what is the slope of demand curve?
Answers
Answer:
Since slope is defined as the change in the variable on the y-axis divided by the change in the variable on the x-axis, the slope of the demand curve equals the change in price divided by the change in quantity. To calculate the slope of a demand curve, take two points on the curve
The slope of a line is a measure of its steepness. It is given by the increase in the vertical coordinates divided by the increase in the horizontal coordinates. It simply indicates how much the line rises per unit move to the right or how much it goes down as we move to the right.
The former (an upward rising curve) is said to have a positive slope while the latter (a downward sloping curve) has a negative slope. Thus, the slope of a demand curve is ∆P/∆Q. If the price falls we write -∆P/∆Q or if price rises demand falls, we write ∆P/∆Q. In either case, the slope becomes negative.
The slope of a curve refers to its steepness indicating the rate at which it moves upwards or downwards. In the language of W. J. Baumol, “The slope of a line is a measure of steepness”. The slope of a demand curve shows the ratio between the two absolute changes in price and demand (both are variables).