“Supply, Demand, and Market

Equilibrium”

PowerPoint accompaniment for the Consortium’s “Supply, Demand, and Market Equilibrium” lesson plan,
available in the Database of Civic Resources at: www.civics.org/resources/docs/SupplyandDemand.pdf
To view this PDF as a projectable presentation, save the file, click “View” in the top menu bar of the file, and
select “Full Screen Mode”
To request an editable PPT version of this presentation, send a request to [email protected]
Introduction to Demand
• In the United States, the forces of supply and demand
work together to set prices.
• Demand is the desire, willingness, and ability to buy a
good or service.
– Supply can refer to one individual consumer or to the total
demand of all consumers in the market (market demand).
• Based on that definition, which of the following do you
have a demand for?
Introduction to Demand
A demand schedule is a table that lists the various
quantities of a product or service that someone is
willing to buy over a range of possible prices.

Price per Widget ($) Quantity Demanded of

Widget per day
$5 2
$4 4
$3 6
$2 8
$1 10
Introduction to Demand
A demand schedule can be shown as points on a
graph.

The graph lists prices on the vertical axis and

quantities demanded on the horizontal axis.
Each point on the graph shows how many units of
the product or service an individual will buy at a
particular price.
The demand curve is the line that connects these
points.
Introduction to Demand
The demand curve slopes downward.

This shows that people are normally willing to buy less

of a product at a high price and more at a low price.
According to the law of demand, quantity demanded
and price move in opposite directions.
Introduction to Demand
• We buy products for their utility- the pleasure,
usefulness, or satisfaction they give us.
• What is your utility for the following products?
(Measure your utility by the maximum amount you
would be willing to pay for this product)

• Do we have the same utility for these goods?

Introduction to Demand
• One reason the demand curve slopes downward is
due to diminish marginal utility
– The principle of diminishing marginal utility says
that our additional satisfaction tends to go down as
we consume more and more units.
• To make a buying decision, we consider whether the
satisfaction we expect to gain is worth the money we
must give up.
Changes in Demand
Change in the quantity demanded due to a price change
occurs ALONG the demand curve

•An increase in the Price of

Widgets from $3 to $4 will
lead to a decrease in the
Quantity Demanded of
Widgets from 6 to 4.
 Changes in Demand
• Demand Curves can also shift in response to the following
factors:
– Buyers (# of): changes in the number of consumers
– Income: changes in consumers’ income
– Tastes: changes in preference or popularity of product/
service
– Expectations: changes in what consumers expect to happen in
the future
– Related goods: compliments and substitutes
• BITER: factors that shift the demand curve
 Changes in Demand
• Prices of related goods affect on demand
– Substitute goods a substitute is a product that can be used in
the place of another.
• The price of the substitute good and demand for the other good are
directly related
• For example, Coke Price Pepsi Demand
– Complementary goods a compliment is a good that goes well
with another good.
• When goods are complements, there is an inverse relationship
between the price of one and the demand for the other
• For example, Peanut Butter Price Jam Demand
Changes in Demand
•Several factors will
change the demand for
the good (shift the entire
demand curve)

•As an example, suppose

consumer income
increases. The demand for
Widgets at all prices will
increase.
Changes in Demand
•Demand will also
decrease due to changes
in factors other than price.

•As an example, suppose

Widgets become less
popular to own.
Changes in Demand
Changes in any of the factors other than price causes
the demand curve to shift either:

Decrease in Demand shifts to the Left (Less demanded

at each price)
OR
Increase in Demand shifts to the Right (More
demanded at each price)
Demand Practice Answers
1. The income of the Pago-Pagans declines
after a typhoon hits the island.
Price

D1 D

Quantity
2. Pago-Pagan is named on of the most beautiful
islands in the world and tourism to the island
doubles.
Price

D1
D

Quantity
3. The price of Frisbees decreases. (Frisbees are a
substitute good for boomerangs)
Price

D1 D

Quantity
4. The price of boomerang t-shirts decreases, which I
assume all of you know are a complementary good.
Price

D1
D

Quantity
5. The Boomerang Manufactures decide to add a money
back guarantee on their product, which increases the
popularity for them.
Price

D1

Quantity
6. Many Pago-pagans begin to believe that they
may lose their jobs in the near future. (Think
expectations!)
Price

D1 D

Quantity
7. Come up with your own story about boomerangs and the
Pago-Pagans. Write down the story, draw the change in
demand based on the story, and explain why demand
changed.
Price

Quantity
Introduction to Supply
• Supply refers to the various quantities of a good
or service that producers are willing to sell at all
possible market prices.

• Supply can refer to the output of one producer or

to the total output of all producers in the market
(market supply).
Introduction to Supply
A supply schedule is a table that shows the quantities
producers are willing to supply at various prices

Price per Widget ($) Quantity Supplied of

Widget per day
$5 10
$4 8
$3 6
$2 4
$1 2
Introduction to Supply
A supply schedule can be shown as points on a
graph.

The graph lists prices on the vertical axis and

quantities supplied on the horizontal axis.
Each point on the graph shows how many units of
the product or service a producer (or group of
producers) would willing sell at a particular price.
The supply curve is the line that connects these
points.
Introduction to Supply
• As the price for a good rises, the quantity supplied rises
and the quantity demanded falls. As the price falls, the
quantity supplied falls and the quantity demanded rises.
• The law of supply holds that producers will normally
offer more for sale at higher prices and less at lower
prices.
 Introduction to Supply
The reason the supply curve slopes upward is due to costs
and profit.
Producers purchase resources and use them to produce
output.
Producers will incur costs as they bid resources away from
their alternative uses.
Introduction to Supply
Businesses provide goods and services hoping to
make a profit.
 Profit is the money a business has left over after
it covers its costs.
 Businesses try to sell at prices high enough to
cover their costs with some profit left over.
 The higher the price for a good, the more profit a
business will make after paying the cost for
resources.
Changes in Supply
•Change in the quantity supplied due to a price change
occurs ALONG the supply curve

•If the price of Widgets fell

to $2, then the Quantity
Supplied would fall to 4
Widgets.
Changes in Supply
• Supply Curves can also shift in response to the following
factors:
– Subsidies and taxes: government subsides encourage production,
while taxes discourage production
– Technology: improvements in production increase ability of
firms to supply
– Other goods: businesses consider the price of goods they could
be producing
– Number of sellers: how many firms are in the market
– Expectations: businesses consider future prices and economic
conditions
– Resource costs: cost to purchase factors of production will
influence business decisions
• STONER: factors that shift the supply curve
Changes in Supply
•Several factors will
change the demand for
the good (shift the entire
demand curve)

•As an example, suppose

that there is an
improvement in the
technology used to
produce widgets.
Changes in Supply
•Supply can also decrease
due to factors other than a
change in price.

•As an example, suppose

that a large number of
Widget producers go out
of business, decreasing
the number of suppliers.
Changes in Supply
Changes in any of the factors other than price causes
the supply curve to shift either:

Decrease in Supply shifts to the Left (Less supplied at

each price)
OR
Increase in Supply shifts to the Right (More supplied
at each price)
Supply Practice Answers
 Cost to Produce Amount of Supply Supply Curve Shifts

Cost of Resources Falls

Cost of Resources
Rises

Productivity Decreases

Productivity Increases

New Technology

Higher Taxes

Lower Taxes

Government Pays
Subsidy
1. The government of Pago-Paga adds a
subsidy to boomerang production.
Price

S
S1

Quantity
2. Boomerang producers also produce Frisbees.
The price of Frisbees goes up.

S1
Price

Quantity
3. The government of Pago-Paga adds a new
tax to boomerang production.

S1
Price

Quantity
4. Boomerang producers expect an increase in
the popularity of boomerangs worldwide.
Price

S
S1

Quantity
5. The price of plastic, a major input in boomerang
production, increases.

S1
Price

Quantity
6. Pago-Pagan workers are introduced to coffee as Pago-
Paga become integrated into the world market and their
productivity increases drastically.
Price

S
S1

Quantity
7. Come up with your own story about boomerangs and the
Pago-Pagans. Write down the story, draw the change in
supply based on the story, and explain why supply
changed.
Price

Quantity
Supply and Demand at Work
Markets bring buyers and sellers together.
The forces of supply and demand work
together in markets to establish prices.
In our economy, prices form the basis of
economic decisions.
Supply and Demand at Work
Supply and Demand Schedule can be combined into
one chart.

Price per Widget ($) Quantity Demanded Quantity Supplied

of Widget per day of Widget per day

$5 2 10

$4 4 8

$3 6 6

$2 8 4

$1 10 2
Supply and Demand at Work
Supply and Demand at Work
• A surplus is the amount by which the
quantity supplied is higher than the quantity
demanded.
– A surplus signals that the price is too high.
– At that price, consumers will not buy all of the
product that suppliers are willing to supply.
– In a competitive market, a surplus will not last.
Sellers will lower their price to sell their goods.
Supply and Demand at Work •Suppose that the price in
the Widget market is $4.

•At $4, Quantity

demanded will be 4
Widgets
Surplus •At $4, Quantity supplied
will be 8 Widgets.

•At $4, there will be a

surplus of 4 Widgets.
Supply and Demand at Work
A shortage is the amount by which the quantity
demanded is higher than the quantity supplied

A shortage signals that the price is too low.

At that price, suppliers will not supply all of the
product that consumers are willing to buy.
In a competitive market, a shortage will not last.
Sellers will raise their price.
Supply and Demand at Work •Suppose that the price in
the Widget market is $2.

•At $2, Quantity supplied

will be 4 Widgets

•At $2, Quantity

demanded will be 8
Widgets.

•At $2, there will be a

shortage of 4 Widgets.

Shortage
Supply and Demand at Work
• When operating without restriction, our market
economy eliminates shortages and surpluses.
– Over time, a surplus forces the price down and a shortage
forces the price up until supply and demand are balanced.
– The point where they achieve balance is the equilibrium
price. At this price, neither a surplus nor a shortage exists.
• Once the market price reaches equilibrium, it tends to
stay there until either supply or demand changes.
– When that happens, a temporary surplus or shortage occurs
until the price adjusts to reach a new equilibrium price.
Supply and Demand at Work •Suppose that the price in
the Widget market is $3.

•At $3, Quantity supplied

will be 6 Widgets

•At $3, Quantity

demanded will be 6
Widgets.

•At $3, there will be

neither a surplus or a
shortage.
Supply and Demand Practice Answers
Surplus
Shortage
Market Equilibrium

6
1. The income of the Chapel Hill townies declines
after an early loss during March Madness.
Price

P1

P2

D1
Q2 Q1 Quantity
2. Chapel Hill is named one of the most
beautiful towns in North Carolina and tourism
doubles
Price

S
P2

P1 D1

Q1 Q2 Quantity
3. The price of blue ties decreases. (Blue ties
are a substitute good for purple ties)
Price

P1

P2

D1 D

Q2 Q1 Quantity
4. The Federal government has been warning the
public about the possibility of a recession and job loss
in the RDU area. (Think expectations!)
Price

P1
P2

D1 D

Q2 Q1 Quantity
5. The price of purple striped shirts decreases (Purple
striped shirts are a complement to purple ties)
Price

P2

P1
D1

Q1 Q2 Quantity
6. The price of silk increases (ties are made
with silk).

S1
Price

P2
P1

Q2 Q1 Quantity
7. The government adds a subsidy to tie
production.
Price

S
S1

P1
P2

Q1 Q2 Quantity
8. After the release of Alan Greenspan’s first jazz
flute album, purple tie producers are expecting a huge
increase in demand and thus an increase in the price.
Price

S
S1

P1
P2

Q1 Q2 Quantity
9. Congress enacts new tax on the production of
purple ties.
S1
Price

S
P2

P1

Q2 Q1 Quantity
10. As the popularity of purple ties sweeps the
greater Orange County area, new producers enter
the purple tie market.
Price

S
S1

P1

P2

Q1 Q2 Quantity
11. Purple ties are named by GQ magazine as a “must
have” for all young professionals. At the same time, a new
textile machine decreases the cost of producing purple ties.
Price

S S1

P1

D1

Q1 Q2 Quantity
12. The price of pink ties (a related good that most purple tie producers also
produce) rises as spring approaches. Tie consumers in Chapel Hill begin to
expect purple ties to be put on sale since spring is coming, so they put off
purchasing.

S1
Price

P1

D
D1

Q2 Q1 Quantity