Elasticity and Its
Application
… is a measure of how much buyers and sellers respond to changes in market conditions
… allows us to analyze supply and demand with greater precision.
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Price Elasticity of Demand elasticity of demand is the percentage change in quantity demanded given a percent change in the price.
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Determinants of
Price Elasticity of Demand
Price
It
is a measure of how much the quantity demanded of a good responds to a change in the price of that good.
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Necessities versus Luxuries
Availability of Close Substitutes
Definition of the Market
Time Horizon
Harcourt, Inc. items and derived items copyright © 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
Determinants of
Price Elasticity of Demand
Computing the Price Elasticity of Demand
Demand tends to be more elastic :
The price elasticity of demand is computed as the percentage change in the quantity demanded divided by the percentage change in price.
if
the good is a luxury.
the longer the time period.
the larger the number of close substitutes. the more narrowly defined the market.
Harcourt, Inc. items and derived items copyright © 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
Price Elasticity of Demand =
Percentage Change in Quantity Demanded
Percentage Change in Price
Harcourt, Inc. items and derived items copyright © 2001 by Harcourt, Inc.
1
Computing the Price Elasticity of Demand
Price elasticity of demand
Percentage change in quatity demanded
Percentage change in price
Example: If the price of an ice cream cone increases from $2.00 to $2.20 and the amount you buy falls from
10 to 8