LOS b: Calculate elasticities on a straight-line demand curve, differentiate among elastic, inelastic, and unit elastic demand, and describe the relation between price elasticity of demand and total revenue.
Suppose that a given MP3 player now costs $300, and sales are now 5,000 units per month. The manufacturer has determined that if the price is reduced by $25, the demand will increase by 250 units per month. Calculate and describe the elasticity of demand.
Elasticity is the percentage change in quantity, divided by the percentage change in price. The percentage change in quantity is 250 / ((5,000 + 5,250)/2) = 0.049 or 4.9%. The percentage change in price is -25 / ((300 + 275)/2) = -0.087 or -8.7%. 4.9 / -8.7 = -0.56. Elasticity with an absolute value of less than 1 is considered inelastic.
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