Supply, and Demand: Theory

23

Chapter 3
Supply and Demand: Theory
What This Chapter Is About
This chapter is about markets. A market has two sidesa demand side and a supply side. The chapter first
discusses demand, then supply, then it puts both sides of the market together and discusses the price and
quantity of goods.
Key Concepts in the Chapter
a. demand
b. law of demand
c. supply
d. law of supply
e. equilibrium price
f. shortage
g. surplus
h. consumers surplus
i. producers surplus

Demand is the willingness and ability to buy different quantities of a good at different prices over
some period of time. Keep in mind that if a person doesnt have both the willingness and ability to
buy a good, then there is no demand.
The law of demand states that price and quantity demanded are inversely related, ceteris paribus.
This means that as price rises, quantity demanded falls, and as price falls, quantity demanded rises,
ceteris paribus.
Supply is the willingness and ability to produce and offer to sell different quantities of a good at
different prices over some period of time.
The law of supply states that price and quantity supplied are directly related, ceteris paribus. This
means that as price rises, quantity supplied rises, and as price falls, quantity supplied falls, ceteris
paribus.
Equilibrium price is the price at which the quantity demanded of a good equals the quantity
supplied. For example, if, at $40, the quantity supplied of good X is 100 units, and quantity
demanded of good X is also 100 units, then $40 is the equilibrium price.
Equilibrium quantity is the quantity that corresponds to equilibrium price. At equilibrium,
quantity demanded = quantity supplied = equilibrium quantity.
A shortage exists in a market if quantity demanded is greater than quantity supplied. If buyers
want to buy 100 units of good X, and sellers only want to sell 30 units, then there is a shortage.
A surplus exists in a market if quantity supplied is greater than quantity demanded. If buyers want
to buy 100 units of good X, and sellers want to sell 300 units, then there is a surplus.
Consumers surplus is the difference between the maximum buying price and price paid. For
example, if Smith is willing to pay a maximum of $40 for good X, and he only has to pay $10,
then the difference, or $30, is consumers surplus.
Producers surplus is the difference between the price paid and the minimum selling price. For
example, if Jones is willing to sell good X for $10, but is paid $50, then the difference, or $40, is
producers surplus.

Review Questions
1.

What does the law of demand state?

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Chapter 3

2.

What does it mean to say that price and quantity demanded are inversely related?

3.

What is quantity demanded?

4.

How does quantity demanded differ from demand?

5.

Demand is a function of five factors. Stated differently, if there is a change in any of these five factors,
demand will either increase or decrease. What are these five factors?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

6.

If demand for a good increases, will the demand curve (that represents the good) shift to the right or to
the left?

7.

If demand for a good decreases, will the demand curve (that represents the good) shift to the right or to
the left?

8.

What is quantity supplied?

9.

If a supply curve is vertical, what does this mean?

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25

10. If a supply curve is upward-sloping, what does this mean?

11. Supply is a function of six factors. Stated differently, if there is a change in any of these six factors,
supply will either increase or decrease. What are these six factors?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
12. If the supply of a good increases, will the supply curve (that represents the good) shift to the right or to
the left?
13. If the supply of a good decreases, will the supply curve (that represents the good) shift to the right or to
the left?

14. Consider the standard supply and demand diagram. The demand curve is downward-sloping and the
supply curve is upward-sloping.
What is on the horizontal axis?
What is on the vertical axis?
15. What is the difference between the relative price of a good and the absolute price of a good?

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16. Demand rises and supply is constant. What happens to equilibrium price and quantity?

17. Supply rises and demand is constant. What happens to equilibrium price and quantity?

18. Demand rises by more than supply rises. What happens to equilibrium price and quantity?

19. Supply falls by more than demand rises. What happens to equilibrium price and quantity?

20. If price rises, what happens to consumers surplus?

Chapter 3

Supply, and Demand: Theory

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Problems
1. There are many factors that can directly affect supply and demand and indirectly affect price and
quantity. In the first column we identify a change in a given factor. How does the change in the factor
affect supply or demand? How does it affect price and quantity? Draw an upward arrow () in the
demand column if demand rises and a downward arrow () if demand falls. The same holds for supply,
equilibrium price, and equilibrium quantity.
Factor
Price of a substitute rises
Price of a complement falls
Income rises (normal good)
Income falls (inferior good)
Price of relevant resource rises
Technology advances
Quota
Number of buyers rises
Number of sellers rises
Buyers expect higher price
Sellers expect higher price
Tax on production
Preferences become more favorable with
respect to the good

Demand

Supply

Equilibrium
Price

Equilibrium
Quantity

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2.

Chapter 3
Draw a rise in demand that is greater than a rise in supply.
P

3.

Draw a fall in supply that is greater than an increase in demand.

P

4.

What area(s) does consumers surplus equal at 100 units?

Supply, and Demand: Theory

5.

What area(s) does producers surplus equal at equilibrium quantity?

6.

What is the shortage equal to at a price ceiling of $6?

7.

What is the surplus equal to at a price floor of $10?

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8.

Chapter 3
There are two buyers in a market, John and Mary. Below you see the quantity demanded for each at
various prices. What is the quantity demanded (on the market demand curve) at each price specified?
Write in the various quantities demanded in the spaces provided in the table.

$10

Quantity demanded
by John
100

Quantity demanded
by Mary
130

$12

80

120

$14

50

100

Price

9.

Quantity demanded
(market demand)

If the price ceiling for good X is $4, and the maximum buying price for good X is $10, what is the
highest price for a good that is tied to good X (as in a tie-in sale)?

10. Give an example that illustrates the law of diminishing marginal utility.

What Is Wrong?
In each of the statements below, something is wrong. Identify what is wrong in the space provided.
1.

If the price of a good rises, the demand for the good will fall.

2.

Consumers surplus is equal to the minimum selling price minus the price paid.

3.

As income rises, demand for a normal good rises; as income falls, demand for an inferior good falls.

4.

The supply curve for Picasso paintings is upward-sloping.

5.

As price rises, supply rises; as price falls, supply falls.

Supply, and Demand: Theory

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6.

Quantity demanded is greater than supply when there is a shortage.

7.

If supply rises, and demand is constant, equilibrium price rises and equilibrium quantity rises.

8.

The law of diminishing marginal utility states that as a consumer consumes additional units of a good,
each successive unit gives him or her more utility than the previous unit.

9.

According to the law of demand, as the price of a good rises, the quantity demanded of the good rises,
ceteris paribus.

Multiple Choice
Circle the correct answer.
1.

The law of demand states that

a. price and demand are inversely related, ceteris paribus.
b. price and demand are directly related, ceteris paribus.
c. price and quantity demanded are directly related, ceteris paribus.
d. price and quantity demanded are inversely related, ceteris paribus.

2.

Which of the following persons would be most likely to prefer first-come-first-served (FCFS) as a
rationing device?
a. A person who has just returned from visiting a busy city.
b. A person who has just returned from visiting a small town.
c. A person with low opportunity cost of time.
d. A person with high opportunity cost of time.

3.

At a price ceiling (below equilibrium price),

a. there is a surplus.
b. quantity supplied is greater than quantity demanded.
c. quantity demanded equals quantity supplied.
d. supply equals demand.
e. quantity demanded is greater than quantity supplied.

4.

Which of the following statements is true?

a. A demand schedule is the same thing as a demand curve.
b. A downward-sloping demand curve is the graphical representation of the law of demand.
c. Quantity demanded is a relationship between price and demand.
d. Quantity demanded is the same as demand.

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Chapter 3

5.

Because of a price ceiling on light bulbs, the quantity demanded of light bulbs exceeds the quantity
supplied. The owner of the light bulbs decided to sell them on a first-come-first-served basis. This is an
example of a
a. surplus.
b. tie-in sale.
c. nonprice rationing device.
d. black market.
e. none of the above.

6.

A neutral good is a good

a. the demand for which does not change as income falls.
b. the demand for which does not change as income rises.
c. the demand for which rises as income falls.
d. the demand for which falls as income rises.
e. a and b.

7.

If the absolute price of good X is $600 and the absolute price of good Y is $400, then the relative price
of good Y is
a. 2 units of X.
b. 2/3 unit of X.
c. 1-1/3 unit of X.
d. 1-1/2 unit of X.
e. none of the above.

8.

If an increase in income leads to an increase in the demand for sausage, then sausage is
a. an essential good.
b. a normal good.
c. a luxury good.
d. a discretionary good.

9.

Which of the following can shift the demand curve rightward?

a. an increase in income
b. an increase in the price of a substitute good
c. an increase in the price of a complementary good
d. all of the above
e. a and b

10. Which of the following cannot increase the demand for good X?
a. an increase in income
b. a decrease in the price of good X
c. an increase in the price of a substitute good
d. more buyers
e. a change in preferences in favor of good X
11. The law of supply states that price and quantity supplied are
a. directly related.
b. inversely related.
c. inversely related, ceteris paribus.
d. directly related, ceteris paribus.
12. A change in the quantity supplied of a good is directly brought about by a
a. change in the goods own price.
b. decrease in income.
c. technological advance.
d. fall in the price of resources needed to produce the good.
e. none of the above.

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13. Five dollars is the equilibrium price for good Z. At a price of $2, there is
a. a shortage.
b. surplus.
c. excess supply.
d. aggregate demand.
14. If supply rises by a greater amount than demand rises,
a. equilibrium price rises and equilibrium quantity falls.
b. equilibrium price falls and equilibrium quantity falls.
c. equilibrium price rises and equilibrium quantity rises.
d. equilibrium price falls and equilibrium quantity rises.
15. If supply rises and demand is constant,
a. equilibrium price rises and equilibrium quantity falls.
b. equilibrium price falls and equilibrium quantity falls.
c. equilibrium price rises and equilibrium quantity rises.
d. equilibrium price falls and equilibrium quantity rises.
True-False
Write a T or F after each statement.
16. One of the effects of a price ceiling is that quantity supplied is greater than quantity demanded. ____
17. Demand is more important to the determination of market price than supply. ____
18. At the equilibrium price for good X, good X is scarce. ____
19. Supply is a specific amount of a good, such as 50 units of good Y. ____
20. There is a tendency for price to rise when the quantity demanded of a good is greater than the quantity
supplied. ____
Fill in the Blank
Write the correct word in the blank.
21. As price rises, quantity demanded ________________ and quantity supplied ________________.
22. A ________________ is any arrangement by which people exchange goods and services.
23. If Matts demand for motorcycles rises as his income falls, then motorcycles are a(n)
________________ good for Matt.
24. If demand rises more than supply falls, then equilibrium quantity ________________.
25. At equilibrium, the quantity demanded of a good ________________ the quantity supplied of the
good.
26. Suppose you live in New York City and are required to rent the furniture in an apartment before you
can rent the apartment. This is called a ___________ - ___________ sale.

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Chapter 3

Chapter 3
Answers
Review Questions
1. Price and quantity demanded are inversely related, ceteris paribus.
2. Price and quantity demanded move in opposite directions: as price rises, quantity demanded falls, and
as price falls, quantity demanded rises.
3. Amount of a good buyers are willing and able to buy at a particular price. For example, quantity
demanded may be 100 units at $10 per unit.
4. Quantity demanded is a specific numbersuch as 100 units. Demand is a relationship between various
prices and various quantities demanded.
5. income, preferences, prices of related goods (substitutes and complements), number of buyers,
expectations of future price.
6. to the right
7. to the left
8. Amount of a good sellers are willing and able to produce at a particular price.
9. Quantity supplied is constant as price changes. Stated differently, quantity supplied is independent of
(does not depend on) changes in price.
10. Price and quantity supplied are directly related.
11. prices of relevant resources, technology, number of sellers, expectations of future price, taxes and
subsidies, government restrictions
12. to the right
13. to the left
14. Quantity of the good is on the horizontal axis, price is on the vertical axis.
15. The absolute price of a good is the money price of a goodsuch as $3,000 for a computer. The relative
price of a good is the price of the good in terms of some other good. For example, if the absolute price
of a computer is $3,000, and the absolute price of a TV set is $1,000, then the relative price of a
computer (in terms of TV sets) is 3 TV sets.
16. Equilibrium price and quantity rise.
17. Equilibrium price falls and equilibrium quantity rises.
18. Equilibrium price and quantity rise.
19. Equilibrium price rises and equilibrium quantity falls.
20. Consumers surplus falls. Consumers surplus equals maximum buying price minus price paid, so if
price paid rises, consumers surplus must fall.

Supply, and Demand: Theory

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Problems
1.
Factor

Demand

Equilibrium
Price

Equilibrium
Quantity

Price of a substitute rises

Price of a complement falls

Income rises (normal good)

Income falls (inferior good)

Price of relevant resource rises

Technology advances

Quota

Number of buyers rises

Number of sellers rises

Buyers expect higher price

Sellers expect higher price

Tax on production

Preferences become more favorable with

respect to the good
2.

Supply

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Chapter 3

3.

4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

A+B+C+D
E+F+G+H
140 50 = 90 units
180 60 = 120 units

$10

Quantity demanded
by John
100

Quantity demanded
by Mary
130

Quantity demanded
(market demand)
230

$12

80

120

200

$14

50

100

150

Price

9. $6
11. Jacks first candy bar gives him more utility than the second; the second gives him more utility than the
third; and so on.
What Is Wrong?
1.

If the price of a good rises, the demand for the good will fall.
If the price of a good rises, the quantity demand for the good will fall. (not demand)

2.

Consumers surplus is equal to the minimum selling price minus price paid.
Consumers surplus is equal to the maximum buying price minus price paid.

3.

As income rises, demand for a normal good rises; as income falls, demand for an inferior good falls.
as income falls, demand for an inferior good rises.

4.

The supply curve for Picasso paintings is upward-sloping.

The supply curve for Picasso paintings is vertical.

5.

As price rises, supply rises; as price falls, supply falls.

As price rises, quantity supplied rises; as price falls, quantity supplied falls.

Supply, and Demand: Theory

6.

37

Quantity demanded is greater than supply when there is a shortage.

Quantity demanded is greater than quantity supplied when there is a shortage.

7.

If supply rises, and demand is constant, equilibrium price rises and equilibrium quantity rises.
If supply rises, and demand is constant, equilibrium price falls and equilibrium quantity rises.

8.

The law of diminishing marginal utility states that as a consumer consumes additional units of a good,
each successive unit gives him or her more utility than the previous unit.
each successive unit gives him or her less utility than the previous unit.

9.

According to the law of demand, as the price of a good rises, the quantity demanded of the good rises,
ceteris paribus.
According to the law of demand, as the price of a good rises, the quantity demanded of the good
falls, ceteris paribus.

Multiple Choice
1. d
2. c
3. e
4. b
5. c
6. b
7. b
8. b
9. e
10. b
11. d
12. a
13. a
14. d
15. d
True-False
16. F
17. F
18. T
19. F
20. T
Fill in the Blank
21. falls; rises
22. market
23. inferior
24. increases
25. equals
26. tie-in