Skip to content
Question of 35

Q.Explain the consumer's equilibrium with the help of the indifference curves. (2 + 2 = 4)

Rajasthan RbseRBSE Rajasthan Senior Secondary (Class-12) Commerce Board 2020Subjective· 4mImportance★★★★★
0% · 0/35 Questions
🔒 Locked · start free trial →

You're viewing a preview — the full solution, concept, methods & PYQ mapping are locked.

Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →

Consumer's equilibrium is the point of tangency between the budget line and the highest attainable indifference curve, where MRS = price ratio and the indifference curve is convex.

Meaning: A consumer is in equilibrium when, with a given income and given prices, he buys that combination of two goods which gives him the maximum satisfaction and which he has no tendency to change.

Assumptions: The consumer is rational (aims at maximum satisfaction), has a fixed money income, faces given prices of the two goods X and Y, and his preferences are shown by a set of indifference curves.

Conditions of equilibrium (two):

  1. Necessary (first-order) condition — tangency: The budget line must be tangent to an indifference curve, i.e. the slope of the budget line equals the slope of the indifference curve:
    • Slope of indifference curve = Marginal Rate of Substitution (MRS of X for Y)
    • Slope of budget line = price ratio Px ÷ Py
    • So equilibrium requires MRS(xy) = Px ÷ Py.
  2. Sufficient (second-order) condition — convexity: The indifference curve must be convex to the origin at the point of tangency (MRS must be falling). This ensures the point is one of maximum, not minimum, satisfaction.

Diagram (described):

  • Horizontal axis = Good X, vertical axis = Good Y.
  • Draw the straight, downward-sloping budget line AB.
  • Draw three indifference curves IC1, IC2, IC3 (IC3 highest). …

Unlock everything free for 14 days

  • Full step-by-step solutions
  • Concept-first explanations
  • Methods, shortcuts & mistakes
  • PYQ mapping + timed mock tests

Full access for 14 days. No credit card required.