Final Answer:
1. The article suggests that increased productivity and a decrease in demand for goods and services are the main factors expected to drive inflation down.
2. The ability of the Federal Reserve to control inflation depends on various economic factors, but their tools, such as interest rate adjustments, are instrumental in influencing inflationary pressures.
Step-by-step explanation:
The primary driver expected to push inflation down, as indicated in the article, is an increase in productivity and a concurrent decrease in demand for goods and services. Higher productivity generally leads to more efficient production processes, reducing the cost of goods and services. As a result, even if demand remains constant or decreases, the increased efficiency in production can offset inflationary pressures. Mathematically, this relationship can be expressed as:
![\[ \text{Inflation} = \text{Demand} - \text{Productivity} \]](https://img.qammunity.org/2024/formulas/business/high-school/em5nh1ll7ne6bwf7urvha56bx046ghlc4e.png)
In the current economic context, these simulations indicate that a positive shift in productivity and a slight decrease in demand will contribute to lowering inflation rates.
The Federal Reserve plays a crucial role in managing inflation through tools like adjusting interest rates. While their ability to control inflation depends on numerous factors such as global economic conditions and fiscal policies, the efficacy of these tools is evident. By employing contractionary monetary policies, such as raising interest rates, the Fed can mitigate inflationary pressures. The equation representing this relationship can be expressed as:
![\[ \text{Inflation} = \text{Demand} - \text{Fed Policies} \]](https://img.qammunity.org/2024/formulas/business/high-school/sywetpq07xj0g4r147lkbuza8glrxya8ht.png)
Therefore, the Federal Reserve, through its monetary policy tools, has the potential to influence and control inflation in the current economic landscape.