Social Security Payments Are Indexed for Inflation Using the CPI

question 41

Multiple Choice

Social Security payments are indexed for inflation using the CPI. A recent newspaper editorial claimed that Social Security recipients are harmed by years of low inflation because they do not receive as large an increase in their payments as they do in years of high inflation. Which of the following statements is correct?

• A)The newspaper editorial is correct under all circumstances.
• B)The newspaper editorial is correct if the market basket consumed by Social Security recipients is the same as the market basket used to compute the CPI.
• C)The newspaper editorial could be correct if the prices of the goods consumed by Social Security recipients change at a different rate than the prices of the goods in the market basket used to compute the CPI
• D)The newspaper editorial is incorrect under all circumstances.

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Definitions:

Worker Fatigue

Worker fatigue refers to the physical and mental exhaustion that can decrease employee performance, potentially leading to mistakes and accidents.

Misallocation

The inefficient distribution or use of resources in a manner that does not maximize efficiency or value.

Materials Quantity Variance

The difference between the actual quantity of materials used in production and the expected quantity of materials supposed to be used, multiplied by the standard cost per unit.

Standard Quantity

The predetermined amount of materials or inputs that should be used in the production of goods or services under normal operating conditions.