Use the chart to answer the questions. Year Potential GDP Real GDP 2017 $18.17 trillion $18.05 trillion 2018 $18.51 trillion $18.56 trillion Be sure to put your answer in percentage form, and round answers to two decimal places. a. Calculate the output gap for 2017. % b. Calculate the output gap for 2018. % c. From 2017 to 2018, the output gap became more .

a. Output gap for 2017 = –0.66%

b. Output gap for 2018 = 0.27%

c. From 2017 to 2018, the output gap became more positive.

Explanation:

The following are given in the question:

Year             Potential GDP                Real GDP

2017               $18.17 trillion               $18.05 trillion

2018               $18.51 trillion              $18.56 trillion

To calculate output gap in percentage form, the following formula is used:

Output gap = ((Real GDP -  Potential GDP) / Potential GDP) * 100 (1)

Therefore, we have:

a. Calculate the output gap for 2017. %

Using equation (1), we have:

Output gap for 2017 = ((18.05 - 18.17) / 18.17) * 100 = –0.66%

b. Calculate the output gap for 2018. %

Using equation (1), we have:

Output gap for 2018 = ((18.56 - 18.51) / 18.51) * 100 = 0.27%

c. From 2017 to 2018, the output gap became more .

Since the output gap in 2017 is negative while the output gap in 2018 is positive; this implies that from 2017 to 2018, the output gap became more positive.