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Elasticities of Demand and Supply

Price elasticity of demand and its calculation

  • 3 things to know
  • All three components

Overview

Price elasticity of demand, difference between price elastic and price inelastic demand and unit elastic demand.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

Define price elasticity of demand.

Key term

State the formula for price elasticity of demand.

Numbers

Price rises from £5.00 to £6.00 and quantity demanded falls from 400 to 360. Calculate price elasticity of demand.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    Define price elasticity of demand.

    Model answer

    Price elasticity of demand measures the responsiveness of quantity demanded to a change in the price of the good itself. The coefficient is normally negative for a downward-sloping demand curve.

  2. 2

    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. A minus sign normally appears because the two changes move in opposite directions.

  3. 3

    Price rises from £5.00 to £6.00 and quantity demanded falls from 400 to 360. Calculate price elasticity of demand.

    Model answer

    Quantity demanded falls by 10% and price rises by 20%, so price elasticity of demand is −0.5. Demand is price inelastic over that range.

  4. 4

    Price falls from £10 to £8 and quantity demanded rises from 200 to 260. Calculate price elasticity of demand.

    Model answer

    Quantity demanded rises by 30% and price falls by 20%, so price elasticity of demand is −1.5. Demand is price elastic over that range.

  5. 5

    Price rises from £2.00 to £2.20 and quantity demanded falls from 500 to 450. Calculate price elasticity of demand.

    Model answer

    Quantity demanded falls by 10% and price rises by 10%, so price elasticity of demand is −1. Demand is unit elastic over that range.

  6. 6

    What does a price elasticity of demand of zero mean?

    Model answer

    A coefficient of zero means quantity demanded does not change at all when price changes. Demand is perfectly price inelastic and the demand curve is vertical.

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