S. Klepper, Economics 73-100, Fall 2008

 

Solution to Mini-test 3

 

If the theatre lowered its price, the quantity demanded would rise, contributing to more people wanting to attend the theatre.  However, if the movie theatre were selling out at a price of $10, it could not accommodate any additional viewers.  Therefore, if it lowered its price then the number of people attending the theatre would be the same but it would take in less revenue from each person, causing its total revenues to decline.  This would be true regardless of the price elasticity of demand for movies.  Alternatively, if it increased its price then the number of people attending the theatre would decline.  If the price elasticity of demand were less than one and the price increase was small, the percentage decrease in attendance would be outweighed by the percentage increase in price and the theatre would increase its revenues.  The fact that the movie theatre is selling out at $10 indicates nothing about the price elasticity of demand, which calibrates the percentage change in the quantity demanded per percentage change in price.

 

Based on this description, the answers to the individual questions are:

 

_____1. True

 

_____2. False—it depends on the price elasticity of demand.

 

_____3. False

 

_____4. True

 

_____5. False