Define indifference curve in economics. Indifference curve financial definition of indifference curve 2022-10-27

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An indifference curve is a graphical representation of the different combinations of two goods that a consumer is willing to accept as being equally preferred. In other words, an indifference curve shows the different bundles of two goods that a consumer is indifferent between, meaning that the consumer would be equally satisfied with any of the combinations on the curve.

Indifference curves are typically used to represent a consumer's preferences in a two-good consumption space, where one good is plotted on the x-axis and the other good is plotted on the y-axis. The consumer's willingness to pay for each good is represented by the slope of the indifference curve, with a higher slope indicating a higher willingness to pay for the good on the y-axis.

Indifference curves have several important properties. First, they are downward sloping, meaning that as the quantity of one good increases, the quantity of the other good must decrease in order for the consumer to remain indifferent between the two combinations. This is because as the quantity of one good increases, the consumer's willingness to pay for the other good decreases.

Second, indifference curves cannot intersect, as this would imply that the consumer is indifferent between two combinations that have the same quantities of both goods, which is impossible.

Finally, indifference curves are convex to the origin, meaning that they have a bowed shape when plotted on a graph. This reflects the idea that as the consumer's consumption of one good increases, the consumer's marginal rate of substitution (the rate at which the consumer is willing to give up one good in exchange for the other) decreases.

In economics, indifference curves are often used to represent a consumer's preferences and to analyze consumer behavior in different market situations. For example, economists may use indifference curves to analyze how a consumer's consumption changes in response to a change in the price of one of the goods, or to analyze the consumer's optimal consumption choices given their budget constraint.

Indifference Curves: Definition, Properties and Other Details

define indifference curve in economics

It is not necessary at this stage to know how much utility is obtained from an apple or an orange. Combination g has 1 unit of orange O more than combination h. Asset turnover ratio can be different fro economic growth of country is determined by factors such as Capital structure, Human resources, Natural resources and revenue generation of businesses operating within the nation. The Principle of Diminishing Marginal Substitutability corresponds to the older law of diminishing marginal utility. The problems created by such comparisons were sought to be overcome by Scitovsky through the use of compensation principle.


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The Community Indifference Curves

define indifference curve in economics

Indifference Curve Analysis Indifference curves operate under many assumptions; for example, each indifference curve is typically convex to the origin, and no two indifference curves ever intersect. On the other hand, if the price of apple becomes very high, he may be forced by lack of means to give up apple. To be equivalent to h it must have less apple A. There may be many other such combinations. These differences not only create problems in the aggregation of pattern of preferences but also necessitate changes in the indifference map of the society. In economics, an indifference curve is a line drawn between different consumption bundles, on a graph charting the quantity of good A consumed versus the quantity of good B consumed.


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Indifference Curve: Definition, Indifference Map, MRS, Examples etc.

define indifference curve in economics

Thus an indifference curve may be defined as a curve which shows combinations of goods which are equivalent to one another. A country borrows money from creditors, with the vie Bailout is a general term for extending financial support to a company or a country facing a potential bankruptcy threat. Another criticism of the indifference curve is that it does not align with economic activity, in the sense that the only action in the indifference curve is that of preference and not indifference. Different values of c correspond to different indifference curves, so if we increase our expected utility, we obtain a new indifference curve that is plotted above and to the right of the previous one. Criticisms and Complications of the Indifference Curve Indifference curves, like many aspects of contemporary For example, consumer preferences might change between two different points in time, rendering specific indifference curves practically useless. But there are a number of indifference curves, as shown in Figure 2. The line AB has important characteristics.


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Indifference Curve

define indifference curve in economics

All combinations that are within his reach lie on the budget line. Alternatively we can say that the marginal rate of substitution of orange for apple diminishes as the supply of apple diminishes. Definition: The Indifference Curve shows the different combinations of two goods that give equal satisfaction and utility to the consumers. Along the indifference curve, the consumer is indifferent between any of the combinations of goods represented by points on the curve because the combination of goods on an indifference curve provides the same level of utility to the consumer. This assumption ignores the inter-personal differences in tastes. The bottom part of the Fig.


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Indifference Curves: Meaning and Assumptions (With Diagram)

define indifference curve in economics

Consequently, the MRS xy goes on diminishing and the community indifference curve follows the path of a negatively sloping convex curve to the origin. If the price of apple becomes much cheaper he may give up orange altogether. Under certain special circumstances an indifference curve may be a straight line or even concave to the origin. Indifference Curve Analysis and the Demand Curve : Indifference curve analysis can be used to show why the demand curve usually slopes down. AB is called the Price Line or the Budget Line or the Consumption-Possibility Line See Fig.

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What is Indifference Curve? definition, assumptions and illustratuon

define indifference curve in economics

The indifference curve is plotted on a standard graph with two dimensions or axis; the y and the x-axis. It follows, therefore, that there are more than one combination of apple and orange which are equally satisfactory to him. The principle of diminishing marginal utility is illustrated here as the total utility increases at a diminishing rate with additional consumption. An indifference curve is often used to showcase a consumers preference limitation when two goods of equivalence utility are considered, this means the consumer has no preference for any of the products. It is a locus of points sharing alternative combinations of apple and orange which give the same satisfaction to the consumer.

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What is Indifference Curve? Definition of Indifference Curve, Indifference Curve Meaning

define indifference curve in economics

When it is said that combination C is better than B and B is better than A Fig. Description: Bank rates influence lending rates of commercial banks. Combination A includes OQ of X + OP of Y and combination B includes OQ 1 of X + OP 1 of Y. In order to curb liquidity, the central bank can resort to raising the bank rate and vice versa. Specifically, they would only give up one product if they receive more of another for it, being indifferent as between combination E, which offers a lot of product X and little of product Y, and combination F which offers less product X and more product Y see indifference curve a curve showing alternative combinations of two products, each of which gives the same Fig. In such cases, the IC will be L-shaped and convex to the origin.

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Indifference Curves in Economics: What Do They Explain?

define indifference curve in economics

This follows from the principle that as the consumption of orange increases the desire for it will fall and as the consumption of apple decreases the desire for it will increase. If the price of apple becomes much cheaper, he may give up orange altogether. ADVERTISEMENTS: Suppose a consumer is asked to choose between the following two combinations: a. The latter shows the various combinations of the two commodities such that the consumer is indifferent to those combinations. Indifference curves are used along with. A budget line is a locus of points showing alternative combinations of two goods that can be purchased with a fixed amount of money income and fixed prices of the two goods. This gives us point Z in the bottom part of the Fig.

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Indifference complianceportal.american.edu

define indifference curve in economics

The reason for bailout is to support an industry that may be affecting millions of people in According to the RBI, balance of payment is a statistical statement that shows 1. Hence, the MRS is 6. There is an Slope of the Indifference Curve The slope of the indifference curve at any point is the negative marginal utility of good A as a proportion of the marginal utility of good B. Similarly, for subsequent exchanges, the MRS is 2 and 1 respectively. If the various combinations are plotted on a diagram and are joined by a line this becomes an indifference curve, as f in the Figure 1. Because people are constrained by a limited budget, they cannot purchase everything. But a consumer can compare two or more combinations of goods and say which of them he likes best or whether he likes them all equally well.

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