Transfer payments are to GDP calculations as: A. Personal savings are to national income B. Sales taxes are to consumer spending C. Government investments are to public goods D. Charitable donations are to private sector production

Transfer payments, like social security or unemployment benefits, are money given by the government to individuals without expecting anything in return. These payments do not count toward Gross Domestic Product (GDP) because they are not payments for goods or services produced. Instead, they help people but do not directly contribute to economic production. In this context, the best comparison is option C, where government investments are related to public goods, as both involve government actions that affect the economy but do not directly add to GDP. For example, when the government builds a road, it contributes to GDP, but when it gives money to someone for living expenses, that does not count as part of the economic output.