Asked by Sarah Boktor on Jul 15, 2024

verifed

Verified

A monopolist has set her level of output to maximize profit. The firm's marginal revenue is $20, and the price elasticity of demand is -2.0. The firm's profit maximizing price is approximately:

A) $0
B) $20
C) $40
D) $10
E) This problem cannot be answered without knowing the marginal cost.

Price Elasticity

A metric that determines how the demand for a certain good fluctuates with its price adjustments.

Marginal Revenue

The additional income that an organization receives from selling one more unit of a good or service.

Profit Maximizing

The process or strategy by which a firm adjusts its production to achieve the highest possible profit.

  • Acquire insight into the significance of demand elasticity in the framework of monopoly pricing, and its consequences on revenue as well as output decisions.
verifed

Verified Answer

ZA
Zophar AbelloJul 20, 2024
Final Answer :
C
Explanation :
The monopolist sets output where marginal revenue equals marginal cost to maximize profits. We are given that marginal revenue is $20. To find the optimal price, we need to know the price elasticity of demand, which is -2.0. We can use the formula:

Price elasticity of demand = (% change in quantity demanded) / (% change in price)

To maximize revenue, the monopolist should increase price if the elasticity is less than 1, keep price constant if the elasticity is equal to 1, and decrease price if the elasticity is greater than 1. Since the elasticity is -2.0, the monopolist should increase price. We can use the formula:

Marginal revenue = Price x (1 + 1 / absolute value of price elasticity of demand)

Solving for price, we get:

$20 = Price x (1 + 1 / 2)

$20 = Price x 1.5

Price = $13.33

Since this is below the profit maximizing price, we know that the optimal price must be higher. We can try $40:

$20 = $40 x (1 + 1 / 2)

$20 = $40 x 1.5

Price = $40

Therefore, the profit maximizing price is approximately $40.