Question

When the price of candy bars is $1.00, the quantity demanded is 500 per day. When the price falls to $0.80, the quantity demanded increases to 600. Given this information and using the midpoint method, we know that the demand for candy bars is:

Answer 1

Answer:

The demand for candy bars is inelastic

Explanation:

The midpoint rule calculate the price elasticity of demand as percentage change in quantity divided by the percentage change in price:

% change in quantity

$\frac{Q_2-Q_1}{ \frac{Q_2 + Q_1}{2} } \times 100$

The quantity demanded increased from 500 to 600. We have

$Q_1 = 500 \: and \: Q_2 = 600$

$\implies \frac{600 - 500}{ \frac{600 + 500}{2} } \times 100 \\ = \frac{100}{ \frac{1100}{2} } \\ = \frac{100}{550} \\ = \frac{2}{11}$

% change in price

$\frac{P_2-P_1}{ \frac{P_2 + P_1}{2} } \times 100$

The price changed from 1 dollar to 0.8 dollars.

$\frac{0.8 - 1}{ \frac{0.8 + 1}{2} } = - \frac{2}{9}$

Price elasticity if demand is

$\frac{ \frac{2}{11} \%}{ - \frac{2}{9} \%} = - \frac{9}{11} = - 0.82$

The negative sign tells us that there is an inverse relationship between price and quantity demanded.

Since 0.82 is less than 1, the demand for candy bars is inelastic