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Macroeconomics: Economic Policy Objectives

Calculating inflation with index numbers and its causes and consequences

  • 2 things to know
  • Component 02

Overview

Recall questions on calculating inflation and price indices from index numbers, demand-pull and cost-push inflation, the wage-price spiral, and the costs of inflation and deflation.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Numbers

The Consumer Prices Index rises from 112.5 to 116.1 over a year. Calculate the rate of inflation.

Key term

How can growth of the money supply cause inflation?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    The Consumer Prices Index rises from 112.5 to 116.1 over a year. Calculate the rate of inflation.

    Model answer

    Inflation is (116.1 − 112.5) ÷ 112.5 × 100 = 3.2% per year.

  2. 2

    A representative basket costing £250 in the base year costs £268 this year. Calculate this year's price index.

    Model answer

    The index is 268 ÷ 250 × 100 = 107.2, so prices are 7.2% above their base-year level.

  3. 3

    Food carries a weight of 10% in a price index and food prices rise by 6.0%; all other items carry the remaining 90% and their prices rise by 2.0%. Calculate the overall rate of inflation.

    Model answer

    Inflation is (0.10 × 6.0) + (0.90 × 2.0) = 0.6 + 1.8 = 2.4% per year.

  4. 4

    A price index reads 100.0, then 106.0, then 108.1 in three successive years. Calculate the inflation rate in each of the last two years and identify what the pattern shows.

    Model answer

    Inflation is (106.0 − 100.0) ÷ 100.0 × 100 = 6.0% and then (108.1 − 106.0) ÷ 106.0 × 100 = 2.0% to two significant figures, which is disinflation because prices are still rising but far more slowly.

  5. 5

    Explain how demand-pull inflation arises and how it appears on an aggregate demand and aggregate supply diagram.

    Model answer

    It arises when aggregate demand grows faster than the economy can supply, so buyers bid prices up; the aggregate demand curve shifts right along an upward-sloping aggregate supply curve, raising both the price level and real output.

  6. 6

    Explain how cost-push inflation arises and how it appears on an aggregate demand and aggregate supply diagram.

    Model answer

    It arises when production costs rise, for example after a jump in imported energy prices; the short run aggregate supply curve shifts left, so the price level rises while real output falls, producing stagflation.

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