What effect does a price hike have on the total revenue of the producers?
What will be an ideal response?
The effect of a price hike on total revenue depends on the elasticity of demand. If the demand is elastic, then total revenue will decrease because the decrease in the quantity demanded will outweigh the effect of the higher price. If the demand is inelastic, then total revenue will increase. In this case, the decrease in the quantity demanded is proportionally less than the increase in price and so the higher price leads to increased total revenue. Finally, if the demand is unit elastic, then the higher price does not change the total revenue. The percentage decrease in the quantity demanded just equals the percentage increase in the price and so the two effects just offset each other. The total revenue does not change.