ABSTRACT
Anywhere in economics, in everyday statistics or in volumes of theory, it is easy to meet price indices. They are introduced as such. But still, how could it be known if any identity happened to be a mistake, or how this should matter? No plain answer is given. But still, it is possible to make enquiries. Is 1.6 a price index? To some this is just a number. Then does it become a price index if it is called one? Perhaps. Then is any number a price index?At this point there is a stop and disengagement. But try again. Is p1x0/p0x0 a price index? Yes, of course, that is the Laspeyres price index! But why is it a price index? . . .The story of this encounter is-though because of a scatter of formulae it has an air of better science-much the same as the previous one.
