ECON 1B03 Chapter Notes - Chapter 8: Ice Cream, Midpoint Method, Margarine

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rubymole443

22 Apr 2016

School

McMaster University

Department

Economics

Course

ECON 1B03

Professor

Bridget O' Shaughnessy

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ECON 1B03 Full Course Notes

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The price elasticity of demand measures how much the quantity demanded responds to a change in price. Demand for a good is said to be elastic if the quantity demanded responds substantially to changes in the price. Demand is said to be inelastic if the quantity demanded responds only slightly to changes in the price. Necessities tend to have inelastic demands, whereas luxuries have elastic demands. Whether a good is a necessity or a luxury depends not on the intrinsic properties of the good but on the preferences of the buyer. The elasticity of demand in any market depends on how we draw the boundaries of the market. Within several years, the quantity of gasoline demanded falls more substantially. Economists compute the price elasticity of demand as the percentage change in the quantity demanded divided by the percentage change in the price. Price elasticity of demand = percentage change in quantity demanded.

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Discussion #1

The law of demand states that a fall in the price of a good raises the quantity demanded, and the increase in price leads to a decrease in quantity demanded. The price elasticity of demand measures the responsiveness of the quantity demanded to a change in price. Demand for a good is said to be elastic if the quantity demanded responds substantially to changes in the price, and the percentage change in quantity demanded is greater than the percentage change in price. Demand is said to be inelastic if the quantity demanded responds only slightly to changes in the price, which indicates that the percentage in price is greater than the percentage in quantity demanded.

However, the extent of responsiveness of quantity demanded to a change in price depends on the nature of a particular good or service in the market. The price elasticity of demand partly depends on the availability of close substitutes. When a large number of substitutes are available, consumers respond to a higher price of a good by buying more of the substitute goods and less of the relatively more expensive good. In addition, goods or services that are considered necessities tend to have less elastic (more inelastic) demand, whereas goods or services that are considered luxuries have more elastic (less inelastic) demands.

Explain why the demand for the good or service provided by the organization you work for is elastic or inelastic. How does this influence pricing decisions?
Provide examples on how the availability of close substitutes affects price elasticity of demand.
Give specific examples of necessities or luxuries, and explain how they affect price elasticity of goods or services.

Please answer ALL bulletins and place the answers under the correct bulletin.

a) As the price of margarine rises by 20%, a manufacturer of baked goods increases its quantity of butter demanded by 5%. Calculate the cross-price elasticity of demand between butter and margarine. Are butter and margarine substitutes or complements for this manufacturer?

b) After Malia's income increased from $12,000 to $18,000 a year, her purchases of album downloads increased from 10 to 40 downloads a year. Calculate Malia's income elasticity of demand for albums.

c) Expensive restaurant meals are income-elastic goods for most people, including Sanjay. Suppose his income falls by 10% this year. What can you predict about the change in Sanjay's consumption of expensive restaurant meals?

turquoisesheep415

For each case, choose the condition that characterizes demand: elastic demand, inelastic demand, or unit-elastic demand.

a. Total revenue decreases when the price increases.

b. The additional revenue generated by an increase in quantity sold is exactly offset by revenue lost from the fall in price received per unit.

c. Total revenue falls when output increases.

d. Producers in an industry find they can increase their total revenues by coordinating a reduction in industry output.

e. As the price of margarine rises by 20%, a manufacturer of baked goods increases its quantity of butter demanded by 5%. Calculate the cross-price elasticity of demand between butter and margarine. Are butter and margarine substitutes or complements for this manufacturer?

f. After Malia's income increased from $12,000 to $18,000 a year, her purchases of album downloads increased from 10 to 40 downloads a year. Calculate Malia's income elasticity of demand for albums.

g. Expensive restaurant meals are income-elastic goods for most people, including Sanjay. Suppose his income falls by 10% this year. What can you predict about the change in Sanjay's consumption of expensive restaurant meals?

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ECON 1B03 Chapter Notes - Chapter 8: Ice Cream, Midpoint Method, Margarine

ECON 1B03 Full Course Notes

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