In: Economics
Explain why indifference curves cannot intersect one another
Indifference curve is the graphical presentation of an
indifference set of a consumer.An indifference set is a set of all
those combinations of two goods which offer the consumer the same
level of satisfaction and so the consumer is indifferent across all
combinations of goods.Each combination on an indifference curve
yield the same level of satisfaction.We know that higher
indifference curve offers a higher level of satisfaction.See the
diagram below:In the above diagram,A and C
points on the IC would offer the same level of satisfaction and the
points B and D offer the same level of satisfaction.But if they
intersect each other we woulod get contradicting results from this
as point C is a point on higher IC,so it should always offer higher
satisfaction than point D but after intersection they would must be
equal at a point which means that both ICs would offer same level
of satisfaction.This is not possible as per the laws of economics
and is quite contradicting.