When a kilogram of carrot is #8.00, 20 kilograms are demanded and when the price decreased to #6.000 per kilogram, 30 kilograms are demanded. The elasticity...

Assessment: JAMB UTME - Economics - 2023 Subject: Economics

Question 1 Report

When a kilogram of carrot is #8.00, 20 kilograms are demanded and when the price decreased to #6.000 per kilogram, 30 kilograms are demanded. The elasticity of demand equals to
Answer Details
To calculate the elasticity of demand, we need to compare the changes in price and quantity demanded.
First, let's calculate the percentage change in price:
% change in price = ((new price - old price) / old price) x 100
% change in price = ((6 - 8) / 8) x 100
% change in price = (-2 / 8) x 100
% change in price = -25%
Next, let's calculate the percentage change in quantity demanded:
% change in quantity demanded = ((new quantity demanded - old quantity demanded) / old quantity demanded) x 100
% change in quantity demanded = ((30 - 20) / 20) x 100
% change in quantity demanded = (10 / 20) x 100
% change in quantity demanded = 50%
Now, let's calculate the elasticity of demand:
Elasticity of demand = % change in quantity demanded / % change in price
Elasticity of demand = 50% / -25%
Elasticity of demand = -2
The elasticity of demand is -2.
Explanation:
The negative sign in the elasticity of demand (-2) indicates that the demand for carrots is price elastic. This means that a decrease in price by 1% will lead to a more than proportionate increase in quantity demanded by 2%. In simpler terms, when the price of carrots decreased by 25%, the quantity demanded increased by 50%.
Therefore, the elasticity of demand is -2, which means that the demand for carrots is price elastic.

But since price elasticity is always represented with a positive number, the answer is 2

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