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The demand curve \(Q=20 / p,\) where 20 is a positive constant, has the property that the elasticity of demand is \(\varepsilon=-1\) everywhere. a. Use math to show that the revenue is the same at any given point on the constant elasticity of demand curve. C b. Show that, for any point on the constant elasticity of demand curve, the corresponding marginal revenue is zero.

Short Answer

Expert verified
The revenue is constant at 20, and the marginal revenue is zero at all points on the demand curve.

Step by step solution

01

Write the Demand Curve Equation

The given demand curve is \( Q = \frac{20}{p} \). Here, 20 is a positive constant and \( p \) is the price.
02

Define Elasticity of Demand

Elasticity of demand \( \varepsilon = \frac{dQ}{dP} \times \frac{P}{Q} \). According to the problem, \( \varepsilon = -1 \). This implies that \( \frac{dQ}{dP} \times \frac{P}{Q} = -1 \).
03

Calculate Revenue

Revenue \( R \) is given by \( R = P \times Q \). Substitute \( Q = \frac{20}{p} \) into the revenue equation to get \( R = P \times \frac{20}{p} = 20 \). This shows that the revenue \( R \) is constant at 20 for every \( P \).
04

Differentiate Revenue to Find Marginal Revenue

Marginal Revenue (MR) is the derivative of the revenue function with respect to price, \( MR = \frac{dR}{dP} = \frac{d}{dP}(20) = 0 \). Since the derivative of a constant is zero, the marginal revenue is zero at any point on the demand curve.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Elasticity of Demand
Elasticity of demand is a measurement of how much the quantity demanded of a good changes as the price changes. It's calculated using the formula \( \varepsilon = \frac{dQ}{dP} \times \frac{P}{Q} \), where \( \varepsilon \) represents the elasticity, \( \frac{dQ}{dP} \) is the derivative of the quantity with respect to price, \( P \) is the price, and \( Q \) is the quantity demanded.

A negative elasticity, such as \( \varepsilon = -1 \), implies that the demand is perfectly elastic. This means that for every one percent increase in price, the quantity demanded decreases by one percent, and vice versa. This characteristic of elasticity ensures that changes in price do not affect the overall revenue, as we'll see next.
Marginal Revenue
Marginal revenue refers to the additional income received from selling one more unit of a product. It is calculated by finding the derivative of the revenue function with respect to quantity or price.

In our exercise, with a constant elasticity of demand curve described by \( Q = \frac{20}{p} \), the revenue derived from this is a constant value of 20, regardless of price. Since the marginal revenue is derived through the differentiation of a constant revenue (\( R = 20 \)), it is zero: \( MR = \frac{dR}{dP} = 0 \).

This means that increasing price reduces the same percentage of quantity such that total revenue does not change. Therefore, there's no additional revenue from changing prices, which is why the marginal revenue is zero.
Demand Curve
The demand curve is a representation of the relationship between the price of a good and the quantity demanded. In our scenario, the demand curve is described by the equation \( Q = \frac{20}{p} \).

This specific formulation illustrates a constant elasticity of demand, where changes in price induce proportional changes in quantity demanded, maintaining the revenue constant. By analyzing this demand curve, we can better understand how prices and demand quantities are interconnected, and how this affects revenue.

The equation showcases a hyperbolic relationship between price and quantity: as price increases, the quantity decreases proportionally, impacting the perceived value of elasticity.
Revenue Function
A revenue function refers to the relationship between a company's revenue and the price and quantity of goods sold. In our example, the revenue function is given by \( R = P \times Q \).

By substituting \( Q = \frac{20}{p} \) into this equation, we find the revenue remains constant at \( R = 20 \) regardless of the price. This is a unique property of demand curves with constant elasticity.This highlights how revenue can be insensitive to price changes given a certain elasticity level.

Understanding the revenue function allows businesses to make informed pricing decisions. By being aware that revenue will remain unchanged along the demand curve with constant elasticity, they can strategize around other factors like costs or market positioning for profit optimization.

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