Topic 3 Flashcards
Impacts on Elasticity
- Availability of substitutes (key determinant)
- Time horizon (time to adapt to price changes)
- Narrowness of product category (specific or broad, Nurafen vs ibuprofen)
- Necessities vs Luxuries
- Purchase Impact (impact on budget)
Elasticity of Demand: Purpose
Measure responsiveness to:
- Good’s own price
- Other goods prices
- People’s income
Elasticity of Demand: Formula
Elasticity = (% change in Quantity Demanded) / (% change in Price)
Inelastic Demand Curve
- < 1 (or less than -1)
- Steeper Demand Curve
Elastic Demand Curve
- > 1 (or greater than -1)
- Flatter demand curve
Unit Elastic Demand Curve
- = 1
- 45 degree gradient
Elasticity Midpoint Forumula
Revenue Impact from from Price move when Elasticity is < 1
Price and Revenue Move Together
Revenue Impact from from Price move when Elasticity is > 1
Price and Revenue Move in Opposition
Revenue Impact from from Price move when Elasticity is = 1
Price moves but Revenue stays the same
Point Elasticity vs Arc Elasticity
- Point: % change at a single point
- ie (Q1-Q2/Q2 …)
- Arc: uses midpoint formula
- ie (Q1-Q2/Avg(Q1+Q2) …)
Elasticity Along a Straight Line Demand Curve
Cross-price elasticity
% change in quantity demanded of A / % change in price of B
Income Elasticity of Demand
% change in quantity demanded / % change in income
Types of good
- Normal
- Inferior
- Luxury