A spike in unemployment rate - the largest in more than 2-decades - increased new concerns Friday that a weak labor outlook, high oil prices and continuing woes in housing and credit markets are leading the United States economy into a painful recession.

The government said Friday that the unemployment rate soared to 5.5 percent in May from 5 percent in April - much higher than economists had forecast.

The surge marked the biggest one-month jump in unemployment since February 1986, and the 5.5 percent rate is the highest level seen since October 2004. Unemployment is now a full percentage point higher than it was a year ago.....

CNN,June 6,2008

a) How does the unemployment rate in May compare to the unemployment rate during the past few recessions?

b) Why might the unemployment rate tend to actually underestimate the unemployment problem, especially during a recession?

c) How does the unemployment rate in May compare to the estimated natural unemployment rate? What does this imply about the relationship between real GDP and potential GDP at this time?