Final answer:
The Consumer Price Index basket of goods consists of about 80,000 products, which are specific examples of items in over 200 broad-item categories. Statisticians select these examples based on what people buy and where they shop to calculate the index.
Step-by-step explanation:
The basket of goods in the Consumer Price Index consists of about 80,000 products, which are several hundred specific products categorized into over 200 broad-item categories. Statisticians select specific examples of each item and look at their prices to calculate the Consumer Price Index. For example, when considering the 'foods and beverages' category, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) selects several hundred examples of breakfast cereal, such as the price of a 24-oz. box of a particular brand sold at a certain store, to reflect what people buy and where they shop.