/*! This file is auto-generated */ .wp-block-button__link{color:#fff;background-color:#32373c;border-radius:9999px;box-shadow:none;text-decoration:none;padding:calc(.667em + 2px) calc(1.333em + 2px);font-size:1.125em}.wp-block-file__button{background:#32373c;color:#fff;text-decoration:none} Problem 29 The demand for tickets to a chil... [FREE SOLUTION] | 91Ó°ÊÓ

91Ó°ÊÓ

The demand for tickets to a children's museum can be modeled as $$ D(p)=0.03 p^{2}-1.6 p+21 \text { thousand tickets } $$ where \(p\) is the market price. a. What is the price elasticity of demand at a market price of \(\$ 15\) per ticket? b. Is demand elastic or inelastic at \(\$ 15\) per ticket? c. Explain in context what elasticity (or inelasticity) at \(\$ 15\) per ticket means.

Short Answer

Expert verified
a. Elasticity at \(p = 15\) is \(-2.8\). b. Demand is elastic. c. Demand is responsive to price changes, increasing 2.8% for each 1% decrease in price.

Step by step solution

01

Differentiate the Demand Function

The first step is to find the derivative of the demand function \(D(p) = 0.03p^2 - 1.6p + 21\) with respect to \(p\). This derivative, \(D'(p)\), represents the rate of change of demand with respect to price. Using the power rule, we have:\[ D'(p) = 0.06p - 1.6 \]
02

Calculate Demand at $p = 15$

Next, substitute \(p = 15\) into the original demand function to find \(D(15)\), the quantity demanded at \(p = 15\):\[ D(15) = 0.03(15)^2 - 1.6(15) + 21 \]Calculating this gives:\[ D(15) = 0.03 imes 225 - 24 + 21 = 6.75 - 24 + 21 = 3.75 \]Thus, the quantity demanded is 3.75 thousand tickets.
03

Calculate Derivative at $p = 15$

Substitute \(p = 15\) into the derivative \(D'(p)\) to find the rate of change of demand when \(p = 15\):\[ D'(15) = 0.06 imes 15 - 1.6 \]Calculating this gives:\[ D'(15) = 0.9 - 1.6 = -0.7 \]
04

Calculate Price Elasticity of Demand

Price elasticity of demand \(E(p)\) can be calculated using the formula:\[ E(p) = \frac{D'(p) \times p}{D(p)} \]Substitute all known values (\(D'(15) = -0.7, D(15) = 3.75, p = 15\))\[ E(15) = \frac{-0.7 \times 15}{3.75} \]\[ E(15) = \frac{-10.5}{3.75} = -2.8 \]
05

Determine Elasticity

Demand is said to be elastic if the absolute value of price elasticity is greater than 1, and inelastic if it is less than 1. In this case, \(|E(15)| = 2.8\), which is greater than 1, indicating that demand is elastic at \(p = 15\).
06

Interpret Elasticity

Elasticity at \(p = 15\) means that the demand for tickets is responsive to changes in price. More specifically, since the elasticity \(-2.8\) is less than \(-1\), a 1% decrease in price will result in an approximately 2.8% increase in the quantity of tickets demanded.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with 91Ó°ÊÓ!

Key Concepts

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

Demand Function
A demand function represents how the quantity of a product demanded by consumers changes with the market price. In our example, the demand for children's museum tickets is illustrated by the function: \[ D(p) = 0.03p^2 - 1.6p + 21 \] Here, \( p \) is the market price of a ticket. The demand function allows businesses to predict how many tickets might be sold at various price points.
  • The quadratic nature of the function implies that changes in price will have varied effects on demand.
This mathematical expression is valuable because it informs us about consumer behavior with respect to price changes, helping in strategic price setting.
Derivative
The derivative of a function shows how one quantity changes in response to a change in another quantity. In this context, the derivative of the demand function \( D'(p) = 0.06p - 1.6 \) tells us how sensitive the demand for tickets is to changes in price.
  • By calculating the derivative, we know the rate of change of demand when the price changes.
  • For instance, at \(p = 15\), \(D'(15) = -0.7\), indicating that with each dollar increase in price, the quantity demanded decreases by 0.7 thousand tickets.
Knowing the derivative helps businesses assess and predict market demand trends based on varying prices.
Elasticity Interpretation
Price elasticity of demand is a measure that shows how much the quantity demanded responds to changes in price. It is calculated using the formula: \[ E(p) = \frac{D'(p) \times p}{D(p)} \] At \(p = 15\), we found \( E(15) = -2.8 \), meaning the demand is elastic. This indicates that demand changes significantly with price changes.
  • In this scenario, since \(|E(15)| = 2.8\), a 1% decrease in price increases the demand by roughly 2.8%.
  • Elastic demand suggests consumers are sensitive to price changes, influencing pricing strategies.
Understanding elasticity helps businesses adjust prices to maximize revenue, ensuring it's neither too high to daunt customers nor too low to diminish profits.
Market Price
Market price refers to the current price at which a good or service can be bought or sold. In our case, the market price of museum tickets is \(\$ 15\).
  • This price is crucial as it directly influences demand, derived from consumer purchasing habits and willingness to pay.
  • Determining the right market price involves analyzing demand functions and elasticity.
A well-set market price helps achieve the balance between maximizing sales volume and achieving optimal revenue and profit goals. Understanding the role of market price in demand dynamics is vital for setting strategic pricing.

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

Write a differential equation expressing the information given and, when possible, find a general solution for the differential equation. The rate of growth of the height \(h\) of a young child with respect to the age \(y\) of the child decreases in inverse proportion to the age of the child.

Motion Laws When a spring is stretched and then released, it oscillates according to two laws of physics: Hooke's law and Newton's second law. These two laws combine to form the following differential equation in the case of free, undamped oscillation: $$ m \frac{d^{2} x}{d t^{2}}+k x=0 $$ where \(m\) is the mass of an object attached to the spring, \(x\) is the distance the spring is stretched beyond its standard length with the object attached (its equilibrium point), \(t\) is time, and \(k\) is a constant associated with the strength of the spring. Consider a spring with \(k=15\) from which is hung a 30 -pound weight. The spring with the weight attached stretches to its equilibrium point. The spring is then pulled 2 feet farther than its equilibrium and released. a. Write a differential equation describing the acceleration of the spring with respect to time \(t\) measured in seconds. Use the fact that mass \(=\frac{\text { weight }}{\mathrm{g}},\) where \(g\) is the gravi- tational constant, 32 feet per second per second. b. Write a particular solution for this differential equation. Use the fact that when the spring is first released, its velocity is \(0 .\) c. Graph this solution over several periods and explain how to interpret the graph. d. How quickly is the mass moving when it passes its equilibrium point?

Postage Rates Between 1919 and \(1995,\) the rate of change in the rate of change of the postage required to mail a first-class, 1 -ounce letter was approximately 0.022 cent per year squared. The postage was 2 cents in \(1919,\) and it was increasing at the rate of approximately 0.393 cent per year in \(1958 .\) (Source: Based on data from the United States Postal Service) a. Write a differential equation for the rate of change in the rate of change of the first-class postage for a 1 -ounce letter in year \(t,\) where \(t\) is the number of years after 1900 . b. Find both a general and a particular solution to the differential equation in part \(a\). c. Use the previous results to estimate how rapidly the postage is changing in the current year and the current first-class postage for a 1 -ounce letter. Comment on the accuracy of the results. If they are not reasonable, give possible explanations.

Suppose that \(g\) with input \(t\) is an exponential density function with \(k=2\). a. Find \(G,\) the corresponding cumulative distribution function. b. Use both \(g\) and \(G\) to calculate the probability that \(t \leq 0.35\) c. Use \(G\) to calculate the probability that \(t>0.86\).

Wooden Chairs The demand for wooden chairs can be modeled as $$ D(p)=-0.01 p+5.55 \text { million chairs } $$ where \(p\) is the price (in dollars) of a chair. a. According to the model, at what price will consumers no longer purchase chairs? Is this price guaranteed to be the highest price any consumer will pay for a wooden chair? Explain. b. What quantity of wooden chairs will consumers purchase when the market price is \(\$ 99.95 ?\) c. Calculate the amount that consumers are willing and able to spend to purchase 3 million wooden chairs. d. Calculate the consumers' surplus when consumers purchase 3 million wooden chairs.

See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Math Textbooks

View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.