Which of the following are examples of irregular trends in a time series?
(A) Decrease in production due to a sudden strike.
(B) The rise in prices before festivals
(C) Unusual rise in income of the printing press due to the announcement of an election.
(D) Fall in crop yield due to floods.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → (A), (C) and (D) only
Irregular variations in a time series are caused by sudden, unpredictable events (strikes, floods, wars, elections). Seasonal variations repeat regularly within a year (festivals, weather seasons).
Checking the statements
(A) Decrease in production due to a sudden strike. — Correct. A sudden strike cannot be predicted, so the fall is irregular.
(B) The rise in prices before festivals — Incorrect. Festivals come at the same time every year, so this rise is a seasonal variation.
(C) Unusual rise in income of the printing press due to the announcement of an election. — Correct. The announcement is a one-off event, so the rise is irregular.
(D) Fall in crop yield due to floods. — Correct. Floods are unpredictable natural events, so the fall is irregular.