is incomplete.
15 Code hygiene (comments, no cd, folder guard) βœ… Clean structure, no absolute paths.

Score: 8/15 tasks fully correct, 1/15 partial, 6/15 missing β†’ ⚠️

πŸ“ˆ Evidence & Highlights

88:108:docs/week7/Homework submissions/Homework_week7_Giovanni_Rampello Giovanni Rampello/week7_homework_solution.m figure; plot(1:T, k1, 'LineWidth', 1.5); hold on; plot(1:T, k2, 'LineWidth', 1.5); plot(1:T, k3, 'LineWidth', 1.5); ... figure; plot(1:T, y1./A1, 'LineWidth', 1.5); hold on; plot(1:T, y2./A2, 'LineWidth', 1.5); plot(1:T, y3./A3, 'LineWidth', 1.5);

πŸ’‘ Suggestions for Improvement

  1. Add steady-state reference lines: Include yline overlays on both plots showing k* and (y/A)* for each scenario. Calculate these using k_star = (s / (delta + n + g + n*g))^(1/(1-alpha)) and y_star = k_star^alpha.
  2. Print steady-state summary: Add a fprintf block that reports k* and (y/A)* for each scenario. This will provide quantitative backing for your interpretation.
  3. Save figures to Figures/ directory: Create a Figures/ folder (with mkdir guard) and save both figures there using exportgraphics() or print().
  4. Expand convergence speed discussion: Your interpretation mentions that convergence is β€œfaster” but doesn’t explain the mechanism. Please elaborate on how higher effective depreciation (from n and g) creates a stronger restoring force.

🧾 Summary

The core simulation is correct, but several key deliverables are missing. Adding steady-state overlays, a quantitative summary, saving figures, and expanding the convergence speed discussion will bring this submission up to passing level.

Grade: ⚠️ (Partial <50% correct)