AP Macroeconomics 2.5: Costs of Inflation
Explain how unexpected inflation or deflation redistributes wealth between borrowers and lenders and affects people on fixed incomes.
- Syllabus
- Effective Fall 2025
- Course
- AP Macroeconomics
Explain how unexpected inflation or deflation redistributes wealth between borrowers and lenders and affects people on fixed incomes.
The table provided shows the quantity and price of food and clothing, the only two goods produced and consumed in the country of Maltrose, in year 1 and year 2. Assume that year 1 is the base year.

Assuming that the expected inflation rate between years 1 and 2 was 3%, were each of the following better off, worse off, or unaffected as a result of the economic conditions between year 1 and year 2 ?
People living on a fixed income
State that people living on a fixed income were worse off.
1 point
Borrowers with fixed interest-rate loans. Explain.
Begin your response to this question at the top of a new page in the separate Free Response booklet and fill in the appropriate circle at the top of each page to indicate the question number.
of their debt decreased by more than they expected or because the real interest rate was
lower than expected.
1 point
Total for part (d)
for question 2
5 points