Assignment Questions
- What is Productivity? What does it mean if it is increasing or decreasing?
2.Go the Bureau of Labor Statistics and get the current productivity figures for this
month.
3. How is the unemployment rate calculated?
4.Go to ( Get this month’s unemployment rates for these groups. Date must
be included. (Seasonally or un-seasonally adjusted are acceptable.) Provide data in a
small chart if you know how.
Total population
White men
White women
Black men
Black women
Hispanic men
Hispanic women
Teenagers
- What is the labor force?
- What does the labor force participation rate mean?
- Go the Bureau of Labor Statistics and get the labor force participation rates for these
groups. Go to ( and see civilian labor force participation rates under demographics. Date must be included. Provide data in a small chart if you know how.
Total population
White men
White women
Black men
Black women
Hispanic men
Hispanic women
Teenagers
- How many people are currently employed? (Be sure to report this in thousands, or
millions, read carefully, dated needed.) Go to
- What are average hourly earnings for this month? Go to
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- What is CPI? Why is it used?
11.What is the current CPI? This should be a 3-digit number over 100. (Not CPI growth.)
Go to
12. What is the U.S. current population? What is the current world population? Go to
13.Research an area of interest related to Income and Income Distribution in the United
States. Go the Census Bureau, ( click on Income and click on
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) under Current Population Survey (CPS). Click on
One of the areas of interest to you and briefly discuss in a few sentences your findings.
14.Research an area of interest related to poverty in the United States. Go the Census
Bureau, ( click on Poverty and click on one area of interest to you and
briefly discuss in a few sentences your findings.
15.What is GDP? What is our current Real GDP? Go the Bureau of Economic Analysis at
click on Gross Domestic Product, then click GDP in Current-dollar and
“Real” GDP.
- Define GDP growth?
17.What is our real GDP growth for the month or quarter? Go the Bureau of Economic
Analysis then click on “Highlights” at
18. What is the Council of Economic Advisors? Who is the Chairperson? What does this
group do? Go to
19.Look up the GDP and the year used for each of the following countries. Go the CIA
World Fact book: United States, Mexico, Canada, China, India, European Union,
Russia, Brazil, Indonesia, The Gambia, Poland, Pakistan, Venezuela, and Bangladesh.
Use a chart if possible.
20.Look up the GDP Growth Rate for the same countries: United States, Mexico, Canada, China, India, European Union, Russia, Brazil, Indonesia, The Gambia, Poland, Pakistan, Venezuela, and Bangladesh. Use a chart if possible.
21.Look up the GDP per/capita for the same countries: United States, Mexico, Canada, China, India, European Union, Russia, Brazil, Indonesia, The Gambia, Poland, Pakistan, Venezuela, and Bangladesh.
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22.Look up the inflation rate for the same countries: United States, Mexico, Canada, China, India, European Union, Russia, Brazil, Indonesia, The Gambia, Poland, Pakistan, Venezuela, and Bangladesh.
23.Look up the unemployment rate for the same countries: United States, Mexico, Canada, China, India, European Union, Russia, Brazil, Indonesia, The Gambia, Poland, Pakistan, Venezuela, and Bangladesh.
24.Look up Gross Investment (Gross Investment as a % of GDP) using the CIA Fact World
Book for the same countries: United States, Mexico, Canada, China, India, European Union, Russia, Brazil, Indonesia, The Gambia, Poland, Pakistan, Venezuela, and Bangladesh.
25.Look up Oil Consumption using the CIA World Fact Book for the same countries:
United States, Mexico, Canada, China, India, European Union, Russia, Brazil, Indonesia, The Gambia, Poland, Pakistan, Venezuela, and Bangladesh.
- Look up Poverty rates using the CIA World Fact Book for the same countries:
United States, Mexico, Canada, China, India, European Union, Russia, Brazil, Indonesia, The Gambia, Poland, Pakistan, Venezuela, and Bangladesh.
- Which five countries have the largest foreign exports. Go to the VIA World Fact and
look under Exports.
28.How many Internet users are there in the same countries: United States, Mexico, Canada, China, India, European Union, Russia, Brazil, Indonesia, The Gambia, Poland, Pakistan, Venezuela, and Bangladesh.
29.Which five countries have the highest number of people infected with AIDS?
30.What are the four general duties of the Federal Reserve Board? Go to the homepage at
31.What is Monetary Policy?
32.How does the Federal Reserve influence Monetary Policy? (3 tools used). Go to the
Frequently Asked Questions at
33.Define the Discount Rate.
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34.What is the current discount rate? Has the discount rate increased or decreased over the
last three years?
Go to:
Go to:
35.Define the Fed Funds Rate.
36.What is the current Fed Funds rate?
37.What are the current rates on the items below.
38.Why do the longer term CDs pay a higher rate than the short term CDs? Go to:
39.What is the National Public Debt? What is the National Public Debt per/citizen?
Go to:
40.What is the difference between the National Deficit and the National Public Debt:
Go to Frequently Asked Questions at
41.What is the Dow Jones Industrial Average?
42.List five companies included in the Dow? What is the current Dow (give date.)
43.What is NASDAQ? How does it differ from the S&P 500?
44.What is the current S&P 500? (give date). What is the current NASDAQ (give date)?
Go to:
Go to:
45.Define the Inflation Rate? What is the current Inflation rate?
46.Define a Federal budget surplus? Define a Federal Budget Deficit?
47.What is our current Federal Budget Savings (surplus) or Deficit (Negative Savings).
When was the last period we had a positive savings (surplus)? (Give dates) Go to the
Congressional Budget Office, look for the “Historical Budget Data”, see Table 11 and
scroll down for the most current year.
48.What is a foreign trade deficit or surplus?
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49.To the census bureau, look up the most recent statistics on the foreign trade balance. Are
we currently running a surplus or deficit? By how much? Go to:
50.Go to the Center for Economics Policy Research and read about a topic of interest.
Summarize what you learned in a brief paragraph. (Use Google to find the site.)
51.To the Cato Institute and read about a topic of interest. Summarize that you learned in a
brief paragraph. (Use Google to find the site.)
52.To the Population Reference Bureau and read a topic of interest. Summarize what you
learned in a brief paragraph. (Go to or use Google to find the site.)
- To the U.S. Department of Treasury and read a topic related to our coins and currency.
Feel free to discuss history, little known facts, circulation data. Summarize what you
learned in a brief paragraph. Go to: or
or the Department of Printing and Engraving.