THE ELASTICITY OF LOVE

ELASTICITY OF (LOVE) DEMAND Elasticity of (Love) Demand – describes how consumers will react to a change in the price of a good (action of a person). Their reaction depends on the original price of the good and the way the good is used by consumers.

ELASTICITY OF DEMAND Elasticity of Demand – FOR EXAMPLE Are you the kind of person who loves in such a way that your love can weather any kind of storm? #3 Some goods you will always find money to buy even if the price were to rise drastically. Gasoline Feminine Products Other goods you would cut back on or cut out all together. Vitamins (see question #4)

Your demand for a good that you will keep buying (KEEP LOVING) despite a price increase is “INELASTIC.” “Your demand does not change” Example – Gasoline increase in my truck cost me $77.00 to fill up. I fill up 95% of the time I buy gasoline. Therefore my demand for gasoline (AT THIS POINT) is inelastic. If your love for him or her is still strong no matter what he or she does your love is INELASTIC!

I AM SIMPLY ELASTIC, VERY SENSITIVE TO PRICE CHANGES! Your demand for a good that you will NOT keep buying (OR KEEP LOVING) with a price increase or you will buy less is “ELASTIC.” “Your demand changes” Example – I used to have text messaging on my phone at $5.00/mo. for unlimited texting. At $10.00/ mo. for unlimited texting I got rid of text messaging. At this point I am highly ELASTIC. DO NOT CALL ME CHEAP!!!! I AM SIMPLY ELASTIC, VERY SENSITIVE TO PRICE CHANGES!

5 Factors Affecting Elasticity – certain factors affect or determine what goods are elastic or inelastic. (know the factors!) Availability of substitutes – if there are few or no substitutes for a good when the price rises you will more than likely still buy it. Example – See question 10! Disposable diapers – if two brands break your baby out and one brand is the brand that your baby can use your demand will more than likely be inelastic because there are no available substitutes.

Availability of substitutes – if there are few or no substitutes for a good when the price rises you will more than likely still buy it. Example – Disposable diapers – if two brands break your baby out and one brand is the brand that your baby can use your demand will more than likely be inelastic because there are no available substitutes. Cloth diapers or an available brand – if a person is willing to use cloth diapers or happen to find another brand that does not cause the baby to break out the demand for that brand of disposable diapers become elastic. Relative Importance – If you spend a large portion of your income on a good or if the good is essential a price increase will force you to make some choices. See question 11!

Relative Importance – If you spend a large portion of your income on a good or if the good is essential a price increase will force you to make some choices. Example – Car insurance on a newer vehicle – you have to have full coverage if you financed it. Life insurance – if you are the primary breadwinner in your home you HAVE to continue to provide for your family. The older you get the higher an insurance premium. Necessities v. Luxuries – a necessity is a good people will always buy even when the price increases. Example – parents often regard milk as a necessity. If the price of milk rises from $2.50 to $4.50 they will still purchase milk. Their demand for milk is inelastic.

Necessities v. Luxuries – a necessity is a good people will always buy even when the price increases. See question 6 & 7! Example – parents often regard milk as a necessity. If the price of milk rises from $2.50 to $4.50 they will still purchase milk. Their demand for milk is inelastic. Example – the same parents may regard steak as a luxury. If the price of steak rises from $2.50 /lb. to $4.50 /lb. they may decide not to eat steak. Their demand for steak is elastic. Change Over Time – often when there is a price increase consumers need time to adjust to the increase. Until they can adjust their demand is inelastic. Once they have had time to find substitutes their demand becomes elastic. Question13!

Change Over Time – often when there is a price increase consumers need time to adjust to the increase. Until they can adjust their demand is inelastic. Once they have had time to find substitutes their demand becomes elastic. Example The baby has just used the last diaper. The mother runs to the store and finds that the price of the disposals she uses has increased by 30%. She has to buy right now because she doesn’t have time to find an alternative brand. Her demand is inelastic. Over the next few days she discovers an off brand diaper that she has not previously tried. She buys a small package and tries them on her baby. They work1 The baby doesn’t break out! Her demand for the first brand now becomes elastic because she has had time to find a substitute.

Elasticity & Revenue – The elasticity in demand determines how a change in prices affect a firm’s total revenue. A firm’s total revenue is the amount of money the company receives for selling its goods. Total revenue & Elastic demand – when the demand of a good is elastic, raising the price of the good a certain percentage will decrease the demand by a larger percentage therefore a company will lose profit / revenue. Total revenue of Inelastic Demand – when the demand of a good is inelastic, raising the price of the good a certain percentage will decrease the demand by a smaller percentage than the amount raised therefore a company will increase profit / revenue.

CALCULATING ELASTICITY – (REMEMBER THIS FORMULA FOR CALCULATING ELASTICITY) in order to calculate elasticity take the percentage of change in the demand of a good and divide and divide the number by the percentage of change in the price of a good.

percentage of change quantity demanded percentage of change in the price of a good

Price of Snicker’s Quantity demanded .50 original price Look at the percentage of change in quantity demanded from .50 to .75 Price of Snicker’s Quantity demanded .50 original price 10 original demand .75 7 1.00 5 1.25 4 1.50 2 2.00 To find the percentage of change in quantity or price subtract the new number from the original number & divide the result by the original number

Look at the percentage of change in quantity demanded from .50 to .75 Look at the percentage of change in price from .50 to .75 To find the percentage of change in quantity or price subtract the new number from the original number & divide the result by the original number .50 - .75 = -.25 . 25 /-. 50 = .50 x 100 = 50% percentage of change quantity demanded percentage of change in the price of a good 30/50 = .6 10 - 7 = 3 3 / 10 = .3 x 100 = 30%