Macroeconomics (Hubbard et al.)
Chapter 2 Measuring the Macroeconomy
2.1 GDP: Measuring Total Production and Total Income
1) Gross domestic product is calculated as the sum of the
A) total quantity of final goods and services produced in the economy during a period of time.
B) total quantity of goods and services produced in the economy.
C) total market value of goods and services produced in the economy.
D) total market value of final goods and services produced in the economy during a period of time.
Answer: D
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 25
Topic: How the Government Calculates GDP
Objective: LO1: Explain how economists use gross domestic product (GDP) to measure total production and total income.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
2) Which of the following goods is directly counted in GDP?
A) the ground beef that Taco Bell purchases for use in its burritos
B) the tortillas that Taco Bell purchases for its burritos
C) the paper wrap that Taco Bell purchases to wrap its burritos
D) the Burrito Supreme that Sondra purchases for lunch at Taco Bell
Answer: D
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 25
Topic: How the Government Calculates GDP
Objective: LO1: Explain how economists use gross domestic product (GDP) to measure total production and total income.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
3) Which of the following is likely to increase measured GDP in the United States?
A) Florida implements a state income tax, prompting more Floridians to obtain jobs in the underground economy.
B) Nissan increases production in its Japanese factories to produce more cars for export to the United States.
C) Prostitution is legalized in all 50 states.
D) A greater number of men in California decide to become "stay-at-home dads" to take care of their kids.
Answer: C
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 26
Topic: How the Government Calculates GDP
Objective: LO1: Explain how economists use gross domestic product (GDP) to measure total production and total income.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
4) National income accounting reveals that the value of total production in an economy
A) is always greater than the value of total income in the economy.
B) is always less than the value of total income in the economy.
C) is always equal to the value of total income in the economy.
D) may be greater than, less than , or equal to the value of total income in the economy.
Answer: C
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 26-27
Topic: Production and Income
Objective: LO1: Explain how economists use gross domestic product (GDP) to measure total production and total income.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
5) In a circular-flow diagram, the total value of ________ equals the total value of ________.
A) spending on goods and services; income
B) GDP; GNP
C) capital; labor
D) exports; imports
Answer: A
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 27
Topic: The Circular Flow of Income
Objective: LO1: Explain how economists use gross domestic product (GDP) to measure total production and total income.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
6) Factors of production are usually divided into all of the following categories except
A) labor.
B) capital.
C) interest.
D) natural resources.
Answer: C
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 27
Topic: The Circular Flow of Income
Objective: LO1: Explain how economists use gross domestic product (GDP) to measure total production and total income.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
Table 2.1
2011 2012
Quantity Price Quantity Price
| Apples | 50 | $0.40 | 75 | $0.50 |
| Burritos | 80 | 1.50 | 100 | 1.60 |
| Chewing Gum | 60 | 1.25 | 70 | 1.50 |
Table 2.1 gives quantities and prices for each good produced in a simple economy in 2011 and 2012.
7) Refer to Table 2.1. GDP in 2011 is
A) $190.00.
B) $199.50.
C) $215.00.
D) $267.50.
Answer: C
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 29
Topic: An Example of Measuring GDP
Objective: LO1: Explain how economists use gross domestic product (GDP) to measure total production and total income.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Analytic Skills
*: Recurring
8) Refer to Table 2.1. GDP in 2012 is
A) $243.00.
B) $267.50.
C) $294.00.
D) $302.50.
Answer: D
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 29
Topic: An Example of Measuring GDP
Objective: LO1: Explain how economists use gross domestic product (GDP) to measure total production and total income.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Analytic Skills
*: Recurring
9) Consumer purchases which are consumed at the time and place of purchase are categorized by the Bureau of Economic Analysis as
A) durable goods.
B) nondurable goods.
C) services.
D) investments.
Answer: C
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 29
Topic: National Income Identities and the Components of GDP
Objective: LO1: Explain how economists use gross domestic product (GDP) to measure total production and total income.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
10) As people's incomes rise, they tend to purchase relatively less ________ and relatively more ________.
A) durable goods; nondurable goods
B) nondurable goods; services
C) services; durable goods
D) services; nondurable goods
Answer: B
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 29
Topic: National Income Identities and the Components of GDP
Objective: LO1: Explain how economists use gross domestic product (GDP) to measure total production and total income.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
11) An example of fixed investment spending is
A) the purchase of a new apartment building by a property management company.
B) the purchase of corporate bonds by Microsoft Corporation.
C) the purchase of a new wood chipper by a landscape maintenance company.
D) $4 million in unsold furniture at a home furnishings manufacturer.
Answer: C
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 29
Topic: National Income Identities and the Components of GDP
Objective: LO1: Explain how economists use gross domestic product (GDP) to measure total production and total income.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
12) All of the following new construction projects are examples of business fixed investment spending except
A) a dental office.
B) a manufacturing factory.
C) a public library.
D) a shopping center.
Answer: C
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 50-51
Topic: National Income Identities and the Components of GDP
Objective: LO1: Explain how economists use gross domestic product (GDP) to measure total production and total income.
Special Feature: An Inside Look: Weak Construction Market Persists
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
13) All of the following are examples of residential investment spending except
A) the purchase of a new apartment building by a property management company.
B) Sandra purchases her childhood home from her parents.
C) the purchase of a new home by the MacGregor family.
D) Tobias purchases a new duplex and plans to live in one half and rent the other half to his brother Dorian.
Answer: B
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 29
Topic: National Income Identities and the Components of GDP
Objective: LO1: Explain how economists use gross domestic product (GDP) to measure total production and total income.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
14) Suppose Chevrolet produced 90,000 Camaros in the United States in 2011 and during 2011 sold 69,000 to U.S. customers and exported 14,000 to foreign buyers. How many Camaros would the BEA count as investment spending by Chevrolet in 2011?
A) 7,000
B) 21,000
C) 76,000
D) 90,000
Answer: A
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 29
Topic: National Income Identities and the Components of GDP
Objective: LO1: Explain how economists use gross domestic product (GDP) to measure total production and total income.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
15) Suppose Chevrolet produced 90,000 Camaros in the United States in 2011 and during 2011 sold 69,000 to U.S. customers and exported 14,000 to foreign buyers. The remaining Camaros were sold to U.S. customers in 2012. How many of these Camaros would count as a part of U.S. GDP in 2011?
A) 69,000
B) 76,000
C) 83,000
D) 90,000
Answer: D
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 30
Topic: National Income Identities and the Components of GDP
Objective: LO1: Explain how economists use gross domestic product (GDP) to measure total production and total income.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
16) All of the following are government purchases except
A) the salary paid to Senator John Cornyn of Texas.
B) the presidential pension paid to former President George H.W. Bush.
C) the purchase of a new office building for the CIA.
D) the purchase of new radar tracking equipment for the Navy.
Answer: B
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 31
Topic: National Income Identities and the Components of GDP
Objective: LO1: Explain how economists use gross domestic product (GDP) to measure total production and total income.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
17) Many state and local governments find themselves faced with increasing expenditures for the defined benefit plans for retired government employees. These increasing expenditures will ________ GDP because they are categorized as ________.
A) increase; government purchases
B) increase; gross private domestic investment
C) decrease; state and local government purchases
D) not change; transfer payments.
Answer: D
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 31-32
Topic: National Income Identities and the Components of GDP
Objective: LO1: Explain how economists use gross domestic product (GDP) to measure total production and total income.
Special Feature: Making the Connection: Will Public Employee Pensions Wreck State and Local Government Budgets?
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
18) The purchase by the Canadian government of a fighter jet produced in the United States is included in U.S.
A) consumption spending.
B) investment spending.
C) government purchases.
D) net exports.
Answer: D
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 33
Topic: National Income Identities and the Components of GDP
Objective: LO1: Explain how economists use gross domestic product (GDP) to measure total production and total income.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
19) Gross national product (GNP) of the United States is the value of all final goods and services
A) produced anywhere in the world by residents of the United States.
B) produced in the United States by residents of any nation.
C) produced and consumed within the United States.
D) produced anywhere in the world, but consumed by residents of the United States.
Answer: A
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 33
Topic: The Relationship Between GDP and GNP
Objective: LO1: Explain how economists use gross domestic product (GDP) to measure total production and total income.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
20) If a Canadian firm opens a production facility in the United States, the profits from this production facility received by the Canadian owners of the firm in exchange for the factors of production they supply will be included in the
A) gross domestic product of Canada.
B) gross national product of the United States.
C) gross national product of Canada.
D) exports from Canada and imports to the United States.
Answer: C
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 33
Topic: The Relationship Between GDP and GNP
Objective: LO1: Explain how economists use gross domestic product (GDP) to measure total production and total income.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
21) The profits from a U.S.-owned Burger King in France are included in the U.S. ________ and the French ________.
A) GDP; GNP
B) GDP; GDP
C) GNP; GDP
D) GNP; GNP
Answer: C
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 33
Topic: The Relationship Between GDP and GNP
Objective: LO1: Explain how economists use gross domestic product (GDP) to measure total production and total income.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
22) A country in which a substantial amount of the factories and stores that produce domestic goods and services are foreign-owned is most likely a country in which
A) GDP is much larger than GNP.
B) GNP is much larger than GDP.
C) GDP is roughly equal to GNP.
D) the relationship between GDP and GNP no longer exists.
Answer: A
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 33
Topic: The Relationship Between GDP and GNP
Objective: LO1: Explain how economists use gross domestic product (GDP) to measure total production and total income.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
23) Explain which of the following goods and services are included and which are not included in U.S. GDP:
a. Jacinda buys termite spray at her local Home Depot.
b. Jacinda uses the termite spray she purchased at her local Home Depot to treat her house for termites.
c. Arturo hires a pest control company to treat his house for termites.
d. Jeannine sells her 1969 Pontiac GTO to a local car museum.
e. Simon purchases a new John Deere tractor to use on his farm.
f. Ravi purchases 2 round-trip airline tickets between Chicago and Las Vegas.
Answer:
a. If the termite spray is produced in the United States, this would be included in U.S. GDP. If the termite spray is imported, this would not be included in U.S. GDP.
b. The value of work that someone performs around her own home is not included in GDP.
c. Hiring a company to perform work at your home is included in GDP.
d. A 1969 vehicle is not current production for the year, so is not included in current GDP.
e. The purchase of a new tractor produced in the United States is included in U.S. GDP.
f. The purchase of airline tickets to be used within the United States is included in U.S. GDP.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 25-26
Topic: How the Government Calculates GDP
Objective: LO1: Explain how economists use gross domestic product (GDP) to measure total production and total income.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
24) How would each of the following events likely change measured GDP?
a. The sale and use of marijuana is legalized.
b. There is an increase in sales of counterfeit video games.
c. A foreign-owned furniture manufacturer opens a production facility in South Carolina.
d. More people choose to forego their lawn maintenance services to take care of their own yards.
Answer:
a. If marijuana is legalized, marijuana sales will now be recorded in GDP, so GDP will increase.
b. An increase in sales of counterfeit products will not likely change GDP since these products are illegal and the sales are most likely not being reported.
c. If a foreign-owned manufacturer opens in the United States, U.S. GDP will increase.
d. If people choose to no longer pay for lawn maintenance services and choose instead to perform the services themselves, GDP will decrease.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 26
Topic: How the Government Calculates GDP
Objective: LO1: Explain how economists use gross domestic product (GDP) to measure total production and total income.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
25) Explain how the circular flow diagram illustrates that the total value of spending on goods and services in an economy is equal to the total value of income in that economy.
Answer: Firms sell goods and services to households, the government, and the rest of the world, and to produce these goods and services, firms buy factors of production from households. Households receive payment for the factors of production sold to firms. The sum of the payments received by households is total income, which is a measure of GDP. The total value of spending on the goods and services sold by firms is also a measure of GDP, so the total value of spending on goods and services in an economy is equal to the total value of income in the economy because each is a way to measure GDP.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 27-28
Topic: The Circular Flow of Income
Objective: LO1: Explain how economists use gross domestic product (GDP) to measure total production and total income.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
Table 2.2
2011 2012
Quantity Price Quantity Price
| Oranges | 30 | $0.30 | 40 | $0.50 |
| Egg Rolls | 60 | 1.10 | 75 | 1.30 |
| Whistles | 50 | 2.00 | 50 | 2.25 |
Table 2.2 gives quantities and prices for each good produced in a simple economy in 2011 and 2012.
26) Refer to Table 2.2. Calculate GDP in 2011 and 2012.
Answer:
2011 GDP = (30 x $0.30) + (60 x $1.10) + (50 x $2.00) = $175.00.
2012 GDP = (40 x $0.50) + (75 x $1.30) + (50 x $2.25) = $230.00.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 29
Topic: An Example of Measuring GDP
Objective: LO1: Explain how economists use gross domestic product (GDP) to measure total production and total income.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Analytic Skills
*: Recurring
27) List and briefly describe the 4 categories of expenditures included in GDP.
Answer:
1. Consumption, or personal consumption expenditures, is the purchase of new goods and services by households.
2. Investment, or gross private domestic investment, is spending by firms on new factories, office buildings, machinery, and additions to inventories, plus spending by households and firms on new houses.
3. Government, or government purchases, is spending by federal, state, and local governments on goods and services.
4. Net exports is the value of all exports minus the value of all imports.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 29-33
Topic: National Income Identities and the Components of GDP
Objective: LO1: Explain how economists use gross domestic product (GDP) to measure total production and total income.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
28) Explain the difference between GDP and GNP.
Answer: GDP is the market value of all final goods and services produced in a country during a given period of time, even if the production is owned by citizens of other countries. GNP is the value of all final goods and services produced by residents of a country during a given period of time, even if the production takes place outside the country. GDP - GNP = net factor payments.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 33
Topic: The Relationship Between GDP and GNP
Objective: LO1: Explain how economists use gross domestic product (GDP) to measure total production and total income.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
2.2 Real GDP, Nominal GDP, and the GDP Deflator
1) Nominal GDP is the value of goods and services
A) adjusted for inflation.
B) adjusted for anticipated inflation.
C) using base-year prices.
D) using current -year prices.
Answer: D
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 33
Topic: Real GDP, Nominal GDP, and the GDP Deflator
Objective: LO2: Discuss the differences between real GDP and nominal GDP.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
2) Real GDP is the value of goods and services
A) adjusted only for unanticipated inflation.
B) adjusted only for anticipated inflation.
C) using base-year prices.
D) using current -year prices.
Answer: C
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 33
Topic: Real GDP, Nominal GDP, and the GDP Deflator
Objective: LO2: Discuss the differences between real GDP and nominal GDP.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
3) If nominal GDP in 2011 was less than real GDP in 2011, we know for certain that
A) the price level in 2011 was greater than the price level in the base year.
B) real GDP in 2011 was greater than real GDP in the base year.
C) the price level in 2011 was less than the price level in the base year.
D) real GDP in 2011 was less than real GDP in the base year.
Answer: C
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 34
Topic: Real GDP, Nominal GDP, and the GDP Deflator
Objective: LO2: Discuss the differences between real GDP and nominal GDP.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
4) Which of the following could cause nominal GDP to increase and real GDP to decrease?
A) The price level falls and the quantity of final goods and services produced falls.
B) The price level falls and the quantity of final goods and services produced rises.
C) The price level rises and the quantity of final goods and services produced falls.
D) The price level rises and the quantity of final goods and services produced rises.
Answer: C
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 34
Topic: Real GDP, Nominal GDP, and the GDP Deflator
Objective: LO2: Discuss the differences between real GDP and nominal GDP.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
Table 2.3
2006 2009 2012
Quantity Price Quantity Price Quantity Price
| Peaches | 150 | $0.20 | 170 | $0.30 | 190 | $0.40 |
| Tacos | 75 | 0.80 | 80 | 1.00 | 100 | 1.20 |
| Flashlights | 40 | 3.00 | 40 | 3.50 | 50 | 4.50 |
| Harmonicas | 20 | 14.00 | 25 | 16.00 | 30 | 18.00 |
Table 2.3 gives quantities and prices for each good produced in a simple economy in 2006, 2009, and 2012.
5) Refer to Table 2.3. Nominal GDP in 2006 is
A) $320.63.
B) $490.00.
C) $568.00.
D) $1282.50.
Answer: B
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 34-35
Topic: Real GDP, Nominal GDP, and the GDP Deflator
Objective: LO2: Discuss the differences between real GDP and nominal GDP.
Special Feature: Solved Problem 2.2a: Calculating Real GDP
AACSB: Analytic Skills
6) Refer to Table 2.3. Nominal GDP in 2009 is
A) $540.00.
B) $568.00.
C) $671.00.
D) $812.00.
Answer: C
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 34-35
Topic: Real GDP, Nominal GDP, and the GDP Deflator
Objective: LO2: Discuss the differences between real GDP and nominal GDP.
Special Feature: Solved Problem 2.2a: Calculating Real GDP
AACSB: Analytic Skills
7) Refer to Table 2.3. Nominal GDP in 2012 is
A) $568.00.
B) $794.00.
C) $812.00.
D) $961.00.
Answer: D
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 34-35
Topic: Real GDP, Nominal GDP, and the GDP Deflator
Objective: LO2: Discuss the differences between real GDP and nominal GDP.
Special Feature: Solved Problem 2.2a: Calculating Real GDP
AACSB: Analytic Skills
8) Refer to Table 2.3. Assume that 2009 is the base year. Real GDP in 2006 is
A) $490.00.
B) $568.00.
C) $580.00.
D) $671.00.
Answer: C
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 34-35
Topic: Real GDP, Nominal GDP, and the GDP Deflator
Objective: LO2: Discuss the differences between real GDP and nominal GDP.
Special Feature: Solved Problem 2.2a: Calculating Real GDP
AACSB: Analytic Skills
9) Refer to Table 2.3. Assume that 2009 is the base year. Real GDP in 2009 is
A) $490.00.
B) $580.00.
C) $671.00.
D) $812.00.
Answer: C
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 34-35
Topic: Real GDP, Nominal GDP, and the GDP Deflator
Objective: LO2: Discuss the differences between real GDP and nominal GDP.
Special Feature: Solved Problem 2.2a: Calculating Real GDP
AACSB: Analytic Skills
10) Refer to Table 2.3. Assume that 2009 is the base year. Real GDP in 2012 is
A) $688.00.
B) $794.00.
C) $812.00.
D) $961.00.
Answer: C
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 34-35
Topic: Real GDP, Nominal GDP, and the GDP Deflator
Objective: LO2: Discuss the differences between real GDP and nominal GDP.
Special Feature: Solved Problem 2.2a: Calculating Real GDP
AACSB: Analytic Skills
11) Refer to Table 2.3. Assume that 2009 is the base year. The GDP deflator for 2006 is
A) 67.1.
B) 84.5.
C) 100.0.
D) 118.3.
Answer: B
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 35
Topic: Real GDP, Nominal GDP, and the GDP Deflator
Objective: LO2: Discuss the differences between real GDP and nominal GDP.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Analytic Skills
*: Recurring
12) Refer to Table 2.3. Assume that 2009 is the base year. The GDP deflator for 2009 is
A) 67.1.
B) 84.5.
C) 100.0.
D) 118.3.
Answer: C
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 35
Topic: Real GDP, Nominal GDP, and the GDP Deflator
Objective: LO2: Discuss the differences between real GDP and nominal GDP.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Analytic Skills
*: Recurring
13) Refer to Table 2.3. Assume that 2009 is the base year. The GDP deflator for 2012 is
A) 67.1.
B) 84.5.
C) 100.0.
D) 118.3.
Answer: D
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 35
Topic: Real GDP, Nominal GDP, and the GDP Deflator
Objective: LO2: Discuss the differences between real GDP and nominal GDP.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Analytic Skills
*: Recurring
14) If the GDP deflator is less than 100 in 2011, then nominal GDP ________ real GDP in 2011.
A) is less than
B) is greater than
C) is equal to
D) may be greater than or less than
Answer: A
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 35
Topic: Price Indexes and the GDP Deflator
Objective: LO2: Discuss the differences between real GDP and nominal GDP.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
Table 2.4
2010 2011
| Nominal GDP | $555 million | $610 million |
| Real GDP | $480 million | $575 million |
15) Refer to Table 2.4. The GDP deflator for 2010 is
A) 86.5.
B) 115.6.
C) 135.1.
D) 156.3.
Answer: B
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 36
Topic: Price Indexes and the GDP Deflator
Objective: LO2: Discuss the differences between real GDP and nominal GDP.
Special Feature: Solved Problem 2.2b: Calculating the Inflation Rate
AACSB: Analytic Skills
16) Refer to Table 2.4. The GDP deflator for 2011 is
A) 60.9.
B) 94.3.
C) 106.1.
D) 157.4.
Answer: C
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 36
Topic: Price Indexes and the GDP Deflator
Objective: LO2: Discuss the differences between real GDP and nominal GDP.
Special Feature: Solved Problem 2.2b: Calculating the Inflation Rate
AACSB: Analytic Skills
17) Refer to Table 2.4. The inflation rate for 2011 is
A) -8.22%.
B) 8.95%.
C) 9.13%.
D) 10.89%.
Answer: A
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 36
Topic: Price Indexes and the GDP Deflator
Objective: LO2: Discuss the differences between real GDP and nominal GDP.
Special Feature: Solved Problem 2.2b: Calculating the Inflation Rate
AACSB: Analytic Skills
18) The measure of GDP which effectively updates the prices for the base year each year and reduces the errors from changes in relative prices and the introduction of new goods and services is called the
A) nominal GDP.
B) real GDP.
C) deflated GDP.
D) chain-weighted GDP.
Answer: D
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 37
Topic: The Chain-Weighted Measure of Real GDP
Objective: LO2: Discuss the differences between real GDP and nominal GDP.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
19) The Bureau of Economic Analysis releases its first estimate of GDP for a particular quarter about a month after the quarter has ended, and continues to release revised GDP estimates for that quarter for
A) three additional months.
B) the next 15 months.
C) three years.
D) more than three years.
Answer: D
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 37-38
Topic: The Chain-Weighted Measure of Real GDP
Objective: LO2: Discuss the differences between real GDP and nominal GDP.
Special Feature: Making the Connection: Trying to Hit a Moving Target: Forecasting with "Real-Time Data"
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
20) When deciding whether the economy has entered an economic recession, the NBER's Business Cycle Dating Committee examines and compares the behavior of various measures of broad activity. The measures the committee focuses on include all of the following except
A) real GDP measured on the product and income sides.
B) production data for specific, individual industries.
C) economy-wide employment.
D) real income.
Answer: B
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 24
Topic: The Chain-Weighted Measure of Real GDP
Objective: LO2: Discuss the differences between real GDP and nominal GDP.
Special Feature: Chapter Opener: How Do We Know When We Are In a Recession?
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
21) The number of Mexican pesos required to buy the same number of goods and services in Mexico as one U.S. dollar buys in the United States is a description of the ________ exchange rate.
A) actual
B) real
C) purchasing power parity
D) chain-weighted
Answer: C
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 39
Topic: Comparing GDP Across Countries
Objective: LO2: Discuss the differences between real GDP and nominal GDP.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
22) Suppose the current exchange rate between the Japanese yen and the U.S. dollar is 80 yen = $1. Suppose you can buy more goods in the United States with $10 than you can in Japan with 800 yen. Japan's GDP in dollars will be
A) greater if the current exchange rate, rather than the purchasing power parity exchange rate, is used to convert yen to dollars.
B) less if the current exchange rate, rather than the purchasing power parity exchange rate, is used to convert yen to dollars.
C) the same whether the current exchange rate or the purchasing power parity exchange rate is used to convert yen to dollars.
D) more accurate if the current exchange rate, rather than the purchasing power parity exchange rate, is used to convert yen to dollars.
Answer: A
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 39
Topic: Comparing GDP Across Countries
Objective: LO2: Discuss the differences between real GDP and nominal GDP.
Special Feature: Making the Connection: The Incredible Shrinking Chinese Economy
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
23) Suppose the current exchange rate between the Mexican peso and the U.S. dollar is 12 pesos = $1. Mexico's GDP in dollars would be greater if the purchasing power parity exchange rate was used to convert pesos to dollars if you could buy the same goods in the United States with ________ as you can in Mexico with ________ .
A) $1; 12 pesos
B) $10; 150 pesos
C) $100; 900 pesos
D) $1,000; 20,000 pesos
Answer: C
Diff: 3 Page Ref: 39
Topic: Comparing GDP Across Countries
Objective: LO2: Discuss the differences between real GDP and nominal GDP.
Special Feature: Making the Connection: The Incredible Shrinking Chinese Economy
AACSB: Analytic Skills
24) Since the 1940s, the region with the largest increase in its share of global GDP is
A) Latin America.
B) Western Europe.
C) Asia.
D) Africa.
Answer: C
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 40
Topic: Comparing GDP Across Countries
Objective: LO2: Discuss the differences between real GDP and nominal GDP.
Special Feature: none
*: Recurring
25) In national income accounting, the value of worn out or obsolete capital is represented by
A) depreciation.
B) transfer payments.
C) disposable income.
D) dividends.
Answer: A
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 41
Topic: GDP and National Income
Objective: LO2: Discuss the differences between real GDP and nominal GDP.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
26) Gross domestic product minus the consumption of fixed capital equals
A) gross national product.
B) national income.
C) deprecation.
D) disposable personal income.
Answer: B
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 41
Topic: GDP and National Income
Objective: LO2: Discuss the differences between real GDP and nominal GDP.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
27) Explain the difference between nominal GDP and real GDP. Which is more important when using GDP as a measure of production? Why?
Answer: Nominal GDP is the value of final goods and services using current-year prices. Real GDP is the value of final goods and services using base-year prices. Real GDP is more important when using GDP as a measure of production. Real GDP keeps prices constant when comparing production for different years. By keeping prices constant, changes in real GDP figures represent changes in the quantity of goods and services produced.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 33-34
Topic: Real GDP, Nominal GDP, and the GDP Deflator
Objective: LO2: Discuss the differences between real GDP and nominal GDP.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
Table 2.5
2011 2012
Quantity Price Quantity Price
| Pineapples | 20 | $0.50 | 25 | $0.55 |
| Milkshakes | 70 | 1.50 | 90 | 1.75 |
| Lipstick | 20 | 2.00 | 30 | 2.25 |
| Bookmarks | 35 | 0.75 | 35 | 1.00 |
Table 2.5 gives quantities and prices for each good produced in a simple economy in 2011 and 2012.
28) Refer to Table 2.5. Calculate nominal and real GDP for 2011 and 2012. Assume 2011 is the base year. What is the value of the GDP deflator for 2011 and for 2012?
Answer:
Nominal GDP in 2011 = (20 x $0.50) + (70 x $1.50) + (20 x $2.00) + (35 x $0.75) = $181.25.
Nominal GDP in 2012 = (25 x $0.55) + (90 x $1.75) + (30 x $2.25) + (35 x$ 1.00) = $273.75.
Real GDP in 2011 = (20 x $0.50) + (70 x $1.50) + (20 x $2.00) + (35 x $0.75) = $181.25.
Real GDP in 2012 = (25 x $0.50) + (90 x $1.50) + (30 x $2.00) + (35 x $0.75) = $233.75.
GDP deflator for 2011 = ($181.25 / $181.25) x 100 = 100.
GDP deflator for 2012 = ($273.75 / $233.75) x 100 = 117.1.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 34-35
Topic: Real GDP, Nominal GDP, and the GDP Deflator
Objective: LO2: Discuss the differences between real GDP and nominal GDP.
Special Feature: Solved Problem 2.2a: Calculating Real GDP
AACSB: Analytic Skills
Table 2.6
2010 2011
| Nominal GDP | $350 million | $390 million |
| Real GDP | $325 million | $375 million |
29) Refer to Table 2.6. What is the inflation rate for 2011?
Answer:
The GDP deflator for 2010 = ($350 million / $325 million) x 100 = 107.7.
The GDP deflator for 2011 = ($390 million / $375 million) x 100 = 104.0.
The inflation rate for 2011 = [(104.0 - 107.7) / 107.7 ] x 100 = -3.44%.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 36
Topic: Price Indexes and the GDP Deflator
Objective: LO2: Discuss the differences between real GDP and nominal GDP.
Special Feature: Solved Problem 2.2b: Calculating the Inflation Rate
AACSB: Analytic Skills
Table 2.7
| Gross domestic product | $475,000 |
| Transfer payments received by households | 1,120 |
| Retained earnings of corporations | 21,400 |
| Consumption of fixed capital | 16,975 |
| Personal tax payments | 880 |
| Interest on government bonds received by households | 205 |
30) Refer to Table 2.7. Use the information in the table to calculate the values for national income, personal income, and disposable personal income.
Answer:
National income = GDP - consumption of fixed capital = $475,000 - $16,975 = $458,025.
Personal income = (national income - retained earnings + transfer payments + interest on government bonds) = ($458,025 - $21,400 + $1,120 + $205) = $437,950.
Disposable personal income = personal income - personal tax payments = $437,950 - $880 = $437,070.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 41
Topic: GDP and National Income
Objective: LO2: Discuss the differences between real GDP and nominal GDP.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Analytic Skills
*: Recurring
2.3 Inflation Rates and Interest Rates
1) The consumer price index is
A) an average of the prices of the goods and services purchased by the typical urban family of four.
B) the cost of a market basket of goods and services typically consumed in a base year.
C) the cost of a market basket of goods and services typically consumed in the current year.
D) an average of the prices of new final goods and services produced in the economy over a period of time.
Answer: A
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 42
Topic: The Consumer Price Index
Objective: LO3: Explain how the inflation rate is measured and distinguish between real and nominal interest rates.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
Article Summary
College tuition prices have been on the rise for the past several years, but tuition is not the only price increase college students are facing. A report issued by the College Board shows that increases in room and board prices at a typical public university have been outpacing inflation for more than 10 years. The following figures account for inflation as measured by the CPI and are measured in 2010 dollars. The average yearly published tuition and fees for a typical public university rose from $6,130 for the 2005-2006 academic year to an estimated $7,610 for the 2010-2011 academic year. When scholarships, financial aid, and tax credits are deducted, the net tuition and fees actually decreased from $2,080 to $1,540 for the same academic years. Room and board, however, experienced a dramatic price increase during this time frame, rising from $7,390 to $8,540. When combined, the net tuition and fees along with room and board increased by 6% in real terms over the 5 year period.
Source: Kim Clark, “College Living Prices Rise Faster Than Inflation,” U.S. News and World Report, November 8, 2010.
2) Refer to the Article Summary. If the market basket for a simple economy consisted only of the published tuition and fees listed in the article and the base year is the 2005-2006 academic year, what would be the value of the CPI for the 2010-2011 academic year?
A) 76.1
B) 80.6
C) 100.0
D) 124.1
Answer: D
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 42
Topic: The Consumer Price Index
Objective: LO3: Explain how the inflation rate is measured and distinguish between real and nominal interest rates.
Special Feature: Making the Connection: "College Living Prices Rise Faster Than Inflation"
AACSB: Analytic Skills
3) Refer to the Article Summary. If the market basket for a simple economy consisted only of the net tuition and fees listed in the article and the base year is the 2005-2006 academic year, what would be the value of the CPI for the 2010-2011 academic year?
A) 15.4
B) 74.0
C) 100.0
D) 135.1
Answer: B
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 42
Topic: The Consumer Price Index
Objective: LO3: Explain how the inflation rate is measured and distinguish between real and nominal interest rates.
Special Feature: Making the Connection: "College Living Prices Rise Faster Than Inflation"
AACSB: Analytic Skills
4) Refer to the Article Summary. If the market basket for a simple economy consisted only of the room and board listed in the article and the base year is the 2005-2006 academic year, what would be the value of the CPI for the 2010-2011 academic year?
A) 85.4
B) 86.5
C) 100.0
D) 115.6
Answer: D
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 42
Topic: The Consumer Price Index
Objective: LO3: Explain how the inflation rate is measured and distinguish between real and nominal interest rates.
Special Feature: Making the Connection: "College Living Prices Rise Faster Than Inflation"
AACSB: Analytic Skills
5) Refer to the Article Summary. If the market basket for a simple economy consisted only of the net tuition and fees plus the room and board listed in the article and the base year is the 2005-2006 academic year, what would be the value of the CPI for the 2010-2011 academic year?
A) 6.0
B) 93.9
C) 100.0
D) 106.4.
Answer: D
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 42
Topic: The Consumer Price Index
Objective: LO3: Explain how the inflation rate is measured and distinguish between real and nominal interest rates.
Special Feature: Making the Connection: "College Living Prices Rise Faster Than Inflation"
AACSB: Analytic Skills
6) Which of the following is true about the consumer price index?
A) It is updated continuously to account for the introduction of new goods.
B) It accounts for people switching away from goods whose prices have risen.
C) It assumes that consumers purchase the same quantity of each product in the market basket each month.
D) It accurately reflects quality changes in goods and services over time.
Answer: C
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 44
Topic: How Accurate is the CPI?
Objective: LO3: Explain how the inflation rate is measured and distinguish between real and nominal interest rates.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
7) The Fed believes there are three advantages to using the personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index instead of the CPI as a measure of inflation. These advantages include all of the following except
A) the PCE is a chain-type index as opposed to the market-basket approach used for the CPI, and the market-basket approach tends to overstate inflation.
B) the PCE includes the prices of more goods and services than the CPI, so it is a broader measure of inflation.
C) the PCE allows the Fed to better track historical trends in inflation than does the CPI because PCE values can be recalculated as new data becomes available.
D) the PCE includes the value of imported products purchased by consumers , whereas the CPI does not, and imports make up a growing portion of consumer purchases in the United States.
Answer: D
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 45
Topic: The Way the Federal Reserve Measures Inflation
Objective: LO3: Explain how the inflation rate is measured and distinguish between real and nominal interest rates.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
8) Since 2004, the Fed has focused on a core price index that excludes food and energy prices to measure inflation because
A) food and energy are necessities, so consumers have no choice but to purchase these.
B) food and energy prices tend to remain stable in the short run, so are not relevant to the calculation of inflation.
C) including food and energy prices tends to overstate the true inflation rate by 0.5% to 1%.
D) food and energy prices tend to fluctuate up and down for reasons that may not be related to the general causes of inflation.
Answer: D
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 45
Topic: The Way the Federal Reserve Measures Inflation
Objective: LO3: Explain how the inflation rate is measured and distinguish between real and nominal interest rates.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
9) The cost of borrowing funds which is stated on a loan is the
A) prime interest rate.
B) nominal interest rate.
C) real interest rate.
D) core PCE interest rate.
Answer: B
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 45
Topic: Interest Rates
Objective: LO3: Explain how the inflation rate is measured and distinguish between real and nominal interest rates.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
10) When the cost of borrowing funds which is stated on a loan is adjusted for the effects of inflation, the resulting interest rate is called the
A) prime interest rate.
B) nominal interest rate.
C) real interest rate.
D) core PCE interest rate.
Answer: C
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 46
Topic: Interest Rates
Objective: LO3: Explain how the inflation rate is measured and distinguish between real and nominal interest rates.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
11) If the real interest rate is 3% and the expected inflation rate is 6%, then the nominal interest rate is
A) 0.5%.
B) 2%.
C) 3%.
D) 9%.
Answer: D
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 46
Topic: Interest Rates
Objective: LO3: Explain how the inflation rate is measured and distinguish between real and nominal interest rates.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Analytic Skills
*: Recurring
12) Suppose you borrow $2,000 for one year and at the end of the year you repay the $2,000 plus $110 of interest. If the expected inflation rate was 2.2% at the time you took out the loan, what was the real interest rate you paid?
A) 2.2%
B) 3.3%
C) 5.5%
D) 7.7%
Answer: B
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 46
Topic: Interest Rates
Objective: LO3: Explain how the inflation rate is measured and distinguish between real and nominal interest rates.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Analytic Skills
*: Recurring
13) Suppose you borrow $2,000 for one year and at the end of the year you repay the $2,000 plus $110 of interest. The expected inflation rate was 2.2% at the time you took out the loan, but the actual inflation rate turned out to be 3.3%. What was the actual real interest rate you paid?
A) 2.2%
B) 3.3%
C) 5.5%
D) 8.8%
Answer: A
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 46
Topic: Interest Rates
Objective: LO3: Explain how the inflation rate is measured and distinguish between real and nominal interest rates.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Analytic Skills
*: Recurring
14) If the actual inflation rate is less than the expected inflation rate, the actual real interest rate will be ________ than the expected real interest rate. When this happens, ________ will lose and ________ will gain.
A) less; borrowers; lenders
B) less; lenders; borrowers
C) greater; borrowers; lenders
D) greater; lenders; borrowers
Answer: C
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 46
Topic: Interest Rates
Objective: LO3: Explain how the inflation rate is measured and distinguish between real and nominal interest rates.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
15) Explain how indexing Social Security payments to the CPI may actually reduce the standard of living for some Social Security recipients. What other measure of inflation does the BLS gather information on, which, if used for indexing Social Security payments, may be a better way to maintain the standard of living for Social Security recipients?
Answer: The CPI is an average of the prices of the goods and services purchased by the typical urban family of four, and as such, is a good measure of changes in the cost of living for people who come close to consuming the same market basket of goods and services as the typical consumer. Most Social Security recipients are retirees, and retirees tend to spend a much larger fraction of their budgets on medical services than does the average consumer, and the prices of medical services have tended to rise faster than other prices. Due to this, the CPI can have a tendency to underestimate the increase in prices faced by many retirees, so indexing payments to the CPI may reduce their standard of living. The BLS also gathers information on a price index called the CPI-E, which better reflects the goods and services purchased by the elderly. Indexing Social Security payments to the CPI-E would better protect recipients against inflation and allow them to better maintain their standard of living.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 43
Topic: How Accurate is the CPI?
Objective: LO3: Explain how the inflation rate is measured and distinguish between real and nominal interest rates.
Special Feature: Making the Connection: Does Indexing Preserve the Purchasing Power of Social Security Payments?
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
16) Most economists believe there are four reasons the CPI overstates the true inflation rate. List and briefly explain these four reasons.
Answer:
1. The CPI suffers from substitution bias. When prices of certain products increase, consumers often substitute other, less expensive products for the products whose prices have gone up. The CPI does not take into account these changes in purchasing patterns.
2. The CPI suffers from a bias due to the introduction of new goods. Since the market basket is updated only every two years, new goods, whose prices often significantly decrease shortly after being introduced, may not be included in the market basket.
3. The CPI does not completely reflect changes in the quality of goods and services. For many products, quality increases over time, and the CPI does not fully adjust prices for changes in quality.
4. The CPI is subject to an outlet bias. Price data for the CPI is collected primarily from traditional retail outlets, so large discount stores are underrepresented in the sample of prices gathered for the CPI.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 44
Topic: How Accurate is the CPI?
Objective: LO3: Explain how the inflation rate is measured and distinguish between real and nominal interest rates.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
17) Suppose you borrow $8,000 for one year and at the end of the year you repay the $8,000 plus $600 of interest. The expected inflation rate was 3.5% at the time you took out the loan, but the actual inflation rate turned out to be 2.5%. What was the expected real interest rate at the time of the loan? What was the actual real interest rate you paid? Who gained and who lost from the difference in the expected and actual inflation rates?
Answer: If you paid $600 of interest on a loan of $8,000, the nominal interest rate was 7.5%. If the expected inflation rate was 3.5%, the expected real interest rate was (7.5% - 3.5%) = 4%. If the actual inflation rate was 2.5%, the actual real interest rate was (7.5% - 2.5%) = 5%. You expected to pay a real interest rate of 4%, but actually paid a real interest rate of 5%, so you lost and the lender gained from the difference in the expected and actual inflation rates.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 46
Topic: Interest Rates
Objective: LO3: Explain how the inflation rate is measured and distinguish between real and nominal interest rates.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Analytic Skills
*: Recurring
2.4 Measuring Employment and Unemployment
1) Suppose the population of a fictional economy falls into the following categories: 320 are employed full time; 110 are employed part time; 20 are unemployed but are actively looking for employment; 50 are unemployed and are not actively looking for employment. The official unemployment rate as calculated by the BLS would be
A) 4.4%.
B) 5.9%.
C) 14.0%.
D) 28.9%.
Answer: A
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 47
Topic: Measuring Employment and Unemployment
Objective: LO4: Understand how to calculate the unemployment rate.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Analytic Skills
*: Recurring
2) Suppose the working-age population of a fictional economy falls into the following categories: 30 are retired; 45 are stay-at-home parents; 120 are employed full time; 40 are employed part time; 25 are unemployed but are actively looking for employment; 15 are unemployed and are not actively looking for employment. The official unemployment rate as calculated by the BLS would be
A) 9.62%.
B) 13.51%.
C) 14.55%.
D) 20.0%.
Answer: B
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 47
Topic: Measuring Employment and Unemployment
Objective: LO4: Understand how to calculate the unemployment rate.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Analytic Skills
*: Recurring
3) Which of the following would cause the unemployment rate as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to understate the true degree of joblessness in the economy?
A) people employed in the underground economy
B) unemployed persons who falsely report themselves as actively looking for a job
C) retired people who have no intention of returning to work.
D) people with part-time jobs who would prefer to be working full time
Answer: D
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 48
Topic: Measuring Employment and Unemployment
Objective: LO4: Understand how to calculate the unemployment rate.
Special Feature: Key Issue and Question: How Accurately Does the Government Measure the Unemployment Rate?
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
4) Which of the following would cause the unemployment rate as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to overstate the true degree of joblessness in the economy?
A) discouraged workers
B) unemployed persons who falsely report themselves as actively looking for a job
C) retired people who have no intention of returning to work.
D) people with part-time jobs who would prefer to be working full time
Answer: B
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 48
Topic: Measuring Employment and Unemployment
Objective: LO4: Understand how to calculate the unemployment rate.
Special Feature: Key Issue and Question: How Accurately Does the Government Measure the Unemployment Rate?
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
5) Drawbacks to using the establishment survey to calculate unemployment include all of the following except
A) the survey does not include information on self-employed persons.
B) the survey may not include employment data at newly-opened firms.
C) the survey provides no information on unemployment.
D) the survey only includes data on full-time employees.
Answer: D
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 48
Topic: Measuring Employment and Unemployment
Objective: LO4: Understand how to calculate the unemployment rate.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
6) Identify which of the following people would be considered either employed, unemployed, or not in the labor force:
a. Alejandro just lost his job at an automobile assembly plant and is looking for work in another industry.
b. Bonnie quit her job 6 months ago to take care of her newborn triplets.
c. Cheyenne just received her bachelor's degree in accounting and is going to backpack through Europe for 6 months before seeking employment as an auditor.
d. Danitra owns a talent agency which provides clowns for children's birthday parties.
e. Edgar is a full-time student and is working 10 hours each week as a lab assistant at Faber College.
f. Flavio was awarded a $10 million settlement from his former employer and has chosen to retire.
Answer:
a. Alejandro is unemployed, since he does not have a job but is actively looking for work.
b. Bonnie is not in the labor force since she is not employed and is not seeking employment.
c. Cheyenne is not in the labor force since she is not employed and is not planning on seeking employment for more than 4 weeks.
d. Danitra is employed.
e. Edgar is considered employed since he does have a part-time job.
f. Flavio is not in the labor force since he has chosen to retire and not actively seek employment.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 47-48
Topic: Measuring Employment and Unemployment
Objective: LO4: Understand how to calculate the unemployment rate.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
7) What is the difference between the Current Population Survey and the establishment survey? What are the major drawbacks for each of these measures of unemployment?
Answer: The Current Population Survey, also called the household survey, calculates the unemployment rate by considering those people who worked during the week before the survey or were temporarily away from their jobs as employed, and those people who did not work during the week before the survey but were available for work and actively looking as unemployed. Drawbacks to the Current Population survey include distinguishing between unemployed workers and those not in the labor force, such as discouraged workers, and counting part-time workers as employed even if those workers would prefer full-time jobs. The establishment survey, also called the payroll survey, samples business establishments to gather information on the number of people employed and on a company payroll. Drawbacks to the establishment survey include not gathering data on self-employed persons, failing to count some persons who are employed at newly opened businesses, and not providing any information on unemployment.
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 47-49
Topic: Measuring Employment and Unemployment
Objective: LO4: Understand how to calculate the unemployment rate.
Special Feature: none
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
*: Recurring
No comments:
Post a Comment