Suppose that you were born in 1998. also, suppose that your mother received a $100 baby shower gift at your birth. how much would it cost to buy a similar amount of goods and services in 2013, given that the cpi was 163.0 in 1998 and 233.0 in 2013?
Using the cpi in 2013, of 233 and in 1998 of 163, divide 233/163=1.43 x 100=$143 the cost in 2013 of the same baby shower item as in 1998. In other words the purchasing power of the $1 decreased over this time period to account for this.
