Summary, MeTHOD OF ConsTRUCTING National INDUSTRIAL CONFERENCE Boarp INDEX NuMBERS OF 
tHE Cost oF Living IN THE UNITED STATES— (Continued) 
Fuel and Light 
Cnn 
Shelter 
Clothing 
Sundries 
Viethod of com- 
puting change 
in cost of each 
major item. . . 
\verage price 
of each article 
multiplied by 
ronsumption 
weight, prod- 
acts added, 
iggregates 
sompared on 
Jercentage ba- 
sis from month 
to month; 
change with- 
in a month 
inked to index 
number for 
last preceding 
month. 
Yercentage change in 
sachreportaveraged; 
-hese averaged for 
sach city; each 
inked to preceding 
andex number for 
hat city; cities 
rrouped by popula- 
ion and average in- 
lex number for each 
»opulation group 
‘ound; these multi- 
lied by respective 
>opulation weights, 
sroducts added, di- 
vided by sum of 
weights gives cur- 
rent index number. 
\verage price of each 
article found each 
month, compared 
vith average price 
‘or preceding month 
an percentage basis; 
‘hese changes linked 
‘0 index numbers for 
sreceding month; 
wurrent index num- 
ers multiplied by 
2xpenditure weights, 
or men’s and wo- 
nen’s clothing sepa- 
-ately; products di- 
vided by sum of 
weights; average of 
change for men’s and 
women’s clothing is 
current index num 
ber. 
Joal: All quotations for each kind 
of coal averaged; percentage dif- 
‘erence between this and last pre- 
reding average computed; ap- 
slied to last preceding index 
wmber. New index numbers for 
-wo kinds of anthracite averaged; 
‘ndex number for anthracite aver 
iged with index number for bitu- 
minous coal. 
sas and Electricity: Percentage of 
hange in rates, extra charges, 
liscounts from one period to 
mother ascertained for each 
ity; each linked to preceding 
ndex number for that city; cit- 
es grouped by population and 
wverage index number for each 
copulation group found; these 
multiplied by respective popula- 
“on weights, products added, di- 
sided by sum of weights; this 
sercentage applied to last pre- 
:eding index number. Gas 
weighted two, electricity one, in 
combined number. 
‘ombined: Fuel index weightea 
two, light one; weighted average 
gives index for fuel and light. 
Jor each item, average percentage 
of change in cost between two 
dates is found and linked to last 
preceding index number to get 
rurtent index number.