Chapter 4 Consumer Equilibrium and Market Demand Fall 2012

Consumer
Equilibrium
and Market
Demand
Chapter 4
Chapter 4
Topics of Discussion
• Conditions for Consumer Equilibrium
• Changes in Equilibrium
Changes in product price
Changes in other demand determinants
• The Law of Demand
• Tastes and Preferences
Composition of the population
Attitudes toward nutrition or health
– food safety
– lifestyles
–technological forces
–advertising
• Consumer Surplus
Theory of Consumer Economic
Behavior
1. Indifference Curve
Consumer Preferences
2. Budget Line
Affordability
Consumer Equilibrium
Leads to Demand Curve for the Product
MUH T PH
MRS   
MUT H PT
Measurement and
Interpretation of
Must find the point where utility is
maximized subject to the budget constraint.
This situation occurs where:
MUHAMBURGERS MUTACOS
=
PHAMBURGERS PTACOS
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Must find the point where utility is
maximized subject to the budget constraint.
This situation occurs where:
MUHAMBURGERS MUTACOS
=
PHAMBURGERS PTACOS
In other words, the marginal utility derived from the

last dollar spent on each good is identical. This
relationship can be expanded to include all goods and
services purchased by the consumer.
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Utility is maximized by
buying 5 tacos @ $0.50
and 2 hamburgers @ $1.25
given a budget constraint
of $5.00 per week….
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Points B and D
exceed the budget
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Point C does
not maximize
utility…
Page 54
Effects of Changes in Price of the Product
Let’s look at the

impact of three
separate price levels
($5.00, $1.25 and $1.00)
on this consumer’s
weekly purchases of
hamburgers
Page 55
A price decrease of
hamburger prices to
$1.00 would cause
Carl to increase his
weekly purchases
of hamburgers from
2 to 3.
Page 55
If the price instead

increases to $5.00,
Carl would only want
one-half a hamburger
per week (would you
believe 1 hamburger
every other week?)
Page 55
Line CAB forms the basis of

a consumer demand
schedule, showing
how the consumer
would respond to
changes in the price
of hamburgers.
Page 55
Demand Schedule for Hamburgers
$7.00
D
Price of hamburgers
$6.00
C
$5.00
$4.00
$3.00
$2.00 A B
$1.00
$0.00
0 1 2 3
Quantity of hamburgers
Three “Laws” in
Economics So Far
(1) Law of Diminishing Marginal Utility

(2) Law of Demand
(3) Engel’s Law
Scatter Plot Analysis of Demand
for Steak
Effects of Changes in Available Income
Original
equilibrium
Page 57
Both hamburgers and

tacos are “normal” goods
as income increased from
$5 to $6 per week.
Original
equilibrium
Page 57
But tacos became an

“inferior” good however
when income increased
to $8 per week.
As income increased , taco
consumption fell ….
Original
equilibrium
Page 57
Engel curve for hamburgers Engel curve for tacos
Normal good as the Inferior good as the

budget increases from budget increases from
$5 to $8 $6 to $8
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Measurement and
Interpretation of
Market Demand
+ =
The market demand curve for a particular product can

be seen as a horizontal summation of the demand schedules
for all the consumers in the market.
At a price of $1.50, Paula would buy 2 hamburgers per week
while Beth would buy one. Therefore, the market demand is
equal to 3 hamburgers!
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Factors Influencing Demand
1. Own Price
2. Other Prices
3. Income/Wealth
4. Tastes and Preferences
Advertising
Health and Nutrition
Food Safety
Population
Some Important Jargon
When discussing events in the market place,
economists use specific terms to distinguish
between movement along a demand curve
and a shift in a demand curve.
A movement along a demand curve is
referred to as a change in the quantity
demanded.
A movement along a demand curve is
referred to as a change in the quantity
demanded.
A shift in the demand curve, on the other
hand, is referred to as a change in demand.
Movement from
point A to C is
called a change
in demand…
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Movement from
point A to B is
called a change
in the quantity
demanded…
Page 61
Concept of Consumer Surplus
An important extension of the market demand curve
is the concept of consumer surplus, or economic well
being consumers derive in the market.
The demand curve reveals the willingness of consumers
to pay a certain price for a corresponding quantity.
They are willing to pay a higher price for a lesser
quantity, but do not have to given the level of supply
coming onto the market in a given period. Thus, they
realize a “savings”.
They are willing to pay a higher price for a lesser
quantity, but do not have to given the level of supply
coming onto the market in a given period. Thus, they
realize a “savings”.
We will use this concept later in Chapter 8 when we
discuss market equilibrium.
Area ABC is the consumer
surplus if price is $6. The
demand curve implies they
were willing to pay $10 for
the 1st unit, $9 for the second
unit, etc. But they only had
to pay $6 each for all 5 units!
F G
Page 63
Area DACE is the
gain in consumer
surplus if the price
falls to $5 F G
Page 63

Chapter 4 Consumer Equilibrium and Market Demand Fall 2012

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Chapter 4 Consumer Equilibrium and Market Demand Fall 2012

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Consumer

In other words, the marginal utility derived from the

Let’s look at the

If the price instead

Line CAB forms the basis of

(1) Law of Diminishing Marginal Utility

Both hamburgers and

But tacos became an

Normal good as the Inferior good as the

The market demand curve for a particular product can

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