Assume that demand for a commodity is represented by the equation P = 10 − .2Qd and supply by the equation P = 2 + .2Qs, where Qd and Qs are quantity demanded and quantity supplied, respectively, and P is the price. Using the equilibrium condition Qs = Qd, solve the equations to determine equilibrium price and equilibrium quantity.

Short Answer

Expert verified

The equilibrium price will be 6.

The equilibrium quantity will be 20 units.

Step by step solution

01

Meaning of a demand function and supply function

The demand function gives a mathematical relationship between the quantity demanded of a good and the price of the good. For example: D=5-0.6P.

Here, P stands for the price, D stands for quantity demanded, 0.6 is the demand curve slope, and 5 is the intercept term.

The supply function gives a mathematical relationship between the quantity supplied of a good and the price of the good. For example: S=2+0.7P

Here, P stands for the price, S stands for quantity supplied, 0.7 is the supply curve slope, and 2 is the intercept term.

02

Determination of equilibrium level of quantity and price using demand and supply functions

The equilibrium quantity can be determined by equating the demand and supply functions. The first step is to convert the two equations (inverse demand and supply functions) to proper demand and supply functions. The quantity demanded and supplied are considered dependent variables, and the price is considered an independent variable.

P=10-0.2QdQd=10-P0.2P=2+0.2QsQs=P-20.2

Now, equating the two, you get

Qd=Qs10-P0.2=P-20.210+2=2PP=6

Put the price value into the demand equation (or supply equation, as both are equal)

Qd=10-P0.2Qd=10-60.2Qd=20units

Thus, the equilibrium price is estimated to be 6, and the quantity is 20 units.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Real (inflation-adjusted) tuition costs were nearly constant during the 1960s despite a huge increase in the number of college students as the very large Baby Boom generation came of age. What do these constant tuition costs suggest about the supply of higher education during that period? When the much smaller Baby Bust generation followed in the 1970s, real tuition costs fell. What does that fact suggest about demand relative to supply during the 1970s?

“In the corn market, demand often exceeds supply, and supply sometimes exceeds demand.” “The price of corn rises and falls in response to changes in the supply and demand.” In which of these two statements are the terms “supply” and “demand” used correctly? Explain.

Suppose that the demand and supply schedules for rental apartments in the city of Gotham are as given in the following table.

a. What is the market equilibrium rental price per month and the market equilibrium number of apartments demanded and supplied?

b. If the local government can enforce a rent-control law that sets the maximum monthly rent at \(1,500, will there be a surplus or a shortage? Of how many units? How many units will actually be rented each month?

c. Suppose that a new government is elected that wants to keep out the poor. It declares that the minimum rent that landlords can charge is \)2,500 per month. If the government can enforce that price floor, will there be a surplus or a shortage? Of how many units? And how many units will actually be rented each month?

d. Suppose that the government wishes to decrease the market equilibrium monthly rent by increasing the supply of housing. Assuming that demand remains unchanged, how many additional units of housing would the government need to supply to get the market equilibrium rental price to fall to \(1,500 per month? To \)1,000 per month?To \(500 per month?

Monthly Rent (\))
Apartments Demanded
Apartment Supplied
2,50010,00015,000
2,00012,50012,500
1,50015,00010,000
1,00017,5007,500
50020,0005,000

The figure below shows the supply curve for tennis balls, S1, for Drop Volley Tennis, a producer of tennis equipment. Use the figure and the table below to give your answers to the following questions.

a. Use the figure to fill in the quantity supplied on supply curve S1 for each price in the following table.

b. If production costs were to increase, the quantities supplied at each price would be as shown by the third column of the table (“S2 Quantity Supplied”). Use those data to draw supply curve S2 on the same graph as supply curve S1.

c. In the fourth column of the table, enter the amount by which the quantity supplied at each price changes due to the increase in product costs. (Use positive numbers for increases and negative numbers for decreases.)

d. Did the increase in production costs cause a “decrease in supply” or a “decrease in quantity supplied?” Explain.

Price($)S1
Quantity Supplied
S2
Quantity
Supplied
Change in Quantity Supplied (S2-S1)
3-4-
2-2-
1-0-

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