CHAPTER
6|
Elasticity:
The Responsiveness of Demand and
Supply
SOLUTIONS TO END-OF-CHAPTER EXERCISES
Answers to Thinking Critically Questions
1. Even if the overall demand for gasoline is inelastic, a revenue increase for Joe’s Gas-and-Go will occur only if the percentage increase in price is greater than the percentage decrease in quantity demanded. If
Joe’s price increase is too large and Joe has other competitors who do not raise their prices, then it is possible that the percentage decrease in quantity demanded will result in a decrease in total revenue.
2. If Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club begin selling gasoline at lower prices than the conventional service stations, this will cause the demand curves faced by the
…show more content…
Total revenue fell during this time from $36,359,219 to $33,312,474.
123
CHAPTER 6 | Elasticity: The Responsiveness of Demand and Supply
1.8
No, we don’t have enough information to calculate the price elasticity of demand. To calculate the price elasticity of demand we would need to know how the quantity demanded changed in response to a change in price keeping all other things constant. In this case other things were not held constant: academic offerings were bolstered with at least three hands-on experiences outside the classroom, which created a “buzz.” This suggests that there was a shift in the demand curve and not just a movement along it. 1.9
Using the midpoint formula, the percentage change in price = ($99 – $199/$149) = –67%. Using the midpoint formula, if sales double, then the percentage change in quantity will equal 67%. The price elasticity of demand is 67%/–67% = –1. Using the midpoint formula, if sales triple, then the percentage change in quantity demanded will equal 100%. In this case, the price elasticity of demand will be 100%/–
67% = –1.49.
1.10
Suppose Ford did
New Contribution Margin = New Price per unit – Variable cost per unit =$8.5-$2.5 =$6
Price elasticity of demand is a Theory of the relationship between a change in the quantity demanded of a
Elasticity of demand is the relationship between the demands for a product with respect to its price. Generally, when the demand for a product is high, the price of the product decreases. When demand decreases, prices tend to climb. Products that exhibit the characteristics of elasticity of demand are usually cars, appliances and other luxury items. Items such as clothing, medicine and food are considered to be necessities. Essential items usually possess inelasticity of demand. When this occurs prices do not change significantly.
Elastic demand or “elasticity means the extent to which the quantity demanded changes when there’s a change in the price of a good” (Thinkwell, 2013). A product is considered elastic when the change in price increases the percentage change in quantity demanded. When
Price elasticity that relates to demand is determined by many factors. Price elasticity is measured by the change in price and the response from consumer demand. The demand of a good or service will vary the price in the item. The most important factor to determine the price elasticity of demand is necessity. If a good is a necessity, the demand will seldom change and the price is able to be adjusted. The demand is the most important due to the freedom it provides for price adjustment and inventory control. With necessity comes an inelastic price. Other factors such as the
This causes the price and the quantity move in opposite directions in a supply curve shift. Also, if the quantity supplied decreases at any given price the opposite will happen.
Elasticity of demand is measured as the percentage change in quantity demand divided by the percentage change in price .
For example, if the cost to make the paint is $2.75, the profit at $3 would be:
Based on the above description, forms of elasticity will affect business decisions and pricing strategies differently depending on the nature and type of products or services being offered. Business organizations whose product offerings have elastic and perfectly elastic price elasticities of demand should not attempt to raise prices of their products because it will cause the quantity demanded and consequently total revenues to drop drastically. Businesses can there use the price elasticities of demand to determine whether the proposed changes in their prices will raise or reduce their total revenue. The following expression may be useful in helping business organizations to determine the impacts of elasticities on their total revenues based on the suggested price changes.
Elasticity is a measure of the responsiveness of demand to changes in the price of a good or service. In the case of Steam Scot, when the price rises from 4 to 5, demand falls from 60,000 to 40,000 units. The original equilibrium market price of 4 pounds resulted in demand of 60,000 units and this generated revenue of 240,000 pounds. When the prices increased to 5 pounds the resulting demand is 40,000 units, and this generates total revenue of 200,000 pounds. When market price changes from 4 pounds to 5 pounds 40,000 pounds of revenue are lost in this indicates an elastic price elasticity of demand.
Price elasticity of demand is an economic measure that is used to measure the degree of responsiveness of the quantity demanded of a good to change in its price, when all other influences on buyers remain the same.
Elasticity of demand represented as “Ed” is defined as a “measure of the response of a consumer to a change in price on the quantity demanded of a good” (McConnell, 2012). Determinants for elasticity of demand would include the substitutability of a good, proportion of a consumer 's income spent on a good, the nature of the necessity of a good and the time a purchase is under consideration by the consumer. Furthermore, elasticity of demand is calculated with this formula:
If the demand for companies output is inelastic then the change in price will have a smaller effect on change of quantity. Let’s say company will cut the price for 10 percent. This will cause the increase in demands for 5
This chapter sets out the rationale for price discrimination and discusses the two major forms of price discrimination. It then considers the welfare effects and antitrust implications of price discrimination.
Since the value is less than one we can say that PS3s are elastic. This means that an increase in price of 1% will lead to a greater than 1% change in demand.