Jim Whitney | Economics 102 |
To find the equilibrium P:
Qd = Qs
24 - 2P = -6 + 3P
30 = 5P
P = 6
Q = 24 - 2(6) = -6 + 3(6) = 12
1. Equilibrium: Social welfare if output = 12
Consumer surplus (CS) = 1/2 x (12 - 6)
x 12 = $______ million
Producer surplus (PS) = 1/2 x (6
- 2) x 12 = $______ million
Society's welfare gains from trade in
wine = $______ million
2. Underproduction: How much social welfare is lost if output
stops at 9?
In the diagram, the lost social welfare
= A + B
A. To find the area of A, we have to determine
how high the demand
curve is at Q = 9:
From equation
(1): Pb = 12 - (1/2)Q = 12 - (1/2)9 = ______
So A = 1/2
x (______ - 6) x (12 - 9) = $______ million loss
B. To find the area of B, we have to determine
how high the supply
curve is a at Q = 9:
From equation
(2): Ps = 2 + (1/3)Q = 2 + (1/3)9 = ______
So B = 1/2
x (6 - ______) x (12 - 9) = $______ million loss
So A + B = $______ million + $______ million
= $______ million
Society's gains from trade fall to $60
- $______ = $______ million.
3. Overproduction: How much social welfare is lost if Q continues
to 18?
In the diagram, the lost social welfare
= C + D
C. To find the area of C, we have to determine
how high the supply
curve is a at Q = 18:
From equation
(2): Ps = 2 + (1/3)Q = 2 + (1/3)18 = ______
So C = 1/2
x (______ - 6) x (18 - 12) = $______ million loss
D. To find the area of D, we have to determine
how high the demand
curve is at Q = 18:
From equation
(1): Pb = 12 - (1/2)Q = 12 - (1/2)18 = ______
So D = 1/2
x (6 - ______) x (18 - 12) = $______ million loss
So C + D = $______ million + $______ million
= $______ million
Society's gains from trade fall to $60
- $______ = $______ million
NOTE: These social welfare losses from underproduction and overproduction
are also called deadweight losses or efficiency losses.