The food stamp program in the United States provides monthly allotments of food stamps to families of various sizes, based on their income. The following table lists the gross monthly income standards (130% of poverty level in the year 2002) and the maximum monthly food stamp allotment.

a. Compute the maximum monthly food stamp allotment as a fraction of the gross monthly income eligibility standard for households of various sizes listed in the above table.
b. Explain the pattern of food stamp program benefit incidence across households of various sizes revealed in the fractions computed in part a.
c. Compute the change in maximum allotment with a change in gross income for households of various sizes listed in the above table.
d. Explain the pattern of marginal food stamp benefit incidence across households using the ratios computed in part c.

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Gross monthly income eligibility standard (130% of poverty level) Maximum monthly food Household size stamp allotment (persons) 931 1,258 1,585 1,913 2,240 2,567 2,894 3,221 135 248 356 452 537 644 712 814 each additional +328 +102