Question

For the following pairs of goods, would you expect the cross-price elasticity of demand to be positive, negative, or zero? Briefly explain your answer.
a) Red umbrellas and black umbrellas
b) Coca-Cola and Pepsi
c) Grape jelly and peanut butter
d) Chocolate chip cookies and milk
e) Computers and software

Answer 1

Answer:

A-Positive

B-Positive

C-Negative

D-Negative

E-Negative

Explanation:

To begin with, the term known as ''cross elasticity of demand'' refers to an economic concept that measures the quantity demanded of a good when a change in the price of other good takes place.

In the case of the umbrellas, as being products very equal the most common thing to happen is that when the price of one of them increases the quantity demanded of the other will increase too regarding the fact that the second one will be cheaper. Therefore establishing a positive cross elasticiy of demand due to the fact that they are two substitute products.

In the case of the Coca-Cola and Pepsi, both products are also substitute and therefore it is obvious that the cross elasticity of demand will be positive due to the fact that if the price of one of them increases then the quantity demanded of the other will increase as well too.

In the cases C, D and E the most likely thing to happen is that when the price of one of them increases then the quantity demanded of the other will decrease due to the fact that they are two complementary goods whose cross elasticity of demand is negative. Because the complementary goods are those that whose appeal increases with the demand of its complement and that happens in the cases of the grape jelly and peanut butter, the chocolate chip cookies and milk and the computers and software.