Question 1

Suppose that some country had an adult population of about 50 million,a labor-force participation rate of 60 percent,and an unemployment rate of 5 percent.How many people were employed?

Accepted Answer

A) 1.5 million 
B) 28.5 million 
C) 30 million 
D) 47.5 million

Question 2

The BLS reports the U-6 measure of labor underutilization.Which of the following is how it computes U-6?

Accepted Answer

A) (total unemployed + marginally attached workers)/adult population 
B) (total unemployed + marginally attached workers + part-time employed for economic reasons)/adult population 
C) (total unemployed + marginally attached workers)/(labor force + marginally attached workers) 
D) (total unemployed + marginally attached workers + part time employed for economic reasons)/(labor force + marginally attached workers)

Question 3

Over the past several decades,the difference between the labor-force participation rates of men and women in the U.S.has

Accepted Answer

A) gradually increased. 
B) remained constant. 
C) gradually decreased. 
D) been eliminated.

Question 4

Just after World War II,the labor-force participation rate of women was

Accepted Answer

A) about 25 percent,and in 2015 it was about 50 percent. 
B) about 33 percent,and in 2015 it was about 60 percent. 
C) about 50 percent,and in 2015 it was about 70 percent. 
D) about 60 percent,and in 2015 it was about 80 percent.

Question 5

Christopher is an unpaid,stay-at-home father who works as a volunteer at the local Habitat for Humanity chapter.Currently,Christopher is not looking for a paid job.The Bureau of Labor Statistics counts Christopher as

Accepted Answer

A) unemployed and in the labor force. 
B) unemployed but not in the labor force. 
C) in the labor force but not unemployed. 
D) neither in the labor force nor unemployed.

Question 6

The Bureau of Labor Statistics produces data on unemployment

Accepted Answer

A) weekly. 
B) monthly. 
C) quarterly. 
D) yearly.

Question 7

The labor-force participation rate measures the percentage of the

Accepted Answer

A) total adult population that is in the labor force. 
B) total adult population that is employed. 
C) labor force that is employed. 
D) labor force that is either employed or unemployed.

Question 8

According to 2014 data on the U.S.population,which of the following was correct for the adult population of prime working age,ages 25-54?

Accepted Answer

A) Black males had higher labor-force participation rates and lower unemployment rates compared to white males. 
B) Black males had both higher labor-force participation rates and higher unemployment rates compared to white males. 
C) Black males had both lower labor-force participation rates and lower unemployment rates compared to white males. 
D) Black males had lower labor-force participation rates and higher unemployment rates compared to white males.

Question 9

In 2016 the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that there were 23.5 million people over age 25 who had no high school degree or its equivalent.Of these 9.7 million were employed and .75 million were unemployed.What were the labor-force participation rate and the unemployment rate for this group?

Accepted Answer

A) 41.3% and 3.2% 
B) 41.3% and 7.2% 
C) 44.5% and 3.2% 
D) 44.5% and 7.2%

Question 10

Figure 28-2 
-Refer to Figure 28-2.What do the two lines in the figure measure?

Accepted Answer

A) The top line is the labor force participation rate,and the bottom line is the unemployment rate. 
B) The top line is the labor force participation rates of the college-educated population,and bottom line is the labor force participation rates of the high-school-educated population. 
C) The top line is the foreign labor force participation rate,and the bottom line is the domestic labor force participation rate. 
D) The top line is the labor force participation rates of men,and the bottom line is the labor force participation rates of women.

Question 11

The labor-force participation rate is computed as

Accepted Answer

A) (Employed ÷ Adult Population) ×100. 
B) (Employed ÷ Labor Force) × 100. 
C) (Labor Force ÷ Adult Population) × 100. 
D) (Adult Population ÷Labor Force) × 100.

Question 12

People who are unemployed because wages are,for some reason,set above the level that brings labor supply and demand into equilibrium are best classified as

Accepted Answer

A) cyclically unemployed. 
B) structurally unemployed. 
C) frictionally unemployed. 
D) discouraged workers.

Question 13

Suppose that some people are counted as unemployed when,to maintain unemployment compensation,they search for work only at places where they are unlikely to be hired.If these individuals were counted as out of the labor force instead of as unemployed,then

Accepted Answer

A) both the unemployment rate and labor-force participation rate would be higher. 
B) both the unemployment rate and labor-force participation rate would be lower. 
C) the unemployment rate would be lower,and the labor-force participation rate would be higher. 
D) the unemployment rate would be higher,and the labor-force participation rate would be lower.

Question 14

Jenna is searching for a job that suits her tastes about where to live.Mary is looking for a job that makes best use of her skills.

Accepted Answer

A) Jenna and Mary are both frictionally unemployed. 
B) Jenna and Mary are both structurally unemployed. 
C) Jenna is frictionally unemployed,and Mary is structurally unemployed. 
D) Jenna is structurally unemployed,and Mary is frictionally unemployed.

Question 15

Who of the following would necessarily be included in the Bureau of Labor Statistics' "unemployed" category?

Accepted Answer

A) Huey,who did not work during the previous four weeks 
B) Dewey,who tried to find new employment during the previous four weeks 
C) Louie,who was an unpaid worker during the previous four weeks 
D) None of the above is correct.

Question 16

According to 2014 data on the U.S.population,which of the following groups of teenagers (ages 16-19)had the lowest labor-force participation rate?

Accepted Answer

A) white males 
B) white females 
C) black males 
D) black females

Question 17

The Bureau of Labor Statistics counts a member of a surveyed household as an adult if that person is at least

Accepted Answer

A) 14 years old. 
B) 16 years old. 
C) 18 years old. 
D) 21 years old.

Question 18

Bob is looking for work after school,but everywhere he fills out an application,the managers say they always have a lot more applications than open positions.Tom has a law degree.Several firms have made him offers,but he thinks he might be able to find a firm where his talents could be put to better use.

Accepted Answer

A) Bob and Tom are both frictionally unemployed. 
B) Bob and Tom are both structurally unemployed. 
C) Bob is frictionally unemployed,and Tom is structurally unemployed. 
D) Bob is structurally unemployed,and Tom is frictionally unemployed.

Question 19

Economists at the Congressional Budget Office estimated that for 2015,the U.S.natural rate of unemployment was

Accepted Answer

A) 2.8% 
B) 3,.6% 
C) 4.9% 
D) 6.2%

Question 20

Unemployment numbers reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics are reported based on a

Accepted Answer

A) monthly survey of about 60,000 households. 
B) monthly survey of about 6,000 households. 
C) weekly survey of about 60,000 households. 
D) weekly survey of about 6,000 households.

Exam 15: Unemployment: Identifying Unemployment