📚 Learning Guide
Price Floors in Competitive Markets
medium

What is the likely outcome of a binding price floor set above the equilibrium price in a competitive market?

Master this concept with our detailed explanation and step-by-step learning approach

Learning Path
Learning Path

Question & Answer
1
Understand Question
2
Review Options
3
Learn Explanation
4
Explore Topic

Choose the Best Answer

A

A surplus of goods as supply exceeds demand

B

A shortage of goods as demand exceeds supply

C

Increased consumer spending due to lower prices

D

No effect on the market as it remains in equilibrium

Understanding the Answer

Let's break down why this is correct

Answer

A binding price floor is a minimum price set by the government that is higher than the equilibrium price, where supply and demand meet. When this happens, the price of a good or service is forced to stay above what buyers are willing to pay, leading to a surplus. For example, if the equilibrium price for apples is $1 per pound, but the government sets a price floor at $1. 50, farmers will produce more apples because they can sell them for more, but consumers may buy fewer apples at the higher price. This creates a situation where there are unsold apples, resulting in wasted resources and potential losses for farmers.

Detailed Explanation

When a price floor is set above the equilibrium price, it means sellers can't sell below that price. Other options are incorrect because Some might think a price floor causes a shortage; It's a common mistake to think lower prices come from price floors.

Key Concepts

Price Floors
Market Equilibrium
Government Intervention
Topic

Price Floors in Competitive Markets

Difficulty

medium level question

Cognitive Level

understand

Ready to Master More Topics?

Join thousands of students using Seekh's interactive learning platform to excel in their studies with personalized practice and detailed explanations.