This task involves annotating the answer type to a given question that involve some kind of complex reasoning (including numerical reasoning). Note that the questions require looking at more than one part of the passage to answer. There are 3 possible answer types (i) spans, (ii) numbers and (iii) dates. If the answer can be found in the passage, label it as "span". If the answer is a number, label as "number". Similarly, label "date" if you think the answer to the given question is a date.

Let me give you an example: Passage: The outbreak of the Seven Years' War in Europe in 1756 resulted in renewed conflict between French and British forces in India. The Third Carnatic War spread beyond southern India and into Bengal where British forces captured the French settlement of Chandernagore in 1757. However, the war was decided in the south, where the British successfully defended Madras, and Sir Eyre Coote decisively defeated the French, commanded by Comte de Lally at the Battle of Wandiwash in 1760. After Wandiwash, the French capital of Pondicherry fell to the British in 1761. The war concluded with the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1763, which returned Chandernagore and Pondichery to France, and allowed the French to have "factories" in India but forbade French traders from administering them. The French agreed to support British client governments, thus ending French ambitions of an Indian empire and making the British the dominant foreign power in India.
Question: Which french settlement did the British capture first, Chandernagore or Pondicherry?
The answer to this example can be: span
Here is why: The answer "Chandernagore" is a word from the passage. So, the answer type is "span".

OK. solve this:
Passage: The country's economic transformation was far from complete. Political and financial crises in 1997, shattered the Czech Republic's image as one of the most stable and prosperous of post-Communist states. Delays in enterprise restructuring and failure to develop a well-functioning capital market played major roles in Czech economic troubles, which culminated in a currency crisis in May. The formerly pegged currency was forced into a floating system as investors sold their Korunas faster than the government could buy them. This followed a worldwide trend to divest from developing countries that year. Investors also worried the republic's economic transformation was far from complete. Another complicating factor was the current account deficit, which reached nearly 8% of GDP. In response to the crisis, two austerity packages were introduced later in the spring , which cut government spending by 2.5% of GDP. Growth dropped to 0.3% in 1997, 2.3% in 1998, and 0.5% in 1999. The government established a restructuring agency in 1999 and launched a revitalization program - to spur the sale of firms to foreign companies. Key priorities included accelerating legislative convergence with EU norms, restructuring enterprises, and privatising banks and utilities. The economy, fueled by increased export growth and investment, was expected to recover by 2000.
Question: In which year did GDP growth drop the least, 1997, 1998, or 1999?
Answer:
date