Question

The market price of hamburgers in a college town increased recently, and the students in an economics class are debating the cause of the price increase. Some students suggest that the price increased because several burger joints in the area have recently gone out of business. Other students attribute the increase in the price of hamburgers to a recent decrease in the price of french fries.
Everyone agrees that the decrease in the price of french fries was caused by a recent decrease in the price of potatoes, which are not generally used in making hamburgers.
The first group of students thinks the increase in the price of hamburgers is due to the fact that several burger joints in the area have recently gone out of business.
On the following graph, adjust the supply and demand curves to illustrate the first group’s explanation for the increase in the price of hamburgers.
Note: Select and drag one or both of the curves to the desired position. Curves will snap into position, so if you try to move a curve and it snaps back to its original position, just drag it a little farther.
Demand
Supply
PRICE (Dollars per hamburger)
QUANTITY (Hamburgers)
Demand


S
1

S
2


The second group of students attributes the increase in the price of hamburgers to the decrease in the price of french fries.
On the following graph, adjust the supply and demand curves to illustrate the second group's explanation for the increase in the price of hamburgers.
Demand
Supply
PRICE (Dollars per hamburger)
QUANTITY (Hamburgers)
D
1


D
2

Supply


Suppose that both of the events you have just analyzed are partly responsible for the increase in the price of hamburgers. Based on your analysis of the explanations offered by the two groups of students, how would you figure out which of the possible causes was the dominant cause of the increase in the price of hamburgers?

If the equilibrium quantity of hamburgers decreases, then the supply shift in the market for hamburgers must have been larger than the demand shift.
Whichever change occurred first must have been the primary cause of the change in the price of hamburgers.
If the equilibrium quantity of hamburgers decreases, then the demand shift in the market for hamburgers must have been larger than the supply shift.
If the price increase was small, then the supply shift in the market for hamburgers must have been larger than the demand shift.

Answer 1

Please find attached the graphs containing the requested information

The dominant cause of the increase in the price of hamburgers can be determined by the direction of change on quantity demanded: If the equilibrium quantity of hamburgers decreases, then the supply shift in the market for hamburgers must have been larger than the demand shift.

The demand curve shows the relationship between price and quantity demanded. The demand curve is negatively sloped.

The supply curve shows the relationship between price and quantity supplied. The supply curve is positively sloped.

If the increase in the price of hamburgers is as a result of burger joints closing down.

If burger joints closes down, the supply of hamburgers would decrease. The supply curve would shift to the left. As a result of the leftward shift of the supply curve, equilibrium price would rise and equilibrium quantity would decrease.

The increase in the price of hamburgers is as a result of a decrease in the price of French fries.

Hamburgers and French fries are complement goods. Complement goods are goods that are consumed together. An decrease in the price of French fries would lead to an increase in the demand for hamburgers. This would lead to a rightward shift of the demand curve while the supply curve remains unchanged. As a result, both equilibrium price and quantity would increase.

If both events are partially responsible, the supply curve would shift to the left, leading to an increase in price and a decrease in quantity and the rightward shift of the demand curve would lead to an increase in equilibrium price and quantity.

If the decrease in supply is the dominant factor, there would be a decrease in equilibrium quantity.

If the increase in demand is the dominant factor, there would be an increase in equilibrium quantity.

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