Price Elasticity of Demand Quiz: Calculating and Categorizing Demand Responsiveness

Questions and Answers

If the PED is equal to 1, what does this imply?

Quantity demanded changes proportionally to price changes

Which factor would make the demand for a good more elastic according to the text?

Increased competition in the market

What does a PED of infinity indicate?

Perfectly elastic demand

If the quantity demanded of a product increases from 120 units to 150 units when the price decreases from $8 to $6, what is the price elasticity of demand?

-0.8 Signup and view all the answers

In which situation would the PED be less than 1?

For luxury goods with high income elasticity Signup and view all the answers

In price elasticity of demand, what does a value of -1 signify?

Unit elasticity Signup and view all the answers

How does price elasticity of demand help in predicting consumer behavior?

By analyzing the sensitivity of consumers to price changes Signup and view all the answers

If the percentage change in quantity demanded is -10% and the percentage change in price is 5%, what is the price elasticity of demand for the product?

-1.5 Signup and view all the answers

When does a product exhibit perfectly inelastic demand?

When the percentage change in quantity demanded equals zero Signup and view all the answers

What type of demand elasticity is described by a value greater than 1?

Elastic demand Signup and view all the answers

In a market where both demand and supply are elastic, why would an excise tax on cigarettes be less effective in generating revenue?

Both consumers and suppliers are price-sensitive to changes Signup and view all the answers

Why would the tax incidence of a new tax on fine jewelry likely fall on the producers?

An increase in price significantly impacts quantity demanded Signup and view all the answers

Why do labor taxes fall on workers when labor supply is less elastic than labor demand?

Employers can easily substitute labor with other factors of production Signup and view all the answers

What happens to the tax burden when supply is more elastic than demand?

It falls entirely on the consumers Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a key benefit of understanding elasticity and tax incidence for policymakers?

Determining which party bears the burden of a tax Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Elasticity: The Concept of Price Demand Responsiveness

Elasticity, a fundamental concept in microeconomics, measures the responsiveness of the quantity demanded or supplied of a good to a change in its price. This concept is crucial in understanding how consumers and producers react to fluctuations in market conditions and plays a significant role in shaping economic analysis and forecasting.

In the context of price elasticity of demand (PED), two subtopics are essential to discuss:

Calculating elasticity
Categorizing demand elasticities

Calculating Elasticity

To measure elasticity, economists use the percentage change in quantity demanded (Qd) or supplied (Qs) divided by the corresponding percent change in price (P). The formula for the price elasticity of demand is:

$$\text{PED} = \frac{%\text{ change in quantity demanded}}{%\text{ change in price}}$$

For example, if the quantity demanded of a product decreases from 100 units to 80 units when the price increases from $10 to $12, the elasticity calculation would be as follows:

$$\text{PED} = \frac{\frac{80 - 100}{100}\times 100%}{\frac{12 - 10}{10}\times 100%} = \frac{-20%}{20%} = -1$$

Since the elasticity is equal to -1, the demand is inelastic (as the absolute value is less than 1).

Categorizing Demand Elasticities

Elasticities can be categorized into five broad categories:

Perfectly Elastic: The demand is infinitely sensitive to price changes, which means that the PED is either positive infinity or -infinity.
Elastic: The PED is greater than 1, indicating that a change in price leads to a substantial change in quantity demanded or supplied.
Unitary: The PED is equal to 1, which implies that the percentage change in quantity demanded or supplied is proportional to the percentage change in price.
Inelastic: The PED is less than 1, indicating that a change in price leads to a smaller change in quantity demanded or supplied.
Perfectly Inelastic: The demand is not sensitive to price changes, which means that the PED is 0.

Factors that can influence the elasticity of demand include the availability of substitutes (substitute goods make demand more elastic), the necessity of the product (demand for health-related items tends to be inelastic), and competition in the market (competitive markets tend to have more elastic demand).

In conclusion, elasticity is a vital concept in microeconomics that enables us to analyze and predict consumer and producer behavior in response to price changes. The price elasticity of demand and supply can help us determine how much a good or service's demand or supply will change when its price increases or decreases. By understanding these principles, economists, businesspeople, and policymakers can make more informed decisions regarding market dynamics and price setting.