How Do Imports Affect GDP? (Page One Economics)

GDP is a useful measure of the health of the economy, and it’s among the most important and widely reported economic data. However, the current “textbook treatment” of how international trade is measured as part of GDP can lead people to misunderstand the role trade plays in the economy. The September 2018 issue of Page One Economics intends to correct misconceptions and provide clear instruction on how imports affect GDP.

Teachers: Visit the Reading Q&As in our Econ Lowdown Teacher Portal to find the teacher edition for this issue, to assign an online version of the student materials and to collect student scores on the questions. The materials are still free—but having them in the portal keeps students from accessing the answer key.

See the Page One Economics archive for more topics »

Keep your students in the know on timely economic issues with Page One Economics. Page One Economics provides a simple, short overview of a current economic event that offers students an opportunity to use close reading strategies. The Teacher’s Guide includes student questions and a teacher answer key, plus additional resources and lesson ideas for classroom, extra credit, or make-up assignments. You can subscribe via RSS feed or email.

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