--%>
Assignment Help - homework help

Income Elasticities of Demand

Question:

(a)  Suppose the income elasticity of demand for pre-recorded music compact disks is +4 and the income elasticity of demand for a cabinet maker's work is +0.4.  Compare the impact on pre-recorded music compact disks and the cabinet maker's work of a recession that reduces consumer incomes by 10 per cent.

(b)  How might you determine whether the pre-recorded music compact discs and MP3 music players are in competition with each other?

(c)   Interpret the following Income Elasticities of Demand (YED) values for the following and state if the good is normal or inferior; YED= +0.5 and YED= -2.5

(d)   Interpret the following Cross-Price Elasticities of Demand (XED) and explain the relationship between these goods. XED= + 0.64 and XED= -2.6

Answer:

a) A positive elasticity means that an increase in income will lead to an increase in the consumption and fall in income will lead to a fall in consumption. If the income of the consumer declines by 10%, then there will be a 40% (4 x 10) fall in the consumption of pre-recorded music CDs and 4%(10 x 0.4) decline in the demand of cabinet maker's work.

b) This can be determined by the cross elastic of the two goods. If the cross elasticity of demand is negative then the goods will be complements to each other and hence they will not be in competition. However, if the cross elasticity of demand is positive then the goods are substitutes and they are in competition.

c) For first good the income elasticity of demand is 0.5 which means that if income increases by 1% then the demand will increase by 0.5%. This makes the food a normal good.

For the second good, the income elasticity of demand is -2.5, which means that an increase in income by 1% will lead to a fall in demand by -2.5%. This means that the good is inferior good.

d) A positive elasticity means that increase in price of one good leads to an increase in demand of the other good. This is the case of substitute goods.

A negative cross elasticity of demand, on the other hand, means that an increase in price of one good leads to a decrease in the demand for the other good. This happens in the case of complements.

   Related Questions in Microeconomics

  • Q : Goals of the Firm-Maximizing their

    When top executives of the corporation pursue policies which maximize their personal incomes and advantages, the most likely outcome is that: (1) The Corporation will attempt to maximize the net revenue. (2) Stockholders in the corporation will experience the highest

    		•
  • Q : Positive sloped labor supply curve Can

    Can someone help me in finding out the right answer from the given options. The monopsonist in labor market faces a: (1) Totally elastic demand for labor. (2) Completely elastic supply of the labor. (3) Completely inelastic supply of the labor. (4) Positively sloped l

    		•
  • Q : Linear supply curves-elasticity for

    A straight-line that positively sloped supply curve which starts from the basis is: (w) elastic for all prices and quantities. (x) inelastic for all prices and quantities. (y) unitarily elastic for all quantities and prices. (z) negatively associated

    		•
  • Q : Time and opportunity cost in

    The time and other opportunity costs incurred in obtaining information regarding products and prices and in that case driving to and from markets are illustrations of: (1) mobilization costs. (2) contracting costs. (3) transactions co

    		•
  • Q : Elasticity of supply when price hike

    When a $5 price hike raises the number of tanks of dehydrated water supplied in this market from point e to point f, the elasticity of supply: (i) 2.333. (ii) 2.000. (iii) 1.667. (iv) 1.333. (v) 0.600. How can I so

    		•
  • Q : Interest rate in Determinants of Demand

    The demand curves for most of the nondurable consumer goods would be least influenced by modifications in: (i) Interest rates. (ii) House-hold income. (iii) Prices for related goods. (iv) Tastes and preferences. Ca

    		•
  • Q : In-Kind Transfer Payments Medicare,

    Medicare, rent subsidies, Medicaid, and food stamps are examples of: (w) transfers in-kind. (x) cash transfers. (y) human capital programs. (z) negative income taxes. Can anybody suggest me the proper explanation for given problem

    		•
  • Q : Example of price elasticity of demand

    When gasoline prices rise $.10 per gallon, Ima Driver decreases her gasoline consumption through 5 gallons monthly. Her price elasticity of demand for gasoline is about: (w) 2. (x) 1/2. (y) dependent upon the units used to express changes within price

    		•
  • Q : Determine total revenue by quantity and

    In this demonstrated figure, the total revenue: (w) varies inversely along with price in range b. (x) is minimized at the midpoint of the demand curve. (y) remains unchanged like price changes within range b. (z) will raise as price falls within range

    		•
  • Q : Present Value of an Asset The present

    The present value of an asset refers to the: (w) consumer surplus derived from the asset throughout the current period. (x) value today of any expected income payments related with owning the asset. (y) economic rent realized after paying the market p

    		•