Chapter Two: Theory of Demand and Supply
Chapter Two: Theory of Demand and Supply
Combinations A B C D E
Price per kg 5 4 3 2 1
Quantity demand/week 5 7 9 11 13
7= a-2(4), a = 15
Therefore, Q=15-2P is the demand function for orange in the
above numerical example.
Cont…
3 + 3 + 3 = 3
Exercise
Suppose the individual demand function of a product is
given by: P=10 - Q /2 and there are about 100 identical
buyers in the market. Find the market demand
function?
Determinants of demand
Price of the product ( law of Demand)
Taste or preference of consumers
Income of the consumers ( Normal &
inferior good)
Price of related goods ( Substitute &
Complementary good)
Consumers expectation of income and
price
Number of buyers in the market
Cont…
When we state the law of demand, we kept all the factors
to remain constant except the price of the good.
A change in any of the above listed factors except the
Where &
Cont…
Thus;
In this method, we take a straight-line demand curve joining
the two axes, and measure the elasticity between two points
Qo and Q1 which are assumed to be intimately close to each
other.
Assume your daily demand for coffee increases from 4 cups
Measures how much the demand for a product is affected
by a change in price of another good.
If 0, substitute goods
If , complementary goods
If , unrelated goods
Exercise
Consider the following data which shows the changes in quantity
demanded of good X in response to changes in the price of good Y.
Technology
Prices of related goods
Price
S
Infinite elasticity or
Perfectly
perfectly elastic
inelastic or
P S
zero elasticity
Gizaw G.
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Cont….
Shortage (Excess Demand) – a shortage occurs when
the quantity demanded is greater than the quantity
supplied at a particular price.
Surplus (Excess Supply) – a surplus occurs when the
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Cont…
Exercise 1: From statistical studies, we know that for 1981
the supply curve for wheat was approximately as follows:
Supply: QS = 1800 + 240P
Where price is measured in dollars per bushel and quantities
are in millions of bushels per year. These studies also
indicate that in 1981 the demand curve for wheat was
Demand: QD = 3550 – 266P
Find the market clearing price and equilibrium quantity of
wheat for the year1981.
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Exercise
Given market demand: Qd= 100-2P, and market supply: P
=( Qs /2) + 10
a) Calculate the market equilibrium price and quantity
a) Determine, whether there is surplus or shortage at P=
25 and P= 35.
Effects of shift in demand and supply on equilibrium
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End of the
Chapter!
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