Using Aggregate Supply and Demand framework for analysis
Question
5. Suppose nominal GDP increased by 1.5%. Over that year, the GDP deflator decreased by 0.5%. From this information (and using our Aggregate Supply and Demand framework for analysis), we infer that
A.real GDP increased, and we had an increase in Aggregate Demand.
B.real GDP increased, and we had a decrease in Aggregate Demand.
C.real GDP decreased, and we had an increase in Aggregate Supply.
D.real GDP increased, and we had an increase in Aggregate Supply.
E.real GDP decreased, and we had a decrease in Aggregate Demand.
Instructions
Do #5 in Chapter 4. On this question, I want you to not only indicate your choice of ‘lettered answer,’ but also explain and illustrate how you arrived at your answer. In other words, treat it like a short answer question (illustrate with detailed graphs, show calculations, explain the details of what you are doing, etc.). Here’s an IMPORTANT point. Do NOT plug the percentage changes (‘1.5’ and ‘- 0.5’) into the formula for realGDP as the index numbers themselves. Percentage Changes are NOT index numbers. For instance, if X increases from 200 to 203, X has increased by 1.5%. You would NOT plug in ‘1.5’ as X! Use the % changes in nGDP And the GDP deflator to tell if the ‘fraction’ in the formula for realGDP has increased or decreased. If it helps as an analogy, think of the numerator (top of a fraction) as a ‘pot of money’ and the denominator (bottom of a fraction) as the ‘number of persons to share the pot of money equally.’ Then if you know the % change in each (and whether the particular % change is an increase or a decrease), then you should be able to tell if the fraction is increasing, decreasing or staying the same.