📚 Learning Guide
Elasticity and Tax Incidence
easy

If the price elasticity of supply is relatively high, how will producers respond to a tax imposed on a good?

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Learning Path

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Choose the Best Answer

A

They will significantly reduce the quantity supplied

B

They will increase the price of the good

C

They will not change the quantity supplied

D

They will decrease the quantity supplied slightly

Understanding the Answer

Let's break down why this is correct

Answer

When the price elasticity of supply is relatively high, it means that producers can easily adjust their production levels in response to changes in price. If a tax is imposed on a good, producers may choose to pass most of the tax burden onto consumers by raising prices. However, because they can quickly adjust how much they supply, they might also reduce the quantity they produce if the higher prices lead to lower demand. For example, if a tax increases the cost of making a toy, a toy manufacturer might raise prices, but if sales drop significantly, they may decide to make fewer toys instead of losing money. Overall, a high elasticity of supply allows producers to be more flexible in how they respond to taxes, balancing between price increases and production adjustments.

Detailed Explanation

When supply is elastic, producers can quickly change how much they make. Other options are incorrect because Some might think producers will just raise prices to cover the tax; It's a common mistake to think producers will keep making the same amount.

Key Concepts

price elasticity of supply
Topic

Elasticity and Tax Incidence

Difficulty

easy level question

Cognitive Level

understand

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