Unit 2: Introduction to Macroeconomics

Lesson 9b: Inflation

Introduction

 

The THREE ISSUES of Macroeconomics are: UE, IN, and EG. In chapter 12 we learned a tool (the AS/AD model) that helped us understand what causes UE, IN, and EG. Chapter 9 discusses the issues of UE and IN in greater detail. And in chapters 7, 8 and 22W we study EG.

We have already learned two causes of inflation (lesson 12b), demand-pull and cost-push inflation, but we really did not define inflation. Inflation (IN) is the rate of increase in the price level, i.e. how fast it is increasing. Here we will learn how the price level is measured by using a price index, how inflation is calculated, and the economic effects of inflation.

 

HOME

Lesson 9b