Quantitative Demand Analysis
Dr. Fida Karam
Gulf University for Science and Technology
Department of Economics and Finance
Office N1-115 email: karam.f@gust.edu.kw
Dr. Fida Karam
(GUST)
Quantitative Demand Analysis
1 / 19
Introduction
The shapes of demand and supply curves influence how much shifts in demand or supply affect market equilibrium.
• Shape is best summarized by elasticity.
• Elasticity indicates how responsive one variable is to a change in another variable: Elasticity of A with respect to B = % A/% B
Common Elasticities
Price elasticity of demand.
Income elasticity of demand.
Cross-price elasticity of demand.
Advertising elasticity.
Price elasticity of supply.
Dr. Fida Karam
(GUST)
Quantitative Demand Analysis
2 / 19
Price Elasticity of Demand
Definition
The price elasticity of demand measures the sensitivity of the quantity demanded to price. The price elasticity of demand (denoted by D ) is the percentage change in quantity demanded (Q) brought about by a 1 percent change in price (P ), holding the other determinants of demand constant.
D
=
percentage change in quantity percentage change in price
If Q is the change in quantity and P is the change in price, then
Q
percentage change in quantity = Q × 100% and percentage change in price = PP × 100%. Hence,
D
Dr. Fida Karam
(GUST)
=
Q P
×
P
Q
Quantitative Demand Analysis
3 / 19
Price Elasticity of Demand
Interpretation
if
D
= 0, we say that the we have a perfectly inelastic demand
if −1 < if if
D
D
D
< 0;, we say that we have an inelastic demand
= −1, we say that the we have a unitary elastic demand
= −∞, we say that the we have a perfectly elastic demand
if −∞ <
D
< −1 we say that the we have an elastic demand
Example
Suppose the price is initially $5.00, and the corresponding quantity demanded is 1,000 units. Also suppose, that when the price rises