Microcomputer Proficiency Exam

Practice Exam #1

Below are data for the median family income in the United States by Race and Hispanic
Origin, for the years 1972-1987. The data are in current dollars.
1. Convert the current dollar figures into constant dollars (i.e., control for inflation). The
formula for converting constant dollars into current dollars is:
constant dollars = current dollars/(CPI-U * 0.01)
Calculate constant dollars for each of the categories: All Families, White, Black, and
Hispanic. (The CPI-U figures have a 1982-84 as the base year. Therefore, the constant
dollars will be in 1982-84 dollars.)
2. Create one line graph to compare the trends for the three racial/ethnic groups (i.e.,
White, Black, Hispanic) (use the constant dollar figures).
3. Create a memo in Word comparing the trend for median family income for the three
groups over the past 15 years. Import your graph into your Word memo.
Save your documents with the filename: INCxxx (where xxx are your initials). (Note:
You should save two files. One should be an EXCEL document and the other should be a
Word document.)
Median Family Income by Race and Hispanic Origin, 1960-87
(in current dollars)
Year

1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987

All Families

11116
12051
12902
13719
14958
16009
17640
19587
21023
22388
23433
24674
26433
27735
29458
30853

White

11549
12595
13408
14268
15537
16740
18368
20439
21904
23517
24603
25837
27686
29152
30809
32274

Black

6864
7269
8006
8779
9242
9563
10879
11574
12674
13266
13598
14561
15431
16786
17604
18098

Hispanic

8183
8715
9540
9551
10259
11421
12566
14169
14716
16401
16227
16930
18832
19027
19995
20306

CPI-U

41.8
44.4
49.3
53.8
56.9
60.6
65.2
72.6
82.4
90.9
96.5
99.6
103.9
107.6
109.6
113.6