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Data and Market Analysis

Calculating price elasticity of demand

  • 3 things to know
  • Component 2

Overview

The coefficient as percentage change in quantity over percentage change in price, why the sign is negative, and what the number has to be for demand to count as elastic.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

State the formula for price elasticity of demand.

Key term

Why is price elasticity of demand normally negative?

Numbers

Price rises from £20 to £22 and quantity demanded falls from 5,000 to 4,500 units. Calculate price elasticity of demand.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    State the formula for price elasticity of demand.

    Model answer

    Price elasticity of demand equals the percentage change in quantity demanded divided by the percentage change in price. Each percentage is measured from the original figure.

  2. 2

    Why is price elasticity of demand normally negative?

    Model answer

    A rise in price normally causes a fall in quantity demanded, so the two changes carry opposite signs. A negative figure divided by a positive one gives a negative coefficient.

  3. 3

    Price rises from £20 to £22 and quantity demanded falls from 5,000 to 4,500 units. Calculate price elasticity of demand.

    Model answer

    Price rises by 10% and quantity falls by 10%, so elasticity is −10 divided by 10. The coefficient is −1.0.

  4. 4

    Price falls from £8 to £7 and quantity demanded rises from 400 to 500 units. Calculate price elasticity of demand.

    Model answer

    Price falls by 12.5% and quantity rises by 25%, so elasticity is 25 divided by −12.5. The coefficient is −2.0.

  5. 5

    Price rises from £50 to £55 and quantity demanded falls from 2,000 to 1,900 units. Calculate price elasticity of demand.

    Model answer

    Price rises by 10% and quantity falls by 5%, so elasticity is −5 divided by 10. The coefficient is −0.5.

  6. 6

    How is the percentage change in quantity demanded worked out?

    Model answer

    The change in quantity is divided by the original quantity and multiplied by 100. A fall from 400 units to 360 units is therefore a change of −10%.

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