Expenditures Approach to Calculating GDP

Visit the Bureau of Economic Analysis Web site at www.bea.gov In U.S. Economic Accounts under National click on Gross Domestic Product (GDP), then Interactive Tables: GDP and the National Income and Product Account (NIPA) Historical Tables, click "Begin using the data", and use Section 1 - Tables 1.1.5 and 1.1.6 to identify the GDP (nominal GDP) and real GDP for the past four quarters.

a) Present the information that you received in your project.

b) Write a report, which contains the analysis of the results you received.

In this report consider, but do not be limited to the following:

Why was nominal GDP greater than real GDP in each of those quarters?

What was the percentage change in Nominal GDP for the most recent quarter compared to the previous quarter? What was the percentage change in Real GDP for the two quarters?

What accounts for the difference in the two percentages?