Inflation: why prices rise and what a dollar buys

Grade 7 Social Studies Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Consumer Price Index, U.S. city average

   (Bureau of Labor Statistics, annual averages), columns Year | Index (1982–84 = 100): 1970 | 38.8; 1980 | 82.4; 1990 | 130.7; 2000 | 172.2; 2010 | 218.1; 2020 | 258.8; 2024 | 313.7. Then, below the table: Cause and effect chain "Why prices rise": [1] people and businesses want to buy more goods than are ready to sell; [2] sellers raise prices; [3] prices across many goods go up over time: inflation; [4] each dollar buys less than before. Arrows: 1 → 2, 2 → 3, 3 → 4. Below the chain: the index compares prices to the years 1982–84, set at 100. Inflation can also come from higher costs, such as fuel, that sellers pass on.

2. 1.

   In Milo's table, what was the index in 1970?

   • 313.7
   • 100
   • 38.8
   • 82.4
3. 2.

   In which period does the index equal 100, by the note, Pia asks?

   • 2024
   • 1970, the first row
   • 1982–84
   • 2000
4. 3.

   How much did the index rise from 1970 to 2024, Ren asks?

   • 38.8 points
   • 284.9 points
   • 274.9 points
   • 352.5 points
5. 4.

   About how many times higher was the index in 2024 than in 1970, Tala asks?

   • About 8.1 times
   • About 81 times
   • About 0.12 times
   • About 274.9 times
6. 5.

   What is the last effect in the chain, Ari asks?

   • People want more goods
   • Sellers raise prices
   • Each dollar buys more
   • Each dollar buys less
7. 6.

   Bo reads the word inflation. What does it mean, by the chain?

   • Prices of many goods rising over time
   • The price of one toy going up once on sale day
   • Prices falling
   • Money being printed with a new design
8. 7.

   Esme reads the words price index. What is it, by the table and note?

   • Compares prices with a period set at 100
   • The price of one item in one store today
   • A list of stores
   • A bank account
9. 8.

   Why might prices rise when people want more goods than are ready to sell, Jun asks?

   • Goods disappear
   • Sellers can charge more when demand is high
   • Prices are set by the index
   • Sellers must cut prices when many people want to buy
10. 9.

    What other cause of inflation does the note name, Kira asks?

    • New coins
    • Lower costs, which sellers keep for themselves
    • Fewer buyers
    • Higher costs, such as fuel, passed on
11. 10.

    Which sentence about the table is careful, Luz asks?

    • The table shows one store
    • Prices fell after 2000
    • Prices were higher in 2024 than 1970
    • Each price rose by the same amount each year