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Microeconomics: The Role of Markets

Consumer surplus and producer surplus

  • 3 things to know
  • Component 01

Overview

Recall questions on defining and locating consumer and producer surplus on a diagram, total community surplus, and calculating each surplus from linear demand and supply equations.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Numbers

Demand is P = 20 − 0.01Q and supply is P = 2 + 0.008Q, giving equilibrium at £10 and 1,000 units. Calculate consumer surplus.

Numbers

Demand is P = 20 − 0.01Q and supply is P = 2 + 0.008Q, giving equilibrium at £10 and 1,000 units. Calculate producer surplus.

Key term

Define consumer surplus.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    Define consumer surplus.

    Model answer

    The difference between the maximum price consumers are willing to pay for a good and the price they actually pay.

  2. 2

    Which area of a demand and supply diagram shows consumer surplus?

    Model answer

    The area lying below the demand curve and above the market price line, up to the quantity traded.

  3. 3

    Define producer surplus.

    Model answer

    The difference between the price producers receive and the minimum price at which they would have been willing to supply.

  4. 4

    Which area of the diagram shows producer surplus?

    Model answer

    The area lying above the supply curve and below the market price line, up to the quantity traded.

  5. 5

    What does the sum of consumer and producer surplus measure?

    Model answer

    Community surplus, the total welfare gained from the market, which is maximised at the free-market equilibrium when there is no market failure.

  6. 6

    For two demand curves passing through the same equilibrium point, why does the steeper one give more consumer surplus?

    Model answer

    A steeper curve means many buyers would have paid far above the market price, so the area between the curve and the price line is larger.

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