Question

. At the beginning of 2009, a government had a total debt of $540 billion dollars. It ended 2009 with a $6 billion dollar budget surplus. In 2010, its budget surplus reached $8 billion dollars. What is the total debt of the government equal to at the end of 2010?

Answer 1

Step-by-step explanation:

In 2009:

Total debt, Tc = $540 billion Budget surplus $6 billion

In 2010:

Budget surplus = $8 billion

Total debt at the end of 2010 = Total debt in 2009 - budget surplus in 2009 - budget surplus in 2010

= $540 billion - $6 billion - $8 billion

= $526 billion

Total debt at the end of 2010 = $526 billion

Answer 2

$526 billion

Step-by-step explanation:

If at the beginning of 2009, a government had a total debt of $540 billion dollars, and it ended 2009 with a $6 billion dollar budget surplus; then in 2010, its budget surplus reached $8 billion dollars. Then the level of total debt would be decreased because:

When a country runs a budget surplus it has a positive effect of reducing the government total debt level of the country.

Hence, the level of government debt will drop from $540 billion from the beginning of 2009 to $526 billion ($540 - $6 - $8) in 2010