Question

Difficulty: MediumIncome Method of Measurement

An economic statistician evaluating a nation's performance via the income approach compiles the following components for a given year:

- Compensation of employees: \text{\mathbb{N}}380\text{ million}
- Operating surplus (rent, interest, and profit): \text{\mathbb{N}}210\text{ million}
- Mixed income of self-employed individuals: \text{\mathbb{N}}90\text{ million}
- Net factor income from abroad (NFIA): \text{\mathbb{N}}-15\text{ million}
- Transfer payments to households: \text{\mathbb{N}}40\text{ million}

What is the Gross Domestic Product at factor cost (GDPfc\text{GDP}_{fc}) for this economy using the income method?

  1. ₦680 millionAnswer
  2. B
    ₦720 million
  3. C
    ₦665 million
  4. D
    ₦705 million

Answer

The Gross Domestic Product at factor cost using the income method is ₦680 million.
Under the income method of measuring national income, Gross Domestic Product at factor cost (GDPfc\text{GDP}_{fc}) equals the sum of all factor rewards earned within the domestic boundary: Compensation of Employees + Operating Surplus + Mixed Income of Self-Employed. Evaluating the given figures gives \text{\mathbb{N}}380\text{ million} + \text{\mathbb{N}}210\text{ million} + \text{\mathbb{N}}90\text{ million} = \text{\mathbb{N}}680\text{ million}. Transfer payments are excluded because they are unearned receipts, and NFIA is omitted because the question specifies GDP rather than GNP.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the factor income components that contribute to domestic income generation.
Factor incomes include Compensation of employees (₦380m), Operating surplus (₦210m), and Mixed income of self-employed (₦90m).
The income method measures GDP at factor cost by aggregating all earned factor rewards generated within the domestic territory.
2
Filter out non-factor receipts such as transfer payments.
Transfer payments (₦40m) are excluded.
Transfer payments are unearned income transactions without corresponding production of goods or services.
3
Sum the factor income components to find GDP at factor cost.
\text{GDP}_{fc} = 380 + 210 + 90 = \text{\mathbb{N}}680\text{ million}.
NFIA (-₦15m) is used to convert GDP to GNP, so it must not be included when solving specifically for GDP.

Key Concept

Calculation of GDP at Factor Cost via Income Approach
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