Transcript Demand

Demand
Chapter 4
Understanding Demand
Chapter 4, Section 1
The Law of Demand

Consumers buy more of a good when
its price decreases and less of a good
when its price increases
– Simply...we buy or want more at lower
prices
– Pizza is $1...we buy 3 slices. Pizza is
$1.50, we buy two slices
What may influence
Demand?
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Substitution effect...consumers
react to an increase or decreases in
price by purchasing a different good (a
substitute)
Income effect...when prices rise,
you buy fewer of the same goods due
to your limited income
Understanding Demand

To have demand for a good you must
have the desire but also be able to
afford it.
– You don’t have demand for dream goods
– Producers do not meet demand for the
products we dream to have
Demand Schedule

A table that list the
quantity of a good
that a person will
buy at each price
$1
4
$2
3
$3
2
$4
1
Market Demand
Schedules

The demand schedule for the whole
market is known as the market
demand schedule
– These are important to producers as just
one person’s demand schedule is not very
useful

It represents the sum of all individual
demand schedules
The Demand Curve
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A graphic
representation of a
demand schedule
Only accurate when
all things remain
constant (ceteris
paribus)
This represents a
change in quantity
demanded
Price per slice (in dollars)

Market Demand Curve
3.00
2.50
2.00
1.50
1.00
.50
0 0
50 100 150 200 250 300 350
Slices of pizza per day
Review
1. The law of demand states that
(a) consumers will buy more when a price increases.
(b) price will not influence demand.
(c) consumers will buy less when a price decreases.
(d) consumers will buy more when a price decreases.
2. If the price of a good rises and income stays the
same, what is the effect on demand?
(a) The prices of other goods drop.
(b) Fewer goods are bought.
(c) More goods are bought.
(d) Demand stays the same.
Shifts of the Demand
Curve
Chapter 4, Section 2
Shifts in Demand
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If all does not remain constant (ceteris
paribus) there will be a shift in
demand
Movement no longer occurs along the
curve. The entire curve shifts.
Represents a complete change of
demand
Shift in Demand
Shift in Demand
Price per slice (in dollars)
3.00
2.50
2.00
1.50
1.00
.50
0
0
50
200
250
100
150
Slices of pizza per day
300
350
What causes a shift?
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Income
Consumer Expectations
Population
Consumer tastes and advertising
Income

Income...a change in income will
cause a change in demand
– Normal goods...goods that consumers
demand more of when their income
increases (real maple syrup)
– Inferior goods...goods that consumers
demand less of when their income
increases (imitation maple syrup)
Consumer Expectations

What we know may happen in the
future affects our demand
– Ex...gas after Katrina
– Ex…snow shovels after big snowstorm
– Ex…SALES!!!
Population
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Changes in population can change
demand
Rise in population will increase
demand for houses, food, clothes, etc.
– Ex...the baby boom

Had to build new schools, neighborhoods,
etc.
– What services will be in higher demand
when the baby boomers retire?
Consumer Tastes and
Advertising


Your tastes for products and
advertising changes demand
Advertising shifts demand curve
because it plays a role in trends & fads
– Ex...I-Pod Nano
– Ex…Smartphones
– Ex…Clothes
Demand for Goods can
Affect Each Other

Compliments...when the demand for
one product changes, the demand for
the compliment changes
– Ex...skis and boots, salt and pepper

Substitutes...when the demand for a
product changes, the demand for its
replacement changes
– Ex...skis vs. snowboards
Review
1. Which of the following does not cause a shift of an
entire demand curve?
(a) a change in price
(b) a change in income
(c) a change in consumer expectations
(d) a change in the size of the population
2. Which of the following statements is accurate?
(a) When two goods are complementary, increased demand for
one will cause decreased demand for the other.
(b) When two goods are complementary, increased demand for
one will cause increased demand for the other.
(c) If two goods are substitutes, increased demand for one will
cause increased demand for the other.
(d) A drop in the price of one good will cause increased demand for
its substitute.
Elasticity of Demand
Chapter 4, Section 3
Elasticity of Demand

Elasticity of demand is a measure of
how consumers react to a change in
price
– If demand is inelastic, you have a hard
time going without it
– If demand is elastic, you can take it or
leave it
Calculating elasticity of
demand
Percentage change in quantity
demanded
____________________________
Percentage change in price
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If the result is greater than 1,
demand is elastic
Elastic Demand
Elastic Demand
If demand is elastic, a small change in price
leads to a relatively large change in the quantity
demanded. Follow this demand curve from left to
right.
$7
$6
Price
$5
$4
$3
Demand
$2
$1
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Quantity
Elastic Demand is flatter
Inelastic demand
Inelastic Demand
If demand is inelastic, consumers are not very
responsive to changes in price. A decrease in
price will lead to only a small change in quantity
demanded, or perhaps no change at all. Follow
this demand curve from left to right as the price
decreases sharply from $6 to $2.
$7
$6
Price
$5
$4
$3
Demand
$2
$1
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Quantity
Inelastic demand is steeper
Factors Affecting
Elasticity
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Availability of substitutes
– If there are few substitutes, demand will
be inelastic
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Relative Importance
– How much do you currently spend on the
product?
– What is it worth to you?
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Ex  ½ of your budget on clothes. Price
increase will affect your purchases
Factors Affecting
Elasticity
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Necessities vs. Luxuries
– Do you need it or don’t you
Milk for kids (necessary). Buy @ any price
 Steak (luxury). Won’t buy @ a high price
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Change over time
– Substitutes become available over time so
demand may become more elastic
Elasticity and Total
Revenue
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Total Revenue (TR) is the total
amount of money a firm receives from
selling goods and services
Firms need to know elasticity to help
determine price
– If elastic, a higher price decreases TR
– If inelastic, a higher price increases TR
Review
1.
What does elasticity of demand measure?
(a) an increase in the quantity available
(b) a decrease in the quantity demanded
(c) how much buyers will cut back or increase their demand when
prices rise or fall
(d) the amount of time consumers need to change their demand
for a good
2. What effect does the availability of many substitute goods
have on the elasticity of demand for a good?
(a) Demand is elastic.
(b) Demand is inelastic.
(c) Demand is unitary elastic.
(d) The availability of substitutes does not have an effect.