What is the concept of elasticity?
Christopher Ramos
Updated on February 07, 2026
Elasticity is an economic concept used to measure the change in the aggregate quantity demanded of a good or service in relation to price movements of that good or service. A product is considered to be elastic if the quantity demand of the product changes more than proportionally when its price increases or decreases.
What is the application of the elasticity concept in economics?
THE ECONOMIC CONCEPT OF ELASTICITY. In economic studies, demand or supply curves which relate price to quantity demand or supplied are of a significant importance. Relatet! to these curves, the economic concept of elasticity is widely used to express the responsiveness of quantity demand to price changes.
How does price elasticity affect pricing decisions?
Using Elasticity for Pricing Decisions For elastic products, reduce prices to drive more sales volume. This will also improve your price perception in the market. With inelastic products, increase your prices to drive higher margins with limited impact on units sold.
What is the concept of price elasticity of demand?
What Is Price Elasticity of Demand? Price elasticity of demand is a measurement of the change in consumption of a product in relation to a change in its price. Expressed mathematically, it is: Price Elasticity of Demand = % Change in Quantity Demanded / % Change in Price.
What are the 3 types of elasticity?
There are three main types of elasticities of demand: the price elasticity of demand (so popular that it is generally referred to as simply elasticity of demand), income elasticity of demand and cross elasticity of demand.
What is elasticity and its application?
The price elasticity of demand measures how much the quantity demanded responds to a change in price. Demand for a good is said to be elastic if the quantity demanded responds substantially to changes in the price. Demand is said to be inelastic if the quantity demanded responds only slightly to changes in the price.
What are the real life applications of elasticity?
Elasticity Examples in Daily Life
- The springs.
- The base of a trampoline.
- The bow to shoot arrows.
- Fishing rods.
- The mattresses.
- Rubber bracelets.
- The clothes.
- The chewing gum, when chewed.
How does elasticity of demand affect pricing decisions?
The concept of elasticity of demand plays a crucial role in the pricing decisions of the business firms and the Government when it regulates prices. The concept of price elasticity is also important in judging the effect of devaluation or depreciation of a currency on its export earnings.
How is income elasticity related to cross price elasticity?
When measuring elasticity, what is being measured is the responsiveness to demand to its determinants, such as income and other goods. This gives rise to income elasticity of demand and cross price elasticity of demand. Income elasticity measures the responsiveness of demand to a change in income.
When is demand for a good said to be inelastic?
Demand for a good is said to be elastic if price elasticity of demand for it is greater than one. Similarly, the demand for a good is called inelastic if price elasticity of demand for it is less than one.
When does elasticity of demand lead to unemployment?
When machines reduce costs and hence price of products, if the products demand is elastic, the demand will go up, production will have to be increased and more workers may be employed for the product is inelastic, machines will lead to unemployment as lower prices will not increase the demand.