Final answer:
Calculating the percentage change in real GDP requires knowing the GDP values for each year to determine growth or contraction. The economy experienced growth from 1980 to 1990 with a mix of inflation and actual GDP growth. To determine if there was contraction in 1988, the GDP of that year compared to prior year's GDP would be required.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the percentage change in real GDP for the hypothetical country from 1980 to 1988, you would subtract the previous year's GDP from the current year's GDP, divide that number by the previous year's GDP, and then multiply the result by 100 to get a percentage. After calculating the percentage change for each year, you can plot these on a graph to visualize the changes over time.
The provided data indicates that from 1980 to 1990, real GDP grew by 39% while prices increased by 51%. This means that approximately 57% of the growth was due to inflation and the remaining 43% was actual growth in real GDP. Recessions occurred during the years with noticeable declines in the real GDP such as 1973-1975 and 1981-1982, as well as periods of flattening in 1990-1991 and 2001.
In light of this information, if the level of real GDP in 1988 was less than that in 1987, then this would be indicative of a contraction. If it instead shows an increase, or if there is not enough information provided to determine a definitive trend for the year 1988, then the statement that 'This economy was experiencing a contraction in 1988' would be false.