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Question
Discuss about Cost of Living Index Number
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Solution
Cost of Living Index Number is constructed to study the effect of changes in the price of goods and services of consumers for a current period as compared with the base period.
The change in the cost of living index number between any two periods means the change in income which will be necessary to maintain the same standard of living in both periods.
Therefore the cost of living index number measures the average increase in the cost to maintain the same standard of life.
Further, the consumption habits of people differ widely from class to class (rich, poor, middle class) and even with the region.
The changes in the price level affect the different classes of people, consequently, the general price index numbers fail to reflect the effect of changes in their cost of living in different classes of people.
Therefore, the cost of living index number measures the general price movement of the commodities consumed by different classes of people.
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Define Index Number
State the uses of Index Number
Explain factor reversal test
Using the following data, construct Fisher’s Ideal index and show how it satisfies Factor Reversal Test and Time Reversal Test?
| Commodity | Price in Rupees per unit | Number of units | ||
| Basic year | Current year | Base year | Current year | |
| A | 6 | 10 | 50 | 56 |
| B | 2 | 2 | 100 | 120 |
| C | 4 | 6 | 60 | 60 |
| D | 10 | 12 | 50 | 24 |
| E | 8 | 12 | 40 | 36 |
Using Fisher’s Ideal Formula, compute price index number for 1999 with 1996 as base year, given the following:
| Year | Commodity: A | Commodity: B | Commodity: C | |||
| Price (Rs.) | Quantity (kg) | Price (Rs.) | Quantity (kg) | Price (Rs.) | Quantity (kg) | |
| 1996 | 5 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 3 |
| 1999 | 4 | 12 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 4 |
The following are the group index numbers and the group weights of an average working class family’s budget. Construct the cost of living index number:
| Groups | Food | Fuel and Lighting |
Clothing | Rent | Miscellaneous |
| Index Number | 2450 | 1240 | 3250 | 3750 | 4190 |
| Weight | 48 | 20 | 12 | 15 | 10 |
Calculate the Laspeyre’s, Paasche’s and Fisher’s price index number for the following data. Interpret on the data.
| Commodities | Base Year | Current Year | ||
| Price | Quantity | Price | Quantity | |
| A | 170 | 562 | 72 | 632 |
| B | 192 | 535 | 70 | 756 |
| C | 195 | 639 | 95 | 926 |
| D | 1987 | 128 | 92 | 255 |
| E | 1985 | 542 | 92 | 632 |
| F | 150 | 217 | 180 | 314 |
| 7 | 12.6 | 12.7 | 12.5 | 12.8 |
| 8 | 12.4 | 12.3 | 12.6 | 12.5 |
| 9 | 12.6 | 12.5 | 12.3 | 12.6 |
| 10 | 12.1 | 12.7 | 12.5 | 12.8 |
Explain the meaning of index number.
State with reasons whether you agree or disagree with the following statement:
Index number measures changes in the price level only.
The base year's index of a selected variable is assumed as ______.
