Answer
The change in consumer surplus due to a price increase is represented by the area between the demand curve and the new and old price levels, above the original equilibrium price.
Solution
a
Consumer Surplus: Consumer surplus is the difference between what consumers are willing to pay for a good or service and what they actually pay
b
Change in Consumer Surplus: When the price increases, the consumer surplus decreases. This change is represented graphically by the area between the demand curve and the horizontal lines at the new and old prices, above the original equilibrium price
c
Calculation: The change in consumer surplus can be calculated as the area of the triangle formed by the demand curve and the two horizontal lines representing the old and new prices. If the demand curve is linear, the area of the triangle is 21×base×height, where the base is the change in quantity and the height is the change in price Key Concept
Consumer Surplus and Price Changes
Explanation
A price increase leads to a decrease in consumer surplus, which is graphically shown as the area between the demand curve and the new and old prices, above the original equilibrium price.
Answer
Complementary goods have a negative cross-price elasticity of demand.
Solution
a
Cross-Price Elasticity of Demand: Cross-price elasticity of demand measures the responsiveness of the quantity demanded of one good to a change in the price of another good
b
Complementary Goods: For complementary goods, the cross-price elasticity of demand is negative, meaning that an increase in the price of one good will lead to a decrease in the demand for the complementary good
Key Concept
Cross-Price Elasticity for Complementary Goods
Explanation
An increase in the price of one good leads to a decrease in the demand for its complement, as indicated by a negative cross-price elasticity of demand.
Answer
A 10% increase in the price of muffins leads to a 20% decrease in the quantity demanded of coffee, resulting in a new equilibrium quantity of 80 cups.
Solution
a
Cross-Price Elasticity Calculation: The cross-price elasticity of demand is calculated as the percentage change in the quantity demanded of one good divided by the percentage change in the price of another good
b
New Equilibrium Quantity: With a cross-price elasticity of -2, a 10% increase in the price of muffins leads to a 20% decrease in the quantity demanded of coffee. If the initial equilibrium quantity was 100 cups, a 20% decrease results in 80 cups
Key Concept
Cross-Price Elasticity Impact on Quantity Demanded
Explanation
The cross-price elasticity of demand indicates how the quantity demanded of one good is affected by a price change in another good, with a negative elasticity representing complementary goods.
Answer
A price floor set above the equilibrium price causes a surplus in the market.
Solution
a
Definition of Price Floor: A price floor is a minimum price set by the government for a good or service, which is intended to ensure that the market price does not fall below a level that would threaten the financial viability of producers of the good or service
b
Surplus Creation: When a price floor is set above the equilibrium price, it results in a surplus because the quantity supplied exceeds the quantity demanded at that price
Key Concept
Price Floor and Market Surplus
Explanation
A price floor set above the equilibrium price leads to a surplus, as it causes the quantity supplied to be greater than the quantity demanded.