Maria notices that the price of coffee has increased significantly. She usually buys coffee and pastries together. After the price increase, she finds herself buying fewer pastries as well. What can be inferred about the relationship between coffee and pastries based on this scenario?

In this scenario, we can infer that coffee and pastries are likely complementary goods, meaning they are often consumed together. When the price of coffee goes up, Maria buys less coffee, which leads her to buy fewer pastries as well. This shows that the increase in coffee prices has made her reduce her overall spending on both items. For example, if she usually buys a coffee and a pastry for breakfast, the higher coffee price may cause her to skip the pastry to save money. This relationship is important because it demonstrates how the price change of one good can directly affect the demand for another good that is linked to it.