In: Economics
If the government imposes a sales tax of $9 per unit on this good. Find the new formula for the demand curve, the change in equilibrium quantity, the post-tax price received by suppliers, and the post-tax price paid by buyers. Illustrate graphically as well.
The demand function is P = 200 - 0.25Q and supply function is P = 50 + 0.5Q. Before tax, the quantity at the equilibrium is found as:
200 - 0.25Q = 50 + 0.5Q
150 = 0.75Q
Q = 200 units and price P = 50 + 0.5*200 = $150 per unit
After tax the demand is unchanged because there is a sales tax imposed which will affect the supply function and not the demand. Hence new supply function is P = 50 + 0.5Q + 9 or P = 59 + 0.5Q.
New quantity at after tax equilibrium is
200 - 0.25Q = 59 + 0.5Q
141 = 0.75Q
Q = 188 units and
Price paid by buyers = 200 - 0.25*188 = $153
Price received by sellers = 50 + 0.5*188 = 144
Hence, the change in equilibrium quantity is (200 - 188) = 12 units, the post-tax price received by suppliers is $144 per unit, and the post-tax price paid by buyers is $153 per unit.