Final answer:
A recession is the contraction phase of the business cycle, beginning after the economy reaches a peak and ending at the trough.
Step-by-step explanation:
A recession is the contraction phase of the business cycle. It begins after the economy reaches a peak of activity and ends as the economy reaches its trough. The movement of the economy from peak to trough and trough to peak is called the business cycle. A depression is an especially lengthy and deep recession.