Demand & Supply Problem

BADM 560 | Problem Set One | Hoya Team 11
Milo McClausland, Alexander Rhoads, William Kennedy, Kevin Bae, Bhavik Mistry
1. If the demand for sugar decreases when the price of tea increases, are tea and sugar
complements, substitutes or unrelated to each other? Explain.
Sugar and tea would be complements of each other. Because, when the price of tea
increases, the demand for tea decreases and from the given data the demand for sugar also
decreases. The scenario above gives us two goods for which an increase in the price of one
leads to a decrease in the quantity demanded of the other.
2. Researchers have just discovered that antibacterial agents in toothpaste are harmful
to human health. At the same time, the price of toothpaste-making equipment has
fallen. What definitely happens in the toothpaste market after these events occur (i.e.,
what are the new equilibrium price and quantity of toothpaste? Higher, lower, or the
same)? Show with graphs.
We assume that the researchers negative

2 discovery regarding toothpaste will lead
to a sharp drop in demand for the product. Supply however will increase slightly because it
now costs less for firms to enter the industry due to equipment prices falling. So, new
equilibrium price and the quantity of toothpaste will be lower than before as shown in the
graph.
3. When you left your job at McDonalds, you expected that your days of dealing with
potatoes were over. Yet, given your extensive potato background, and armed with an
MBA from the prestigious McDonough School of Business at Georgetown, you are
hired as a market analyst in, of all things, the potato market. For the last several years,
production, demand and prices have been stable. Last year the quantity of potatoes
transacted in the United States was 450 million cwt (cwt is agriculture-speak for 100
pounds), and prices were $8MM per million cwt. Econometric estimates have
determined that, at this level, the own-price point elasticity of demand is 0.8.
a. Assume that demand is linear. Derive the slope and intercept of Q D(P), a linear
demand function.
We are given
P = $8MM per million cwt,
Q = 450 million cwt,
Own Price Point Elasticity of Demand = - 0.8 (minus sign because the demand curve is
downward sloping)
Therefore, in order to derive the slope we use the formula
= Slope x Price/Demand
- 0.8 = Slope x 8/450
Therefore, slope of QD(P) = - 45
We then need to plug the slope into the equation
b is the intercept of QD(P) and is a constant
P = Slope x QD(P) + b
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P = - 45 QD(P) + b
8 = - 45 x 450 + b
b = 20,258
Therefore, P = -45 QD(P) + 20,258
So, our final linear demand equation is:
QD(P) = (20,258 P) / 45
b. Explain why this derivation is best interpreted as a linear approximation to the
true demand function. If only an approximation, why does the equation have
value?
This derivation is interpreted as a linear approximation since we are using a linear
equation to calculate price and quantity in simple terms. In reality, however, the true
demand function is curved in nature and therefore more difficult to quantify. Although the
linear equation is just an approximation, it still provides value in that it gives us an idea of
how to assess price and quantity given certain economic conditions related to demand.
c. A marketing campaign touting the health benefits of rice has produced a recent
forecast that the demand for potatoes will fall over the next year by 20 percent. If
this report is accurate, what would the new equilibrium price for potatoes be?
Assume that the supply curve is given by QS(P) = 56.25P.
Because the demand decreases by 20% we assume that:
QD(P)2 = (1 - 0.2) x QD(P)1
QD(P)2 = 0.8 x (20,258 P) / 45
QD(P)2 = 360.14 0.0178P
And QS(P) = 56.25P
Now, to find the equilibrium price,
QS(P) = QD(P)2
So,
56.25P = 360.14 0.0178P
56.2678P = 360.14
Therefore, P = 6.4
So, the new equilibrium price for potatoes is $6.4MM per million cwt
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4. Now consider the market for branded designer dog tags. Economic consultants have
estimated a linear approximation to the market demand curve: Q D(P) = 120 30*P,
where the intercept and slope terms are in millions. The industry association, which
coordinates the marketing efforts of the firms in the market, is considering a 10%
increase in its marketing efforts from $40MM to $44MM. For the campaign to be
successful it must increase revenues by at least $8MM given the costs of production.
Assume that the current price of $1 per unit would be unlikely to change in reaction to
the marketing efforts.
a. To make the marketing campaign worthwhile, what is the smallest magnitude that
the advertising elasticity of demand could be?
QD(P) = 120 30*P
P = $ 1per unit
So, QD(P) = 120 30*1 = 90 million
Revenue must increase by at least $8MM due to the marketing efforts and price per unit
would be unlikely to change in reaction to the marketing efforts and hence would remain
the same i.e. $1 per unit.
So, QD(P) increases by 8 million
Advertising Elasticity
= Percentage change in QD(P) / Percentage change in Marketing Expenditure
= (8 / 90) x 100 / 10
= 0.8888
So, the smallest magnitude of the advertising elasticity of demand = 0.8888
b. How might one obtain information on what the advertising elasticity of demand
actually is?
A firm could obtain information about the actual elasticity of demand for their
products/services by:
Investigating historical cost patterns: A firm could look at the effect of increased
marketing expenditures and revenue outcomes when the firm's products entered new
markets, when the firm initiated advertising campaigns, and when new products were
introduced.
Consumer focus groups: A firm could pose questions to target consumers about the
product to gauge the effectiveness of potential advertising spending on brand
awareness and sales.
Look at outcomes of similar product introductions into new markets by competitors.
5. Write a strategy statement for Delta Airlines.

Delta Airlines looks to become the global leader in market share and service quality by
providing more flights hub to hub than any airline in the industry. Through increased flight
capacity and frequency of flights, profits will exceed $4 billion by 2015.
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BADM 560 | Problem Set One | Hoya Team 11

We assume that the researchers negative

BADM 560 | Problem Set One | Hoya Team 11

BADM 560 | Problem Set One | Hoya Team 11

5. Write a strategy statement for Delta Airlines.

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