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Session 2 Practice Problems Answer Key
Session 2 Practice Problems Answer Key
Session 2 Practice Problems Answer Key
Practice Problem 1
The Dolan Corporation, a maker of small engines, determines that in 2008 the demand curve for its
product is P = 2000 - 50Q, where P is price (in dollars) of an engine and Q is the number of engines
sold per month.
a) To sell 20 engines per month, what price would Dolan have to charge?
b) If managers set a price of $500, how many engines will Dolan sell per month?
To find the number of engines (Q) which Dolan will sell per month, plug P = $500 in equation (1).
Q = 30
𝑑𝑄 𝑃
ϵd = ×
𝑑𝑃 𝑄
Demand Equation: P=2000-50Q. At price = $500, we can find the corresponding quantity by
plugging it into the demand equation:
𝑑𝑄 𝑃
ϵd =𝑑𝑃 × 𝑄
−1 500
ϵd = 50 × 30
−1
ϵd = 3
d) At what price, if any, will demand for Dolan's engines be unitary elastic?
We know that ϵd = -1
𝑑𝑄 𝑃
Since, ϵd =𝑑𝑃 × 𝑄
−1 (2000−50𝑄)
-1 = 50 × 𝑄
𝑃 = 2000 − 50𝑄
𝑃 = 2000 − 1000
𝑃 = $1000
Thus, demand for Dolan's engines will be unitary elastic at a price of $1000.
Practice Problem 2
After a careful statistical analysis, the Chidester Company concludes the demand function for its
product is Q = 500 - 3P + 2Pr + 0.1I where Q is the quantity demanded of its product, P is the price of
the product, Pr is the price of its rival's product, and I is per capita disposable income (in dollars). At
present, P = $10, Pr = $20 and I = $6000.
𝑑𝑄 𝑃
ϵd = ×
𝑑𝑃 𝑄
10
ϵd = −3 × 1110
ϵd = -3/111 = -0.027
𝑑𝑄 𝐼
ϵI = 𝑑𝐼
×𝑄
6000
ϵI = 0.1 × 1110
ϵI = 60/111 = 0.54
c) What is the cross-price elasticity of demand between its product and its rival's product?
Formula for cross elasticity of demand:
𝑑𝑄 𝑃𝑟
ϵxy = 𝑑𝑃𝑟 × 𝑄
20
ϵxy = 2 × 1110
From November 2007 to March 2008, the price of gold increased from $865 per ounce to over $1,000
per ounce. Newspaper articles during this period said there was no increased demand from the
jewelry industry but significantly greater demand from investors who were purchasing gold because
of the falling dollar. For each of the following demand curves, indicate whether the curve shifted
inwards, outwards, or did not shift at all.
c) Aggregate demand for gold: Market demand curve shifts outward as it is horizontal summation
of gold demand by jewelry industry and investors.
Practice Problem 3
Q = 40000-4P
Price
10000
5000
Using ‘area under the curve’ approach, revenue will be the area (L*B) of the blue triangle.
Revenue = 5000*20000 = Rs. 100,000,000
1
Consumer Surplus = × 20000 × 5000 = 50,000,000
2
Q = 40000-4P
Price
10000
Consumer Surplus
5000
d. Find change in revenue and change in consumer surplus if the price increases to Rs. 7500.
If price increase to Rs. 7500, the quantity demanded will be 10000 units.
New Revenue = 7500*10000 = Rs. 75,000,000
Revenue falls by Rs. 25,000,000
1
New Consumer Surplus = 2 × 10000 × 2500 = 12,500,000
Consumer surplus falls by 37,500,000.
Q = 40000-4P
Price
5000