Consider a firm operating in a market where it has some degree of market power, enabling it to set prices rather than being a price taker. The firm realizes that the consumers in its market have varying price elasticities of demand based on their individual characteristics. Assume constant marginal costs for simplicity.

a. Assume that the firm identifies two distinct segments in its market: Segment A, with a relatively inelastic demand, and Segment B, with a more elastic demand. Draw and label the demand curves for each segment.

b. If the firm practices third-degree price discrimination:

• What prices will it charge in each segment to maximize its total profit?
• Identify and shade the consumer surplus and producer surplus for each segment.

c. Now assume that the firm has perfect information about all consumers and can charge them their marginal value for each unit sold (that is, they can charge separately both to different consumers and to the same consumer for subsequent units).Assume constant marginal costs.Draw the demand curve in this market, the price schedule the monopolist will follow, and identify consumer, producer surpluses and deadweight loss, if any.