• Unplanned factors: Bad weather may result in some crops not growing so the farmer will sell less of their crops. Example: Bad weather has led to a decrease in the growth of wheat (made into flour) and so Deirdre has to decrease the supply of doughnuts.
The scenarios below show how supply increases or decreases. Place a tick () in the correct box for each scenario.
Write It! Scenario Cost of production increases. The government increases corporation tax.
An increase in the minimum wage for hotel workers.
The price of a substitute product decreases.
Improved, cheaper production methods using computer-aided design.
An increase in the minimum wage.
Technology prices decrease as result of a reduction in VAT.
P. 294
Go to page 294 of the activity book to practise more questions on supply.
5 Equilibrium
Equilibrium is the point on the graph where the demand curve meets the supply curve. At this point we can determine equilibrium price and equilibrium quantity.
Equilibrium price is the price the seller is happy to supply the product at and the buyer is willing to pay for the product.
Equilibrium quantity is the quantity of the product or service which the seller is willing to supply and the buyer is willing to buy at the given price.
From the diagram we can say that if the supply price is €50, the quantity supplied would be 100 units. Therefore, equilibrium price is €50 and equilibrium quantity is 100 units. Where demand and supply meet, it is called the point of equilibrium.