Bank Three currently has $600 million in transaction deposits on its balance sheet. The Federal Reserve has currently set the reserve requirement at 10 percent of transaction deposits.

a.

If the Federal Reserve decreases the reserve requirement to 8 percent, show the balance sheet of Bank Three and the Federal Reserve System just before and after the full effect of the reserve requirement change. Assume Bank Three withdraws all excess reserves and gives out loans, and that borrowers eventually return all of these funds to Bank Three in the form of transaction deposits.

b.

Redo part (a) using a 12 percent reserve requirement.