Answer:
a. Output gap for 2017 = –0.66%
b. Output gap for 2018 = 0.27%
c. From 2017 to 2018, the output gap became more positive.
Explanation:
The following are given in the question:
Year Potential GDP Real GDP
2017 $18.17 trillion $18.05 trillion
2018 $18.51 trillion $18.56 trillion
To calculate output gap in percentage form, the following formula is used:
Output gap = ((Real GDP - Potential GDP) / Potential GDP) * 100 ......... (1)
Therefore, we have:
a. Calculate the output gap for 2017. %
Using equation (1), we have:
Output gap for 2017 = ((18.05 - 18.17) / 18.17) * 100 = –0.66%
b. Calculate the output gap for 2018. %
Using equation (1), we have:
Output gap for 2018 = ((18.56 - 18.51) / 18.51) * 100 = 0.27%
c. From 2017 to 2018, the output gap became more .
Since the output gap in 2017 is negative while the output gap in 2018 is positive; this implies that from 2017 to 2018, the output gap became more positive.
