In: Economics
f. If a 2 percent decrease in the price of strawberries increases the quantity demanded of strawberries by 6 percent and increases the quantity of whipped cream demanded by 5 percent, calculate: i. Price elasticity of demand for strawberries.
(1 mark for correct calculation, I mark for interpretation). 6% ------=3 Price elasticity of demand for strawberries is relatively elastic. -2%
ii. Cross elasticity of demand for whipping cream with respect to the price of strawberries. (1 mark for correct calculation, I mark for interpretation).
a-
Price elasticity of demand for Strawberry = % change in quantity demanded for Strawberry/ % change in price of strawberry = 6/(-2) = -3
It means if price of strawberry increase by 1% its quantity demanded will decrease by 3% and demand is elastic here.
b-
Cross price elasticity of demand = % change in quantity demanded for whipped cream/ % change in price of strawberry = 5/(-2)= -2.5
It means that if price of strawberry increases by 1% then quantity demanded for whipped cream decreases by 2.5%. It also suggests that whipped cream and strawberry are complements.