Skip to the lesson

Money and the economyLesson 2 of 8

Part 1 of 3, 0 done

14 min

Inflation: why a dollar buys less

Over the year to September 2026, gasoline cost a lot more, eggs a lot less, and prices overall rose a few cents on the dollar. Here's how one number sums up all of them, and what it means for a café's menu and its sales.

Ticket 01 · The guess

How much more for a gallon?

Over the twelve months to September 2026, by how much did US gasoline prices rise?

10%
0%60%
Words to know

Spot something wrong?

Tell us what looks off. No name or email needed.

What kind of problem?

0 / 1000

We'll also send this page, the lesson, ticket 1, so we can find it. Nothing else. Privacy

·
Sources and every number (2)

Sources

  • The Economics Daily: Prices for gasoline increased 34.2 percent over the year ended September 2026 (October 16, 2026), twelve-month changes in the CPI by item · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2026
  • Consumer Price Index, September 2026 (news release of October 14, 2026): twelve-month changes by item, not seasonally adjusted · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2026

Every number

  • 34.2%bls.gov ·2026 · Gasoline (all types), twelve months to September 2026, not seasonally adjusted (Consumer Price Index).
  • 3.7%bls.gov ·2026 · All items, twelve months to September 2026, not seasonally adjusted (Consumer Price Index).
  • 2.6%bls.gov ·2026 · All items less food and energy, twelve months to September 2026, not seasonally adjusted (Consumer Price Index).
  • 20.4%bls.gov ·2026 · Energy, twelve months to September 2026, not seasonally adjusted (Consumer Price Index).
  1. Lessons›
  2. Money and the economy
  • ·Before this: Supply and demand: why prices move
  • ·Next: Interest rates and the Fed
Skip to the lesson

Money and the economyLesson 2 of 8

Part 1 of 3, 0 done

14 min

Inflation: why a dollar buys less

Over the year to September 2026, gasoline cost a lot more, eggs a lot less, and prices overall rose a few cents on the dollar. Here's how one number sums up all of them, and what it means for a café's menu and its sales.

Ticket 01 · The guess

How much more for a gallon?

Over the twelve months to September 2026, by how much did US gasoline prices rise?

10%
0%60%
Words to know

Spot something wrong?

Tell us what looks off. No name or email needed.

What kind of problem?

0 / 1000

We'll also send this page, the lesson, ticket 1, so we can find it. Nothing else. Privacy

·
Sources and every number (2)

Sources

  • The Economics Daily: Prices for gasoline increased 34.2 percent over the year ended September 2026 (October 16, 2026), twelve-month changes in the CPI by item · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2026
  • Consumer Price Index, September 2026 (news release of October 14, 2026): twelve-month changes by item, not seasonally adjusted · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2026

Every number

  • 34.2%bls.gov ·2026 · Gasoline (all types), twelve months to September 2026, not seasonally adjusted (Consumer Price Index).
  • 3.7%bls.gov ·2026 · All items, twelve months to September 2026, not seasonally adjusted (Consumer Price Index).
  • 2.6%bls.gov ·2026 · All items less food and energy, twelve months to September 2026, not seasonally adjusted (Consumer Price Index).
  • 20.4%bls.gov ·2026 · Energy, twelve months to September 2026, not seasonally adjusted (Consumer Price Index).
  1. Lessons›
  2. Money and the economy
  • ·Before this: Supply and demand: why prices move
  • ·Next: Interest rates and the Fed