Unit 2 Chapter 4: Elasticity
If a 5% increase income leads to a 2.5% decrease in the quantity of oatmeal demanded, then the absolute value of the income elasticity of demand for oatmeal is
-0.5
If the price elasticity of demand for beer is 1.19, and the price of beer goes up by 1%, then the quantity of bear demanded will
Go down by 1.19%
If the price elasticity of demand is less than 1 and the price increases, then total expenditure will
Increase
important rules about how price changes affect total expenditure always move in opposite directions
Rule 1: when price elasticity of demand is greater than 1, changes in price and changes in total expenditure always move the opposite directions Rule 2: when price elasticity of demand is less than 1, changes in price and changes in total expenditure always move in the same direction
income elasticity of demand
The percentage by which a good's quantity demanded changes in response to a 1 percent change in income
perfectly elastic demand
demand is perfectly elastic with respect to price if price elasticity of demand is infinite
perfectly inelastic demand
demand is perfectly inelastic with respect to price if price elasticity of demand is zero
If the price elasticity of supply for tobacco is 5, then if the price of tobacco goes down by 1%, the quantity of tobacco supplied will
go down by 5%
If the price elasticity of supply for gas is 1.6, then if the price of gas goes up by 1%, the quantity of gas supply will
go up by 1.6%
Both the supply and the demand for oil are relatively inelastic in the short-run. Thus, we would expect oil prices to be
highly volatile
When the price of demand is less then 1, changes in price and changes in total expenditure
move in the same direction
Suppose a local politician proposes that the price of lottery tickets be cut in half in order to reduce the total amount that people spend on lottery tickets. This plan will
only be effective if the demand for lottery tickets is inelastic with respect to price
perfectly elastic supply
supply is perfectly elastic with respect to price if elasticity of supply is infinite
perfectly inelastic supply
supply is perfectly inelastic with respect to price if elasticity is zero
elastic
the demand for a good is elastic with respect to price if its price elasticity of demand is greater than 1
Inelastic
the demand for a good is inelastic with respect to price if its price elasticity of demand is less than 1
unit elastic
the demand for a good is unit elastic with respect to price if its price elasticity of demand equals 1
total expenditure (total revenue)
the dollar amount that consumers spend on a product (P x Q) is equal to the dollar amount that sellers receive
cross-price elasticity of demand
the percentage by which the quantity demanded of the first good changes in response to a 1 percent change in the price of the second
price elasticity of supply
the percentage change in quantity supplied that occurs in response to a 1 percent change in price
price elasticity of demand
the percentage change in the quantity demanded of a good or service that results from a 1 percent change in its price
The price elasticity of supply will tend to be higher when
the time horizon is longer and it's easy to find or produce substitute inputs
Given that it's costly to build new oil wells to drill for oil, the price elasticity of supply for crude oil is likely to be
very low in the short run
Given that there are only so many people who can stand at the top of the Eiffel tower at any point of time, the price elasticity of supply for tickets to the Eiffel tower is likely to be
very low