Economics

Supply Elasticity: Elasticity of Supply explained

len Alfred Ajibola - Fri, 03rd January, 2020 @ 4:41 PM

Topics in Economics

Types of capital market: Primary market and secondary market Capital market explained with its functions Basic tools for economic analysis: Graphs explained with its characteristics and importance Basic tools for economic analysis: Tables explained with its characteristics and importance Factors affecting population in economics Advantages of Inflation Disadvantages of Inflation Concept of Inflation in Economics Scheme of work for Economics, SS1, First Term Scheme of work for Economics, SS1, Second Term Scheme of Work for Economics, SS1, Third Term Functions of the Wholesaler Advantages and Disadvantages of the Wholesaler Wholesale Market: Who is a Wholesaler? Characteristics of the Wholesaler Retail Market: Who is a Retailer and Examples of Retailers Market: Types of Market What is a Market in Economics? Elasticity of supply explained with its types Supply Elasticity: Elasticity of Supply explained


Academic Questions in Economics

Please click here to see all Questions and Answers

_____ is defined as a gradual and sustained rise in price level of goods and services in relation to their availability.

  • A. Basis Point Rate

  • B. Hike Rate

  • C. Elastic Supply

  • D. Elasticity of Price

  • E. Price Inflation

  • F. Aggregate Supply

The wholesalers can bring about an economy of scale.

  • A. True

  • B. False

Which of the following statement isn't a characteristics of the wholesaler?

  • A. They may have to operate in specific areas or regions accorded them by the producer

  • B. They are often popular in the line of goods they supply

  • C. They are not risk bearers

  • D. They have good storage facilities

  • E. They often pay for goods supplied by the manufacturers in advance

  • F. They usually have business agents or brokers

The wholesalers act as the middlemen in supply chain.

  • A. True

  • B. False

Large retailers who buy directly from manufacturers are termed as _____.

  • A. Wholesale Retailers

  • B. Certified Retailers

  • C. Codified Retailers

  • D. Commodity Retailers

  • E. Manufacturers Retailer

  • F. Conspicuous Retailers

_____ is a market whereby the sellers buy goods in lesser quantities from the wholesalers and sells in bits to the final consumers.

  • A. Commodity

  • B. Retail

  • C. Wholesale

  • D. Labour

  • E. Common

  • F. General

Which of the following is not a financial market?

  • A. Money Market

  • B. Bond Market

  • C. Foreign Exchange Market

  • D. Virtual Market

  • E. Capital Market

  • F. Stock Exchange Market

A _____ market provides a platform whereby job seekers link up with employers in an attempt to be hired.

  • A. Wholesale market

  • B. Bond market

  • C. Physical market

  • D. Virtual market

  • E. Factor Market

  • F. Labor Market



Elasticity of Supply:

Let's begin with an instance:

If there is an increase in the price of rice and a decrease in the price maize, farmers will be motivated to plant more rice and less maize.

The planting of rice will directly increase the total quantity of rice in the market.

The rate at which the increased price of rice (or any other goods) translates into its increased production and availability in the market is termed price elasticity of supply or supply elasticity.

Please read more on the Concept of Cost here.


Consider the statements below:

  • If a 100% increase in the price of rice translates into a 100% increase in the production and supply of rice, the supply elasticity is said to be unitary elastic and its value is equal to 1.
  • Similarly, if a 100% increase in the price of rice translates into a 50% increase in the production and supply (quantity) of rice, the supply elasticity is said to be inelastic and its value will be greater than zero and less than 1.
    In this case, the exact value is 0.5: (value of change in the quantity of rice divided by value of change in price of rice = 50/100 = 0.5).
  • Similarly, if a 100% increase in the price of rice translates into a 200% increase in the production and supply (quantity) of rice, the supply elasticity is said to be elastic and its value will be greater than 1 and less than infinity.
    In this case, the exact value is 2 (value of change in the quantity of rice divided by value of change in price of rice = 200/100 = 2).

You can read on demand and law of demand here.


For products that are more elastic, the supply curve will move towards the horizontal side of the graph while for the products with less elasticity, the supply curve will move towards the vertical side of the graph. (The various curves for supply elasticity will be shown in the explanations below).

Please read on the types of supply elasticity. The various supply curve are shown and explained here here.


Elasticity of supply can be expressed in a variety of terms but the major way to go about it is via a change in price of commodity versus the change in the quantity supplied of such commodity.

According to the law of supply, there is a direct relationship between the price of a commodity and the quantity supplied of such commodity.

Please read on supply, law of supply and supply curve here.


Apart from price, other factors that can affect the quantity of goods and services supplied may also be used to determine the elasticity of supply.

Regardless of other factors that may be used as an attribute in the elasticity of supply, price is simply preferred because it is generally considered to be the major determinant of the quantity of a commodity or service supplied. For this reason, supply elasticity may also be called price elasticity of supply.

You can read on the concept of production here.


The equations below show the Price Elasticity of Supply (Supply Elasticity):

  • Es = [(Δq/q)×100] ÷ [(Δp/p)×100]
  • Es = (Δq/q) ÷ (Δp/p)
  • Es = Elasticity of supply
  • Δq = The change in quantity supplied
  • q = The quantity supplied
  • Δp = The change in price
  • p = The price

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Amazing facts in Economics


Notable points in Economics

A unitary elasticity of supply is seen when a change in price brings about a corresponding and proportional change in the quantity of goods or services supplied.

The graph below shows a unit elasticity of supply:
Unit Elastic Supply Curve - Len Academy

Below is an instance of a unitary elasticity of supply:

  • If a 100% increase in the price of wheat translates into a 100% increase in the production and supply of wheat, then the supply elasticity is said to be unitary elastic and its value is equal to 1.

Unitary elasticity is always equal to 1, that is: Es = 1

The supply curve runs diagonally and will pass through the center.

Supply elasticity is defined as the rate at which an increase in price of goods translates into its increased production and availability in the market. Supply elasticity is also termed as price elasticity of supply.

Consider the statements below:

  • If a 100% increase in the price of rice translates into a 100% increase in the production and supply of rice, the supply elasticity is said to be unitary elastic and its value is equal to 1.

  • If a 100% increase in the price of rice translates into a 50% increase in the production and supply (quantity) of rice, the supply elasticity is said to be inelastic and its value will be greater than zero and less than 1. In this case, the exact value is 0.5: (value of change in the quantity of rice divided by value of change in price of rice = 50/100 = 0.5).

  • Please read on supply elasticity here

The individual demand schedule is a table that shows the demand of a commodity that an individual (consumer) purchased at various prices, and at a particular time.

The table below shows an individual demand schedule:

Price in Naira (of a tuber of yam)

Quantity demanded (per week)

500

5

400

10

300

15

200

20

100

25

The market demand schedule is also referred to as an aggregate demand schedule, total demand schedule or composite demand schedule.

This is a table that shows the different commodities purchased by all the consumers or customers in the market.

The market demand schedule is the summation of the individual demand schedules, showing the demand of different customers for a commodity at a particular price. It is shown in the table below:

Unit price of commodity (Naira)

Quantity demanded by consumer A (QA)

Quantity demanded by consumer A (QB)

Market demand (QA +  QB)

50

20

15

35

40

40

30

70

30

60

45

105

20

80

60

140

10

100

75

175

 

From the above table, notice that when the unit price of the commodity was 50 Naira, consumer A demanded 20 quantities while consumer B demanded 15 quantities.

Please read more on demand schedule here.

Below are definitions of demand from the perspective of some notable professors:

The demand for goods is a schedule of the amounts that buyers would be willing to purchase at all possible prices at any one instant of a time.

Professor Mayers

Demand is the various quantities of goods that would be purchased per time period at different prices in a given market.

Professor Hibdon

The demand for anything, at a given price is the amount of it which will be bought per unit of time at the price.

Professor Benham

Generally, demand is defined as the willingness of a person, buyer or consumer to buy a specific quantity of goods or service at a given price and time.

From the above definitions, we can infer that the definition of demand is referenced to three major factors. These are:

  1. Quantity of Goods Demanded

  2. Price

  3. Time

Please read more on the concept of demand here.