The Burden of a Tax Will Fall Primarily on Sellers

question 146

Multiple Choice

The burden of a tax will fall primarily on sellers when the

• A) demand for the product is highly inelastic and the supply is relatively elastic.
• B) demand for the product is highly elastic and the supply is relatively inelastic.
• C) tax is legally (statutorily) imposed on the seller of the product.
• D) tax is legally (statutorily) imposed on the buyer of the product.

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Definitions:

Contribution Margin

The difference between sales revenue and variable costs, used to cover fixed expenses and then contribute to profit.

Variable Expenses

Costs that vary directly with the level of production or sales volume.

Break-even Point

The point at which total costs and total revenues are exactly the same, yielding neither a profit nor a loss.

Degree of Operating Leverage

The degree of operating leverage is a financial ratio that measures the sensitivity of a company's operating income to its sales, indicating how earnings before interest and taxes are affected by sales volume.