Answer to Question #43873 in Microeconomics for Bryce

Question

Explain how economists measure the sensitivity of Demand to changes in Prices and to changes in Income

Answer 1

Economists measure the sensitivity of Demand to changes in Prices and to changes in Income with the help of elasticity of
demand. Price elasticity of demand (PED or Ed) is a measure used in economics to show the responsiveness, or elasticity, of the quantity demanded of a good or service to a change in its price. More precisely, it gives the percentage change in quantity demanded in response to a one percent change in price (ceteris paribus, i.e. holding constant all the other determinants of
demand, such as income).

Income elasticity of demand measures the responsiveness of the demand for a good to a change in the income of the people demanding the good, ceteris paribus. It is calculated as the ratio of the percentage change in demand to the percentage
change in income. For example, if, in response to a 10% increase in income, the demand for a good increased by 20%, the income elasticity of demand would be 20%/10% = 2.