Because there isn't one single measure of inflation, the government and researchers use a variety of methods to get the most balanced picture of how prices fluctuate in the economy. Two of the most commonly used price indexes are the consumer price index (CPI) and the GDP deflator. The GDP deflator for this year is calculated by dividing the using by the using and multiplying by 100. However, the CPI reflects only the prices of all goods and services

Indicate whether each scenario will affect the GDP deflator or the CPI for the United States.

a. An increase in the price of a Treewood Equipment feller buncher, which is a commercial forestry machine that cuts and stacks trees.
b. A decrease in the price of a Chinese-made television that is popular among U. S. consumers.

Consider how health insurance affects the quantity of health care services performed. suppose that the typical medical procedure has a cost of $160, yet a person with health insurance pays only $40 out of pocket. her insurance company pays the remaining $120. (the insurance company recoups the $120 through premiums, but the premium a person pays does not depend on how many procedures that person chooses to undergo.) consider the following demand curve in the market for medical care. use the black point (plus symbol) to indicate the quantity of procedures demanded if each procedure has a price of $160. then use the grey point (star symbol) to indicate the quantity of procedures demanded if each procedure has a price of $40. q d at p=$160 q d at p=$40 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 200 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 price of medical procedures quantity of medical procedures demand if the cost of each procedure to society is truly $160, the quantity that maximizes total surplus is procedures. economists often blame the health insurance system for excessive use of medical care. given your analysis, the use of care might be viewed as excessive because consumers get procedures whose value is than the cost of producing them.

Define the marginal rate of substitution between two goods (x and y). if a consumer’s preferences are given by u(x, y) = x3/4y1/4, compute the consumer’s marginal rate of substitution as a function of x and y. calculate the mrs if the consumer has chosen to consumer 48 units of x and 16 units of y. show your work. (use the back of the page if necessary.

Over the past decade, brands that were once available only to the wealthy have created more affordable product extensions, giving a far broader range of consumers a taste of the good life. jaguar, for instance, launched its x-type sedan, which starts at $30,000 and is meant for the "almost rich" consumer who aspires to live in luxury. by marketing to people who desire a luxurious lifestyle, jaguar is using: