kysyntäkurvi

kysyntäkurvi, the Finnish term for a demand curve, is a graphical representation used in microeconomics to illustrate the relationship between the price of a good or service and the quantity demanded by consumers. The curve typically slopes downward from left to right, reflecting the inverse law of demand: as prices rise, the quantity demanded falls, and vice versa. This negative slope arises from three mechanisms – the substitution effect, income effect, and the law of diminishing marginal utility – which together drive consumer choice toward lower-priced alternatives and reduce purchase quantity when prices increase.

Mathematically, a demand curve can be expressed as a function Q = D(P), where Q denotes quantity demanded and P denotes price. In linear form this is often represented as Q = a – bP, where a and b are positive constants. The slope –b represents price elasticity of demand; a steeper curve indicates inelastic demand, while a flatter curve indicates elastic demand. In more advanced models, the curve may incorporate additional variables such as consumer income, tastes, technology, and expectations, leading to a multivariable function D(P, Y, T, …).

kysyntäkurvie are foundational tools in market analysis. By combining a demand curve with a corresponding supply curve, economists can determine market equilibrium price and quantity. Shifts in the demand curve, rather than movements along it, illustrate changes in market conditions due to factors like income growth, preferences, seasonality, or policy interventions. The concept remains central to welfare studies, public policy, and strategic business planning, and is broadly taught in both introductory and advanced microeconomic courses across Finnish-speaking institutions.