a. What is meant by the equilibrium rate of interest ?

b. Illustrate and discuss how an autonomous increase in the expected rate of inflation will change the equilibrium nominal interest rate. Consider an initial real rate of interest of 3 percent and an expected inflation rate of 4 percent. If the expected rate of inflation rises to 6 percent with the real interest rate constant, what would the resulting nominal interest rate become, using the Fisher relationship?

HINTS: Recall the Fisher relationship where (1+i) = (1+r)(1+pe), where i is the nominal interest rate, r is the required real rate of return before taxes, and pe is the expected rate of inflation.)