Answer:
3.45%
Explanation:
the real wage at the beginning of the recession (12/07) = nominal wage / price index Dec. 2007 = $17.70 / 2.1141 = $8.3721
the real wage at the end of the recession (6/09) = nominal wage / price index June 2009 = $18.53 / 2.14527= $8.6609
% change in real wage = [($8.6609 - $8.3721) / $8.3721] x 100 = 3.44955% = 3.45%
Due to the recession, the price index changed less than the nominal wages since the inflation rate was very low. It is normal that during recessions, specially severe ones, the inflation rate decreases or even turns negative (what happened in Europe in those years).