Chapter 5, Problem 10PAE

Prove that price elasticity of demand is not the same as the slope of a demand curve.

Suppose a straight-line downward-sloping demand curve shifts rightward. Is the price elasticity of demand higher, lower, or the same between any two prices on the new (higher) demand curve than on the old (lower) demand curve?

For each of the following, identify where demand is elastic, inelastic, perfectly elastic, perfectly inelastic, or unit elastic: a. Price rises by 10 percent, and quantity demanded falls by 2 percent. b. Price falls by 5 percent, and quantity demanded rises by 4 percent. c. Price falls by 6 percent, and quantity demanded does not change. d. Price rises by 2 percent, and quantity demanded falls by 1 percent.