chapter:

3
> Supply and Demand >
Krugman/Wells Economics

2009 Worth Publishers

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN IN THIS CHAPTER

What a competitive market is and how it is described by the supply and demand model What the demand curve and supply curve are The difference between movements along a curve and shifts of a curve How the supply and demand curves determine a markets equilibrium price and equilibrium quantity In the case of a shortage or surplus, how price moves the market back to equilibrium

2 of 42

Supply and Demand

A competitive market:

Many buyers and sellers Same good or service

The supply and demand model is a model of how a competitive market works. Five key elements:

Demand curve Supply curve Demand and supply curve shifts Market equilibrium Changes in the market equilibrium
3 of 42

Demand Schedule

A demand schedule shows how much of a good or service consumers will want to buy at different prices.

Demand Schedule for Coffee Beans

Price of coffee beans (per pound) Quantity of coffee beans demanded (billions of pounds)

$2.00 1.75 1.50 1.25 1.00 0.75 0.50

7.1 7.5 8.1 8.9 10.0 11.5 14.2

4 of 42

Demand Curve
Price of coffee bean (per gallon)

$2.00 1.75 1.50 1.25 1.00 0.75 0.50 0

A demand curve is the graphical representation of the demand schedule; it shows how much of a good or service consumers want to buy at any given price.

As price rises, the quantity demanded falls 7 9 11 13

Demand curve, D

15

17

Quantity of coffee beans (billions of pounds) 5 of 42

GLOBAL COMPARISON

Pay More, Pump Less

Because of high taxes, gasoline and diesel fuel are more than twice as expensive in most European countries as in the United States.

Price of gasoline (per gallon) $8 7 6 5 4 3

Germany United Kingdom I aly t France Spain Japan Canada United States
0.2 0.6 1.0 1.4

According to the law of demand, Europeans should buy less gasoline than Americans, and they do: Europeans consume less than half as much fuel as Americans, mainly because they drive smaller cars with better mileage.

Consumption of gasoline (gallons per day per capita) 6 of 42

An Increase in Demand

An increase in the population and other factors generate an increase in demand a rise in the quantity demanded at any given price. This is represented by the two demand schedules - one showing demand in 2002, before the rise in population, the other showing demand in 2006, after the rise in population.

Demand Schedules for Coffee Beans

Quantity of coffee beans demanded (billions of pounds)

Price of coffee beans (per pound)

in 2002

in 2006

$2.00 1.75 1.50 1.25 1.00 0.75 0.50

7.1 7.5 8.1 8.9 10.0 11.5 14.2

8.5 9.0 9.7 10.7 12.0 13.8 17.0

7 of 42

An Increase in Demand
Price of coffee beans (per gallon) $2.00 1.75 1.50 1.25 1.00 0.75 0.50 0 Demand curve in 2002 7 9 11 13 D 1 D 17 2 Demand curve in 2006

Increase in population more coffee drinkers

15

Quantity of coffee beans (billions of pounds)

A shift of the demand curve is a change in the quantity demanded at any given price, represented by the change of the original demand curve to a new position, denoted by a new demand curve.
8 of 42

Movement Along the Demand Curve

Price of coffee beans (per gallon) $2.00 1.75 1.50 1.25 1.00 0.75 0.50 0 7 8.1 9.7 10 13 D 1 D 17 2 B A C A shift of the demand curve

A movement along the demand curve is a change in the quantity demanded of a good that is the result of a change in that goods price.

is not the same thing as a movement along the demand curve

15

Quantity of coffee beans (billions of pounds)

9 of 42

Shifts of the Demand Curve

Price

Increase in demand

An increase in demand A decrease in demand, means a leftward shift of rightward shift of the demand curve: at any given price, consumers demand a smaller quantity larger quantity than before. (D1D3) (D1D2)

Decrease in demand D 3 D 1 D 2 Quantity

10 of 42

What Causes a Demand Curve to Shift?

Changes in the Prices of Related Goods

Substitutes: Two goods are substitutes if a fall in the price of one of the goods makes consumers less willing to buy the other good. Complements: Two goods are complements if a fall in the price of one good makes people more willing to buy the other good.

11 of 42

What Causes a Demand Curve to Shift?

Changes in Income

Normal Goods: When a rise in income increases the demand for a good - the normal case - we say that the good is a normal good. Inferior Goods: When a rise in income decreases the demand for a good, it is an inferior good.

Changes in Tastes Changes in Expectations

12 of 42

Individual Demand Curve and the Market Demand Curve

The market demand curve is the horizontal sum of the individual demand curves of all consumers in that market.
(a) Darlas Individual Demand Curve
Price of coffee beans (per pound) Price of coffee beans (per pound)

(b) Dinos Individual Demand Curve

Price of coffee beans (per pound)

(c) Market Demand Curve

$2

$2

$2

D Market
1 1 1

D Darla

D Dino

20

30
Quantity of coffee beans (pounds)

10

20
Quantity of coffee beans (pounds)

30

40

50

Quantity of coffee beans (pounds)

13 of 42

Supply Schedule

A supply schedule shows how much of a good or service would be supplied at different prices.

Supply Schedule for Coffee Beans Price of coffee beans (per pound) Quantity of coffee beans supplied (billions of pounds) 11.6 11.5 11.2 10.7 10.0 9.1 8.0
14 of 42

$2.00 1.75 1.50 1.25 1.00 0.75 0.50

Supply Curve
Price of coffee beans (per pound)

Supply curve, S $2.00 1.75 1.50 1.25 1.00 0.75 0.50 0 7 9 11 13 As price rises, the quantity supplied rises.

A supply curve shows graphically how much of a good or service people are willing to sell at any given price.

15

17

Quantity of coffee beans (billions of pounds)

15 of 42

An Increase in Supply

Supply Schedule for Coffee Beans The entry of Vietnam into the coffee bean Price of coffee Quantity of beans supplied business generated an beans (billions of pounds) increase in supplya (per pound) Before entry After entry rise in the quantity supplied at any given $2.00 11.6 13.9 price. 1.75 11.5 13.8 This event is 1.50 11.2 13.4 represented by the 1.25 10.7 12.8 two supply schedules 1.00 10.0 12.0 one showing supply before Vietnams 0.75 9.1 10.9 entry, the other 0.50 8.0 9.6 showing supply after Vietnam came in.
16 of 42

An Increase in Supply
Price of coffee beans (per pound) S $2.00 1 S 2

Vietnam enters coffee bean business more coffee producers

1.75 1.50 1.25 1.00 0.75 0.50 0 7

A movement along the supply curve

is not the same thing as a shift of the supply curve 9 11 13 15 17

Quantity of coffee beans (billions of pounds)

A shift of the supply curve is a change in the quantity supplied of a good at any given price.
17 of 42

Movement Along the Supply Curve

Price of coffee beans (per pound) $2.00 1.75 1.50 1.25 1.00 0.75 0.50 0 7 10 11.2 12 A C is not the same thing as a shift of the supply curve 15 17 A movement along the supply curve S 1 S 2

Quantity of coffee beans (billions of pounds)

A movement along the supply curve is a change in the quantity supplied of a good that is the result of a change in that goods price.
18 of 42

Shifts of the Supply Curve

Price
S 3 S 1 Increase in supply S 2

Any increase in decrease in supply means a leftward shift of the rightward shift of the supply curve: at any given price, there is an a decrease in the increase in the quantity quantity supplied. supplied. (S1 S2) (S1 S3)

Decrease in supply

Quantity

19 of 42

What Causes a Supply Curve to Shift?

Changes in input prices An input is a good that is used to produce another good. Changes in the prices of related goods and services Changes in technology Changes in expectations Changes in the number of producers

20 of 42

Individual Supply Curve and the Market Supply Curve

The market supply curve is the horizontal sum of the individual supply curves of all firms in that market.
(a)
Price of coffee beans (per pound)

(b)
Price of coffee beans (per pound)

(c) Market Supply Curve

Price of coffee beans (per pound)

Mr. Figueroas Individual Supply Curve

S Figueroa

Mr. Bien Phos Individual Supply Curve

S Pho Bien

$2

$2

$2

S Market

2
Quantity of coffee beans (pounds)

Quantity of coffee beans (pounds)

Quantity of coffee beans (pounds)

21 of 42

Supply, Demand and Equilibrium

Equilibrium in a competitive market: when the quantity demanded of a good equals the quantity supplied of that good. The price at which this takes place is the equilibrium price (a.k.a. market-clearing price):

Every buyer finds a seller and vice versa. The quantity of the good bought and sold at that price is the equilibrium quantity.

22 of 42

Market Equilibrium
Price of coffee beans (per pound) $2.00 1.75 1.50 1.25 Equilibrium price 1.00 0.75 0.50 0 7 10 Equilibrium quantity 13 Demand 15 17 E Equilibrium Supply

Market equilibrium occurs at point E, where the supply curve and the demand curve intersect.

Quantity of coffee beans (billions of pounds)

23 of 42

Surplus
Price of coffee beans (per pound)

$2.00 1.75 1.50 1.25 1.00 0.75 0.50 0 7 8.1 10 E Surplus

Supply

There is a surplus of a good when the quantity supplied exceeds the quantity demanded. Surpluses occur when the price is above its equilibrium level.

Demand 11.2 13 15 17

Quantity of coffee beans (billions of pounds) Quantity demanded Quantit y supplie d 24 of 42

Shortage
Price of coffee beans (per pound) $2.00 1.75 1.50 1.25 1.00 0.75 0.50 0 7 Shortage Demand 13 15 17 Quantity of coffee beans (billions of pounds) E Supply

There is a shortage of a good when the quantity demanded exceeds the quantity supplied. Shortages occur when the price is below its equilibrium level.

9.1 10 Quantit y supplied

11.5

Quantity demanded

25 of 42

ECONOMICS IN ACTION
The Price of Admission:
Compare the box office price for a recent Justin Timberlake concert in Miami, Florida, to the StubHub.com price for seats in the same location: $88.50 versus $155. Why is there such a big difference in prices? For major events, buying tickets from the box office means waiting in very long lines. Ticket buyers who use Internet resellers have decided that the opportunity cost of their time is too high to spend waiting in line. For those major events with online box offices selling tickets at face value, tickets often sell out within minutes. In this case, some people who want to go to the concert badly but have missed out on the opportunity to buy cheaper tickets from the online box office are willing to pay the higher Internet reseller price.
26 of 42

Equilibrium and Shifts of the Demand Curve

Price of coffee beans An increase in demand Supply leads to a movement along the supply curve due to a higher equilibrium price and higher equilibrium quantity D

E P Price rises 2 E P 1 1

Quantity of coffee beans

Quantity rises

27 of 42

Equilibrium and Shifts of the Supply Curve

Price of coffee beans S 2 S 1

A decrease in supply

P Price rises P

E 2 leads to a movement along the demand curve due to a higher equilibrium price and lower equilibrium quantity

E1

Demand

Q 2

Quantity of coffee beans

Quantity falls 28 of 42

Technology Shifts of the Supply Curve

Price
An increase in supply

S1 S2

leads to a movement along the demand curve to a lower equilibrium price and higher equilibrium quantity.

E1 Price falls P1 P2 E2

Technological innovation: In the early 1970s, engineers learned how to put microscopic electronic components onto a silicon chip; progress in the technique has allowed ever more components to be put on each chip.

Demand
Q
1

Q
2

Quantity

Quantity increases
29 of 42

Simultaneous Shifts of Supply and Demand

(a) One possible outcome: Price Rises, Quantity Rises Price of coffee Small decrease in supply

E P 2

The opposing forces Two increase in demand dominates the determining the decrease in supply. equilibrium quantity.

E P 1

D D 1 Large increase in demand

Q2

Quantity of coffee 30 of 42

Simultaneous Shifts of Supply and Demand

(b) Another Possibility Outcome: Price Rises, Quantity Falls Price of coffee Large decrease in supply

2 S 1

E P 2

Two opposing forces determining the equilibrium quantity.

E P 1

Small increase in demand

D D 1

Q 2

Quantity of coffee 31 of 42

Simultaneous Shifts of Supply and Demand

We can make the following predictions about the outcome when the supply and demand curves shift simultaneously: Simultaneous Supply Increases Shifts of Supply and Demand Demand Increases Demand Decreases Price: ambiguous Quantity: up Supply Decreases

Price: up Quantity: ambiguous

Price: down Price: ambiguous Quantity: ambiguous Quantity: down

32 of 42

FOR INQUIRING MINDS Your Turn on the Runway: An Exercise of Supply, Demand and Supermodels

The ease of transmitting photos over the Internet and the relatively low cost of international travel beautiful young women from all over the world, eagerly trying to make it as models = influx of aspiring models from around the world In addition the tastes of many of those who hire models have changed they prefer celebrities What happened to the equilibrium price of a young (not a celebrity) fashion model? Use your supply and demand curves to determine the salaries of Americas Next Best Models
33 of 42

FOR INQUIRING MINDS

Another Example: Supply, Demand and Controlled Substances

Price

S2 S1
E2

Price rises

P2

P1

E1

However, we can see The equilibrium by comparing the price has risen from original equilibrium E1 P1 to P2, and this with war on The the new drugs induces suppliers to equilibriumsupply the shifts the E2 that provide drugs actual reduction in the curve tothe risks. despite the left. quantity of drugs supplied is much smaller than the shift of the supply curve.

Demand
Q2 Q1

Quantity

Quantity falls
34 of 42

ECONOMICS IN ACTION
The Great Tortilla Crises: A sharp rise in the price of tortillas, a staple food of Mexicos poor, which had gone from 25 cents a pound to between 35 and 45 cents a pound in just a few months in early 2007. Why were tortilla prices soaring? It was a classic example of what happens to equilibrium prices when supply falls. Tortillas are made from corn; much of Mexicos corn is imported from the United States, with the price of corn in both countries basically set in the U.S. corn market. And U.S. corn prices were rising rapidly thanks to surging demand in a new market: the market for ethanol.

35 of 42

Demand and Supply Shifts at Work in the Global Economy

A recent drought in Australia reduced the amount of grass on which Australian dairy cows could feed, thus limiting the amount of milk these cows produced for export. At the same time, a new tax levied by the government of Argentina raised the price of the milk the country exported, thereby decreasing Argentine milk sales worldwide. These two developments produced a supply shortage in the world market, which dairy farmers in Europe couldnt fill because of strict production quotas set by the European Union.

36 of 42

Demand and Supply Shifts at Work in the Global Economy

In China, meanwhile, demand for milk and milk products increased, as rising income levels drove higher per-capita consumption. All these occurrences resulted in a strong upward pressure on the price of milk everywhere in 2007.

37 of 42

SUMMARY 1. The supply and demand model illustrates how a competitive market works. 2. The demand schedule shows the quantity demanded at each price and is represented graphically by a demand curve. The law of demand says that demand curves slope downward. 3. A movement along the demand curve occurs when a price change leads to a change in the quantity demanded. When economists talk of increasing or decreasing demand, they mean shifts of the demand curvea change in the quantity demanded at any given price.

38 of 42

SUMMARY 4. There are five main factors that shift the demand curve: A change in the prices of related goods or services A change in income A change in tastes A change in expectations A change in the number of consumers 4. The market demand curve for a good or service is the horizontal sum of the individual demand curves of all consumers in the market. 5. The supply schedule shows the quantity supplied at each price and is represented graphically by a supply curve. Supply curves usually slope upward.

39 of 42

SUMMARY 7. A movement along the supply curve occurs when a price change leads to a change in the quantity supplied. When economists talk of increasing or decreasing supply, they mean shifts of the supply curvea change in the quantity supplied at any given price. 8. There are five main factors that shift the supply curve: A change in input prices A change in the prices of related goods and services A change in technology A change in expectations A change in the number of producers 9. The market supply curve for a good or service is the horizontal sum of the individual supply curves of all producers in the market.
40 of 42

SUMMARY
10. The supply and demand model is based on the principle that the price in a market moves to its equilibrium price, or market-clearing price, the price at which the quantity demanded is equal to the quantity supplied. This quantity is the equilibrium quantity. When the price is above its market-clearing level, there is a surplus that pushes the price down. When the price is below its market-clearing level, there is a shortage that pushes the price up. 11. An increase in demand increases both the equilibrium price and the equilibrium quantity; a decrease in demand has the opposite effect. An increase in supply reduces the equilibrium price and increases the equilibrium quantity; a decrease in supply has the opposite effect. 12. Shifts of the demand curve and the supply curve can happen simultaneously.
41 of 42

The End of Chapter 3 Coming attraction Chapter 4: The Market Strikes Back

42 of 42