01 If the deflator is 70, how much lower is the current price level than the base year?
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: B. 30 percent
Explanation: The base-year deflator is 100, so a deflator of 70 means the current price level is 70% of the base-year level. The shortfall is calculated as 100 − 70 = 30%, so prices are 30% lower than in the base year. The value 70 describes the remaining index level, not the percentage decrease; 100 would imply a complete fall to zero.