In September 1997, a Brisbane Family's Weekly Diet Consisted of 6

question 27

Essay

In September 1997, a Brisbane family's weekly diet consisted of 6 kg of fish, 2 kg of beef and 2 kg of veal. One year later, because of the cost increases in these products, the family's diet has changed so that each week they consume 4 kg of chicken and 1 kg each of beef, veal, pork and fish. The prices are listed in the table below. $\quad\quad\quad\quad\text { September } 1997$$\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\quad\text { September } 1998$
$\begin{array}{ccccc} \hline& \text { Price (\$) } & \text { Quantity (kg) } & \text { Price (\$) } & \text { Quantity (kg) } \\\text { Item } & p_{i 1997} & q_{i, 1997} & p_{i} 1998 & q_{i} 1998\\\hline\text { Beef } & 5.50 & 2 & 5.92 & 1 \\\text { Veal } & 7.48 & 2 & 8.06 & 1 \\\text { Pork } & 4.80 & 0 & 5.05 & 1\\\text { Chicken } & 3.62 & 0 & 3.45 & 4 \\\text { Fish } & 5.13 & 6 & 6.25 & 1\\\hline\end{array}$ Calculate the Laspeyres price index for 1998, using 1997 as the base.

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Definitions:

Vestibulocochlear Nerve

A cranial nerve that transmits sound and equilibrium (balance) information from the inner ear to the brain.

Merkel Disks

Specialized skin cells that function as mechanoreceptors, responding to light touch and pressure.

Mechanoreceptors

Sensory receptors that respond to mechanical pressure or distortion.

EEG

Electroencephalogram, a test that measures and records the electrical activity of the brain.