In particular, %Q = -0.5 x %
P. This means that the change in price will be greater in percentage
terms (in fact twice as large) than the change in quantity. If the
firm increases price, quantity demanded will fall by a smaller
percentage amount, increasing revenue.
The question asks what a monopolist can do to increase profit,
not revenue (in this case it's the same thing). If the firm increases
price, thus lowering output, its revenues rise. However, since output falls
it has to produce less, causing costs to fall. Rising revenue +
falling costs mean increased profit. Since the firm is a monopolist
it need not be concerned with competitors; therefore, raising the price increases
profits if demand is inelastic.
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