Figure 5.6 shows a vertical demand curve. The price elasticity of demand in the figure below is Figure 5.6 0 -100 01 -1 O O O infinity Price D Quantity

The Stopdecay Company sells an electric toothbrush for $25. Its sales have averaged 8,000 units per month over the past year. Recently, its closest competitor, Decayfigh ter, reduced the price of its electric toothbrush from $35 to $30. As a result, Stopde cays sales declined by 1,500 units per month. What is the arc cross elasticity of demand between Stopdecays toothbrush and Decayfighters toothbrush? What does this indicate about the relationship between the two products? If Stopdecay knows that the arc price elasticity of demand for its toothbrush is 1.5, what price would Stopdecay have to charge to sell the same number of units as it did before the Decayfighter price cut? Assume that Decayfighter holds the price of its toothbrush constant at $30. What is Stopdecays average monthly total revenue from the sale of electric toothbrushes before and after the price change determined in part (b)? Is the result in part (c) necessarily desirable? What other factors would have to be taken into consideration?

The New York Times reported (Feb. 17, 1996) that subway ridership declined after a fare increase: There were nearly four million fewer riders in December 1995, the first full month after the price of a token increased 25 cents to 1.50, than in the previous December, a 4.3 percent decline. a. Use these data to estimate the price elasticity of demand for subway rides. b. According to your estimate, what happens to the Transit Authoritys revenue when the fare rises? c. Why might your estimate of the elasticity be unreliable?

Isabella always spends $50 on red roses each month and simply adjusts the quantity she purchases as the price changes. What can you say about Isabella's elasticity of demand for roses?

According to the previous discussion, what factors influence the price elasticity of demand for cigarettes? What other factors not mentioned in the article might influence the price elasticity of demand for cigarettes?

What does a price elasticity of demand of 0.39 mean?

The avenge annual income rises from 25,000 to 33,000, and the quantity of bleed consumed in a year by the avenge person falls from 30 loaves to 22 loaves. What is the income elasticity of bread consumption? Is bread a normal or an inferior good?

The price elasticity of demand for personal computers is estimated to be 2.2. If the price of personal computers declines by 20 percent, what will be the expected percentage increase in the quantity of computers sold?

Economists define normal goods as having a positive income elasticity. We can divide normal goods into two types: Those whose income elasticity is less than one and those whose income elasticity is greater than one. Think about products that would fall into each category. Can you come up with a name for each category?

Would you expect supply to play a more significant role in determining the price of a basic necessity like food or a luxury like perfume? Explain. Hint: Think about how the price elasticity of demand will differ between necessities and luxuries.