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Consumer Choice From utility to demand Consumer Choice From utility to demand

Scarcity and constraints n Economics is about making choices. ¨ Everything n n has Scarcity and constraints n Economics is about making choices. ¨ Everything n n has an opportunity cost (scarcity): You can’t always get what you want. For consumers, money (income, wealth) is scarce. ¨ n n

Making buying decisions n How do consumers make decisions about buying goods? ¨ Firms Making buying decisions n How do consumers make decisions about buying goods? ¨ Firms are interested in doing what gives them the most profit. ¨ Consumers are interested in doing what gives them the most n n

Making buying decisions n From all the possible consumption bundles of good, a consumer Making buying decisions n From all the possible consumption bundles of good, a consumer will choose the bundle that gives her the most utility. ¨A consumption bundle lists the quantities of all the goods a consumer could consume. n Example: ¨ ¨ ¨

Consumption bundles n Graphically: Quantity of antacid tablets (QT) Bundle B: (5, 0) 10 Consumption bundles n Graphically: Quantity of antacid tablets (QT) Bundle B: (5, 0) 10 8 6 4 2 0 Bundle A: (2, 6) 1 2 3 4 5 Quantity of pizza (QP)

What you want … and can get n From all the possible consumption bundles What you want … and can get n From all the possible consumption bundles of good, a consumer will choose the bundle that gives her the most utility. ¨ This n means we need to study two things: What consumption bundles are possible? ¨ n That is, what is the budget constraint? What gives the consumer utility? ¨ Then we put those two together.

Consumption Possibilities You can’t always get what you want. Consumption Possibilities You can’t always get what you want.

Consumption possibilities n Example: ¨ Income (N) = $10 ¨ Price of pizza (PP) Consumption possibilities n Example: ¨ Income (N) = $10 ¨ Price of pizza (PP) = $2 per slice ¨ Price of antacid tablet (PT) = $1 per n tablet Which of the following consumption bundles – remember the format (QP, QT) – are affordable? ¨ (2, ¨ (5, ¨ (1, ¨ (3, 6) 0) 1) 5)

Consumption possibilities n With a given income, some consumption bundles are affordable, and others Consumption possibilities n With a given income, some consumption bundles are affordable, and others are not. ¨ All affordable consumption bundles are in the set of consumption possibilities. n But some of these don’t make sense! ¨ ¨

Consumption possibilities n Which consumption bundles are just affordable (example)? ¨ n QP · Consumption possibilities n Which consumption bundles are just affordable (example)? ¨ n QP · $2 + QT · $1 = $10 ¨ ¨ n Suppose QP = 0: Which consumption bundles are just affordable (general)? ¨ n Suppose QP = 0: ¨ ¨ ¨ n This is the budget line. ¨ Suppose QT = 0: n Suppose QT = 0: ¨ ¨

Budget line Quantity of antacid tablets (QT) 10 8 A 6 4 2 0 Budget line Quantity of antacid tablets (QT) 10 8 A 6 4 2 0 B 1 2 3 4 5 Quantity of pizza (QP)

Budget line slope n Quantity of antacid tablets (QT) The slope of any line Budget line slope n Quantity of antacid tablets (QT) The slope of any line is: “rise over run”. ¨ Take n 10 ¨ How much do you have to give up? 8 A 6 n n 4 2 0 one step to the right B 1 2 3 4 5 Quantity of pizza (QP) The slope of this budget line is: ¨

Budget line slope n The slope of the budget line is: “rise over run”. Budget line slope n The slope of the budget line is: “rise over run”. If you buy one more unit of the good on the horizontal axis (one step to the right) … ¨ … how many units of the good on the vertical axis do you have to give (negative step up) … ¨ … while remaining on your budget line? ¨ n ¨ Sometimes, this is also called

Budget line slope n In this case, the opportunity cost of the good on Budget line slope n In this case, the opportunity cost of the good on the horizontal axis (P) in terms of the good on the vertical axis (T) is: ¨ n n More generally, the opportunity cost of the good on the horizontal axis (P) in terms of the good on the vertical axis (T) is: ¨ To see this consider the budget line equation: QP · PP + QT · PT = N Rearranging:

Budget line and price changes n As the price of the good on the Budget line and price changes n As the price of the good on the horizontal axis increases, its relative price (the slope of the budget constraint) increases. Quantity of antacid tablets (QT) Budget line (N = $10, PP = $2, PT = $1) 10 8 A 6 4 2 0 B 1 2 3 4 5 Quantity of pizza (QP)

Budget line and income changes n As a consumer’s income decreases, the budget line Budget line and income changes n As a consumer’s income decreases, the budget line shifts inward. ¨ Quantity of antacid tablets (QT) 10 Budget line (N = $10) 8 A 6 4 2 0 B 1 2 3 4 5 Quantity of pizza (QP)

As you like it Utility and indifference curves As you like it Utility and indifference curves

Utility The satisfaction or reward a good or bundle of goods gives you n Utility The satisfaction or reward a good or bundle of goods gives you n Utility is relative n ¨ ¨ n Utility is ordinal as opposed to cardinal ¨ ¨ n Utility is individual ¨

Total Utility v. s. Marginal Utility Total Utility: n The total amount of satisfaction Total Utility v. s. Marginal Utility Total Utility: n The total amount of satisfaction obtained from consumption ¨ Marginal Utility: n The additional satisfaction you gain by consuming one more unit of a good ¨

Law of Diminishing Marginal Utility n The more of a good consumed (in any Law of Diminishing Marginal Utility n The more of a good consumed (in any period) the less utility is generated by each additional (marginal) unit ¨ e. g. the first v. s. fourth and fifth slices of pizza # Slices 0 1 2 3 4 5 Total Utility 0 12 22 28 32 32 Marginal Utility

Utility function n A consumer’s utility function tells you the level of satisfaction, or Utility function n A consumer’s utility function tells you the level of satisfaction, or total utility, that the consumer gets from each consumption bundle. n A 6 utils 4 utils 2 utils B ¨ 0 utils

Utility and indifference curves n Utility and indifference curves n

Indifference curves n Which indifference curve a consumption bundle lies on shows graphically the Indifference curves n Which indifference curve a consumption bundle lies on shows graphically the level of total utility for that consumption bundle.

“Nice” indifference curves n We’ll assume that consumers’ preferences are monotone. ¨ Quantity of “Nice” indifference curves n We’ll assume that consumers’ preferences are monotone. ¨ Quantity of antacid tablets (QT) 10 n n This means indifference curves “further out” represent bundles that are more preferred. 8 A 6 C 4 2 0 1 2 3 4 5 Quantity of pizza (QP)

“Nice” indifference curves n A rational consumer is one that has preferences that are “Nice” indifference curves n A rational consumer is one that has preferences that are transitive. ¨ Transitivity means that if the consumer: n n prefers consumption bundle A to consumption bundle B, and prefers consumption bundle B to consumption bundle C, then n Quantity of antacid tablets (QT) C 10 8 A 6 4 n This rules out “crossing” indifference curves. 2 0 B 1 2 3 4 5 Quantity of pizza (QP)

“Nice” indifference curves n We’ll also assume that indifference curves have a convex shape. “Nice” indifference curves n We’ll also assume that indifference curves have a convex shape. Quantity of antacid tablets (QT) ¨ 10 8 6 n 4 2 n 0 1 2 3 4 5 Quantity of pizza (QP)

Marginal rate of substitution Quantity of antacid tablets (QT) n 10 8 A 6 Marginal rate of substitution Quantity of antacid tablets (QT) n 10 8 A 6 4 ¨ ¨ 2 0 Suppose I give you one more unit of the good on the horizontal axis. How much of the good on the vertical axis would you at most be willing to give up? 1 2 3 4 5 Quantity of pizza (QP) … the (absolute value of the) slope of the indifference curve at some consumption bundle is called the MRS at that consumption bundle. n

Marginal rate of substitution n As you get one more slice of pizza, and Marginal rate of substitution n As you get one more slice of pizza, and give up antacid tablets in place of it, your total utility remains the same. ¨ How much does your total utility change from one more slice of pizza? n From QP more slices of pizza, your total utility changes by ¨ How much does your total utility change from one more antacid table? n From QT more antacid tablets, your total utility changes by

Marginal rate of substitution n As you get one more slice of pizza, and Marginal rate of substitution n As you get one more slice of pizza, and give up antacid tablets in place of it, your total utility remains the same. ¨ In other words, the change in total utility from more pizza and the change in total utility from fewer antacid tablets adds up to zero. ¨ ¨ ¨ n

Why are indifference curves convex? Why does the slope become flatter? n Slope = Why are indifference curves convex? Why does the slope become flatter? n Slope = MRS = MUP/MUT n Recall: law of diminishing marginal utility left to right: consume fewer tablets and more pizza n n Quantity of antacid tablets (QT) 10 8 6 4 2 0 1 2 3 4 5 Quantity of pizza (QP)

Why are indifference curves convex? n At a point like A ¨ You have Why are indifference curves convex? n At a point like A ¨ You have lots of antacid ¨ 10 ¨ n At a point like B ¨ ¨ ¨ Quantity of antacid tablets (QT) You have lots of pizza and little antacid A 8 6 B 4 2 0 1 2 3 4 5 Quantity of pizza (QP)

Special indifference curves n Two goods that you always want to consume in the Special indifference curves n Two goods that you always want to consume in the same ratio are called perfect complements. ¨ One more unit of one good makes you no better off ¨ Only get higher utility with more of both goods ¨ Example: Quantity of car tires 10 8 6 4 2 0 1 2 3 4 5 Quantity of cars

Special indifference curves n n Two goods for which the MRS is always the Special indifference curves n n Two goods for which the MRS is always the same are called perfect substitutes. Willing to trade off the two goods at a constant rate ¨ Example: Quantity of Coke 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 Quantity of Pepsi

Optimal consumption bundle n n We now have all the information we need to Optimal consumption bundle n n We now have all the information we need to solve for the optimal bundle Example: ¨ ¨ Suppose a consumer has the following indifference curves representing her preferences: And suppose that: n N = $10 n PP = $2 n PT = $1 Quantity of antacid tablets (QT) 10 8 A 6 4 2 0 1 2 3 4 5 Quantity of pizza (QP)

Tangency condition n n Utility maximization occurs at a point of tangency between the Tangency condition n n Utility maximization occurs at a point of tangency between the budget constraint and indifference curve At the optimal consumption bundle, ¨ ¨ ¨ The rate at which the market allows the consumer to exchange antacid for pizza equals the rate at which the consumer is willing to exchange antacid for pizza

Tangency condition n We can rewrite the tangency condition as follows ¨ PP / Tangency condition n We can rewrite the tangency condition as follows ¨ PP / PT = MUP / MUT ¨ n The “law of the equal bang for the buck”: ¨ n n n Why? Suppose instead that MUT / PT > MUP / PP

Changing prices n As the price of the good on the horizontal axis increases, Changing prices n As the price of the good on the horizontal axis increases, the optimal quantity of that good consumed changes. ¨ (Of the other good too, but we don’t care. ) Quantity of antacid tablets (QT) Budget line (N = $10, PP = $2, PT = $1) 10 8 A 1 6 4 2 0 1 2 3 4 5 Quantity of pizza (QP)

Summary of consumer decisions n As the price of a good changes, we keep Summary of consumer decisions n As the price of a good changes, we keep track of how much of that good the individual consumer chooses to consume. ¨ This is the individual demand curve. Price of pizza (PP) $5 $2 0 1 2 3 4 5 Quantity of pizza (QP)

Understanding individual demand Income and substitution effects Understanding individual demand Income and substitution effects

Income and substitution effects n As the price of pizza increases, two things happen: Income and substitution effects n As the price of pizza increases, two things happen: ¨ The relative price of pizza increases … n Quantity of antacid tablets (QT) 10 8 6 A 1 A 2 4 ¨… and the consumer becomes “poorer” n 2 0 1 2 3 4 5 Quantity of pizza (QP)

Income and substitution effects n As the price of pizza increases, two things happen: Income and substitution effects n As the price of pizza increases, two things happen: ¨ The n ¨… n Quantity of antacid tablets (QT) substitution effect … 10 (the consumer substitutes away from the relatively more expensive pizza) 8 and the income effect (the consumer consumes – more or less? – pizza as real income falls) 6 A 1 A 2 4 2 0 1 2 3 4 5 Quantity of pizza (QP)

Normal and inferior goods n As income changes, will a consumer consume more or Normal and inferior goods n As income changes, will a consumer consume more or less of a good? ¨ n Goods for which consumption falls as income falls are normal goods. ¨ n Goods for which consumption rises as income falls are inferior goods. ¨

Do demand curves slope down? n For a normal good, definitely yes: ¨ As Do demand curves slope down? n For a normal good, definitely yes: ¨ As price rises … n n n For an inferior good, maybe: ¨ As price rises … n n ¨ Now it depends on which effect is stronger. n n n If the substitution effect is stronger, everything is fine. If the income effect is stronger, we have a problem The “law of demand”: demand curves slope down