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Question

A discriminating monopolist will charge a higher price in the market in which the price elasticity of :

The correct answer is
demand is smaller

To understand why a discriminating monopolist charges a higher price in the market where the price elasticity of demand is smaller, we need to analyze the relationship between price elasticity of demand and pricing strategy.

Concept of Price Elasticity of Demand:

  • The price elasticity of demand measures how sensitive the quantity demanded of a good is to a change in its price.
  • If the demand is elastic (elasticity > 1), consumers are more responsive to price changes, meaning a small increase in price will lead to a significant reduction in quantity demanded.
  • If the demand is inelastic (elasticity < 1), consumers are less responsive to price changes, meaning a price increase will not significantly reduce the quantity demanded.

Monopolist’s Pricing Strategy:

  • A discriminating monopolist aims to maximize profit by charging different prices for the same product in different markets.
  • Markets with inelastic demand allow the monopolist to charge a higher price since consumers are less sensitive to price increases.
  • In contrast, in markets with elastic demand, the monopolist charges a lower price because consumers would significantly reduce their quantity demanded in response to any price increase.

Conclusion:

  • Given the above analysis, the monopolist will charge a higher price in the market where the price elasticity of demand is smaller because the demand is more inelastic in that market.

Therefore, the correct option is: demand is smaller.

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Important Questions from Monopoly - Teaching

  1. A discriminating monopolist will charge a lower price in the market in which the price elasticity of :
  2. Product differentiation is relevant to which set of the following market forms ?
  3. Assertion (A) : The concept of supply curve is meaningless for the monopolist.
    Reason (R) : Monopolists are price setters; it does not make reuse to ask what output they will produce at various prices.
    Codes :
  4. Short-run demand and total cost functions for a monopoly firm are as under : 

    Demand function : Q = 100 – 0.2 P 

    Price function : P = 500 – 5 Q 

    Cost function : TC = 50 + 20 Q + Q2 

    Where Q = Total quantity of the product in physical units. 

                 P = Price of the product per unit 

                 TC = Total cost 

    What is the profit maximizing output of the pure monopoly firm ?

  5. Monopoly is not considered desirable from the point of view of the society mainly because the monopolist endeavours to
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