Elasticity of Demand

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A: 1. Elasticity of demand is a way to measure how the amount of demand for an item fluctuates with the price of the item. This is used to show how sensitive a market will be to price change. 2. Cross-price elasticity has to do with the relationship between two related products. It measures how sensitive buyers are to the purchase of one item in relation to the change in price of another item. This is used to better evaluate the use of alternative or similar goods. Substitute goods are two products that have a positive cross-price elasticity of demand. This means that if the first item sells in the same direction as the change in price of the second item, they are substitute goods. Complementary goods are two items that clearly are dependent and meant to be sold together. This means that the change in price of one item (an increase) will decrease the sales of the second item. Complementary goods are known as having a negative cross-elasticity. 3. Income elasticity relates to how much the purchase of a product will increase or decrease depending on a change in the buyer’s income. Normal good (aka superior goods) have a positive income elasticity of demand meaning that as income increases, the purchase of normal goods increases as well. Inferior goods are items or services that have negative income elasticity. As income increases, the purchase of inferior goods decreases. B. 1. Mathematically, elasticity of demand is defined in the following way. The percentage of change in the quantity demanded of product X, divided by the percentage of change in the price of product X. However, in order to use this formula, you must first identify the percentages of the changes. In order to calculate the necessary percentages the following formula is used. The change in quantity demanded of X over the original quantity demanded of X, divided by, the change in
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