3.1
The Implicit Function Theorem
Goals:
1 Identify when one variable of an implicit equation can be written as a function of the other(s)
2 Compute the derivative of one variable with respect to another
3 Determine how the optimal choice responds to changes in an exogenous parameter
3.1.1
Comparative Statics
Comparative statics study situations with one or more choice variables x
i
and one or more exoge-
nous parameters α
j
.
Example
A consumer maximizing her utility has the choice variable
q: the quantity of a product they buy
and the exogenous parameter
p: the price of that product
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