ABSTRACT
A range of illustrations of how to construct and use index numbers was given in Chapter 3. The purpose of the present chapter is different; it is to provide examples of index numbers in their application to real problems. No apology is needed on the selection of the problems which are almost entirely in the fields of economics and of economic aspects of social questions. The predominant use of index numbers is undoubtedly in applied economics and econometrics. A comparison of the contents of Economic Trends and of Social Trends confirms this; the former includes index numbers of all shapes and sizes, the latter scarcely refers to one at all.
