One of the more important business applications of demand elasticity is the relationship between price and total revenue. For each of the following three scenarios, specify whether demand is elastic, inelastic, or unitary elastic.(a) Your local movie theater earns a total revenue of $40,000 per month when the price of a movie ticket is $8, and it earns a total revenue of $35,000 when the price of a movie ticket is $10. Demand is _______.

When the coefficient of elasticity of demand is less than 1, demand is inelastic, when it is equal to 1, demand is unitary elastic, when it is greater than 1, demand is elastic, and when it is equal to zero demand is perfectly inelastic.

Part 1

Price Elasticity of demand = (dQ/dP) x P/Q

Where : dQ = Change in Quantity

dP = Change in Price

P = Initial or Old price

Q = Initial of Old Quantity

dQ = $35,000 - $40,000 = - $5,000

dP = $10 - $8 = $2

P = $8

Q = $40,000

Price Elasticity of demand = (-$5,000/$2) * $8/ $40,000

= 2,500 * 1/5000 = -0.5

Disregard the minus sign, since elasticity of demand is less than 1, demand is inelastic.

Part 2

Price Elasticity of demand = (dQ/dP) x P/Q

dQ = $1,800 - $2,000 = - $200

dP = $50 - $40 = $10

P = $40

Q = $2,000

Price Elasticity of demand = (-$200/$10) * $40/ $2,000

= 20 * 0.02 = -0.4

Disregard the minus sign, since elasticity of demand is less than 1, demand is inelastic.

Part 3

Price Elasticity of demand = (dQ/dP) x P/Q

dQ = $120 - $150 = - $30

dP = $5 - $4 = $1

P = $4

Q = $150

Price Elasticity of demand = (-$30/$1) * $4/ $150

= 30 * 2/75 = - 0.8

Disregard the minus sign since elasticity of demand is less than 1, demand is inelastic.