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Demand Elasticity
Chapter Four
Overview
The economic concept of elasticity The price elasticity of demand The cross-elasticity of demand The income elasticity of demand Elasticity of supply
Chapter Four Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall. 2
Learning objectives
define and measure elasticity apply concepts of price elasticity, crosselasticity, and income elasticity of demand understand determinants of elasticity show how elasticity affects business revenue
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Price elasticity of demand: the percentage change in quantity demanded caused by a 1 percent change in price. The general formula for calculation is:
% Quantity Ep % Price
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Q2 Q1 P2 P 1 Ep (Q1 Q2 ) / 2 ( P 1P 2) / 2
Ep = coefficient of arc price elasticity Q1 = original quantity demanded Q2 = new quantity demanded P1 = original price P2 = new price
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Point elasticity: elasticity measured at a given point of a demand (or a supply) curve. If Q = f(P), then
EX = (dQ/dP) (P1 /Q1 ) where: * dQ/dP is the derivative of Q with respect to P. * P1 and Q1 are the current values.
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we have the demand function, we can use the point elasticity formula. If we dont, and instead we have 2 pairs of prices and quantities, we use the arc elasticity formula.
Chapter Four
elasticity of demand at the price P=5. At this price the quantity is Q=20-25=10. Therefore EP = -2 (5/10) = -1 Now make the calculations at P=9.
Chapter Four Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall.
Look into your textbook p. 105, problem 2, part a. We are given the demand function, from which we get (dQ/dP) = -2, and we are asked to calculate the price
into your textbook p. 107, problem 12, part a. Here we have 2 pairs of Q and P. We use the arc elasticity formula. EP = (60/100)/(-1/3) =-1.8
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Chapter Four Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall. 11
Some demand curves have constant elasticity such a curve has a nonlinear equation:
Q = aP-b
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Categories of elasticity: (let Ep represent the absolute value of price elasticity of demand ) Relatively elastic demand: Ep > 1 Relatively inelastic demand: 0 < Ep < 1 Unitary elastic demand: Ep = 1 Perfectly elastic demand: Ep = Perfectly inelastic demand: Ep = 0
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Chapter Four
Factors affecting demand elasticity ease of substitution proportion of total expenditures durability of product possibility of postponing purchase possibility of repair used product market length of time period
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Derived demand: the demand for products or factors that are not directly consumed, but go into the production of a another (final) product The demand for such a product or factor exists because there is demand for the final product
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The derived demand curve will be more inelastic: the more essential is the component the more inelastic is the demand curve for the final product the smaller is the fraction of total cost going to this component the more inelastic is the supply curve of cooperating factors
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A long-run demand curve will generally be more elastic than a short-run curve.
As the time period increases, consumers find ways to adjust to the price change, via substitution or shifting consumption.
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Chapter Four Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall. 18
As price decreases revenue rises when demand is elastic revenue falls when it is inelastic revenue reaches it peak if elasticity =1 the lower chart shows the effect of elasticity on total revenue
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Marginal revenue: the change in total revenue resulting from changing quantity by one unit
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For a linear demand curve, marginal revenue curve is twice as steep as the demand curve
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at the point where marginal revenue crosses the X-axis, the demand curve is unitary elastic and total revenue reaches a maximum
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Examples: some real world elasticities coffee: short run -0.2, long run -0.33 kitchen and household appliances: -0.63 meals at restaurants: -2.27 airline travel in U.S.: -1.98 beer: -0.84, Wine: -0.55
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Examples: some real world elasticities white pan bread:-0.69 cigarettes: short run -0.4, long run -0.6 wine imports: -0.15 crude oil: -0.06 internet services: -0.6 to -0.7
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Cross-elasticity of demand
Cross-elasticity of demand: the percentage change in quantity consumed of one product as a result of a 1 percent change in the price of a related product
% Q A Ex % PB
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Cross-elasticity of demand
Arc cross-elasticity
Q2 A Q1 A P2 B P 1B EX (Q1 A Q2 A ) / 2 ( P 1B P 2B ) / 2
Exercise: Calculate the cross elasticity of demand in part b, problem 12, p. 107 of the textbook. It must be (50/65)(-1/3) = -2.3 Are these two goods substitutes or complements? How do you know?
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Chapter Four
Cross-elasticity of demand
Point cross-elasticity EX = (dQA /dPB) (PB /QA ) Exercise: In problem 10 p. 72 of the textbook,
calculate the cross elasticity of demand. Let the concerned company be A and the competitor B. Then (dQA /dPB) = 3. And the current PB = $500, and the current QA = 251400. Therefore E = 3 (500/251400) = 5.96. Are these two goods A and B substitutes or complements? How do you know?
Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall.
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Cross-elasticity of demand
The sign of cross-elasticity for substitutes is positive The sign of cross-elasticity for complements is negative Two products are considered good substitutes or complements when the coefficient is larger than 0.5 (in absolute value)
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Income elasticity
Income elasticity of demand: the percentage change in quantity demanded caused by a 1 percent change in income
%Q EY %Y
Y is shorthand for income
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Income elasticity
Q2 Q1 Y2 Y1 EY (Q1 Q2 ) / 2 (Y1 Y2 ) / 2
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Income elasticity
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Examples: elasticity is encountered every time a change in some variable affects demand
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Elasticity of supply
Price elasticity of supply: the percentage change in quantity supplied as a result of a 1 percent change in price
Elasticity of supply
Q2 Q1 P2 P 1 Es (Q1 Q2 ) / 2 ( P 1P 2) / 2
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Elasticity of supply
When the supply curve is more elastic, the effect of a change in demand will be greater on quantity than on the price of the product. When the supply curve is less elastic, a change in demand will have a greater effect on price than on quantity.
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Global application
Example: price elasticities in Asia Can the concepts of demand elasticity help explain the gain from trade to Asian countries?
End of chapter 4
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