Final answer:
The FOMC meets typically every six weeks to set monetary policy, issues directives to the New York Fed's trading desk, and although not initially envisioned by designers of the Federal Reserve Act, open market operations have become a central tool for monetary policy, option D is correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question pertains to the functions and operations of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), which is crucial in setting the United States' monetary policy. The statement in option A, claiming that the FOMC usually meets every six weeks to set monetary policy, is correct. It is supported by the information that while the FOMC can meet more frequently if necessary, their standard schedule is around every six weeks.
Option B, which states that the FOMC issues directives to the trading desk at the New York Fed, is also true. The New York Fed operates under the instructions of the FOMC, especially in regards to executing open market operations.
The assertion within option C is accurate as well; the original designers of the Federal Reserve Act did not anticipate open market operations as a primary tool of monetary policy. That said, over the last few decades, open market operations have become the most commonly used tool by the Federal Reserve and most central banks.
Given that all presented statements are true, the correct answer is D) All of the above are true statements.