AQA Economics past paper questions: Measuring macroeconomic performance

Essay questions on measuring macroeconomic performance

Data response questions on measuring macroeconomic performance

Multiple choice questions

1. A-level Paper 3, June 2025, Q12

   Table 3 shows the value of the Human Development Index (HDI) for three countries in 2021 and figures from the index’s health and education dimensions. Table 3 Education dimension Human Development Life expectancy Country Index at birth…

2. A-level Paper 3, June 2025, Q30

   Table 8 shows figures for the population (millions) and GDP ($ billions) of four countries. Table 8 Population GDP Country (millions) ($ billions) Country W 20 420 Country X 32 1 200 Country Y 40 920 Country Z 200 4 900 What is the mean…

3. AS Paper 2, June 2025, Q3

   In a particular year, the rate of inflation in an economy was 2% and real national income rose by 6%. What was the approximate increase in the economy’s nominal national income in that year?

4. A-level Paper 3, June 2024, Q28

   Table 9 shows the price index for an economy at the end of each of the years from 2019 to 2023. Table 9 Year Price index 2019 110 2020 108 2021 117 2022 123 2023 135 In which year did the economy experience disinflation?

5. AS Paper 2, June 2024, Q2

   Between 2021 and 2022, the weight applied to the restaurant and hotels sector in the Consumer Prices Index rose from 97 to 102. As a result of this change, it must be true that

6. AS Paper 2, June 2024, Q19

   Table 2 shows the indices of labour productivity and real GDP for Country A and Country B for 2 years. Table 2 Index of labour productivity Index of real GDP Year 1 Year 2 Year 1 Year 2 Country A 100 110 100 120 Country B 100 105 100 110…

7. A-level Paper 3, June 2023, Q4

   The change in nominal national income per head is an unsatisfactory indicator of the change in the living standards of a country’s citizens over a period of time. The main reason is that nominal national income per head does not take into…

8. AS Paper 2, June 2023, Q3

   Table 1 shows the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for an economy over a period of time. Table 1 Year CPI 2008 110 2011 108 2014 116 2017 124 2020 130 Which one of the following can be concluded from Table 1?

9. A-level Paper 3, June 2022, Q4

   Table 1 shows the individual price indices and the weightings of the three goods that make up a price index. Table 1 Price Index in April 2022 Good Weighting (April 2021=100) X 0.1 102 Y 0.4 104 Z 0.5 103 What was the percentage increase…

10. A-level Paper 3, June 2022, Q5

    When using data to make international comparisons of the standard of living, purchasing power parity (PPP) exchange rates are more useful than market exchange rates. This is because PPP exchange rates take into account differences in…

11. A-level Paper 3, June 2022, Q23

    Table 4 shows the values of nominal GDP and a price index in two different years. Table 4 Year 2015 2019 Nominal GDP (£ billions) 250 290 Price index 100 110 What was the value of real GDP in 2019, to the nearest £ billion, expressed in…

12. A-level Paper 3, June 2022, Q29

    Table 6 shows the value of the UK’s Human Development Index (HDI) over the period 2015 to 2019. Table 6 Year 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 UK HDI Value 0.916 0.918 0.919 0.920 0.932 All other things being equal, which one of the following is…

13. AS Paper 2, June 2022, Q3

    The main reason that economic statistics are often expressed as index numbers is to

14. AS Paper 2, June 2022, Q7

    Index numbers for real GDP per head for Country X and Country Y, are shown in Table 1. Table 1 Year Country X Country Y 2016 100 100 2017 102 104 2018 101 103 2019 105 107 From Table 1 it can be concluded that real GDP per head

15. AS Paper 2, June 2022, Q8

    Nominal GDP for an economy fell from £318 billion to £310 billion. Average prices also fell over the same period. It can be concluded that

16. A-level Paper 3, November 2021, Q28

    The index of real GDP for an economy was 100 in 2017, its base year, and 105 in 2020. In 2017, real GDP was £500 billion. The monetary value of real GDP for this economy in 2020 must therefore have been

17. A-level Paper 3, November 2020, Q3

    Table 1 contains data for the rates of growth of nominal and real GDP and the rate of inflation for an economy in a given year. Which one of the following combinations, A, B, C or D, shows the correct relationship between the three…

18. A-level Paper 3, November 2020, Q22

    Table 4 shows the weights used in the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) for a selection of items in 2008 and 2018. Table 4 Category 2008 weight 2018 weight Food and non-alcoholic beverages 109 101 Alcoholic beverages and tobacco 42 Clothing and…

19. AS Paper 2, June 2020, Q4

    Which one of the following statements about the consumer price index (CPI) is correct?

20. A-level Paper 3, June 2019, Q13

    The diagram below shows the actual level of real GDP and the trend level of real GDP over time for an economy. The economy starts its recovery from recession at point M. After several years of growth the economy reaches point N. All other…

21. A-level Paper 3, June 2019, Q24

    An economy had a 3% increase in its real GDP over a one year period. In the same period its population grew by 5% and its rate of inflation was 2.5%. From these data it can be inferred that

22. A-level Paper 3, June 2019, Q30

    An economy’s GDP increased from £400 billion in 2016 to £428 billion in 2018. Using 2016 as the base year, what is the value of the index for GDP in 2018?

23. AS Paper 2, June 2019, Q11

    The following table shows real GDP for a small economy over two years. Real GDP £ billion 2015 2016 If 2016 is the base year, the index number for real GDP in 2015, to the nearest whole number, would be

24. AS Paper 2, June 2018, Q7

    The diagram below shows an economic cycle and the trend level of real GDP. Which point represents the economy producing at its normal capacity level of output?

25. AS Paper 2, June 2018, Q12

    The table below shows the index of real GDP for the UK before and after the 2008–09 financial crisis. 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 UK index of real GDP 105.2 104.1 100.0 101.8 102.7 2009 = 100 From the data it can be inferred that in the UK

26. A-level Paper 3, June 2017, Q14

    The following table shows the real GDP of an economy from 2012 to 2016. Year 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Real GDP 213 215 245 256 271 (£bn) If the figures were converted to index form with 2013 as the base year, what would be the value of the…

27. A-level Paper 3, June 2017, Q15

    The information below shows the changes in key economic indicators for a country over a period of one year. Rate of Population Money GDP Gini coefficient inflation increase +6% +4% +1% –8% Which one of the following can be concluded from…

28. A-level Paper 3, June 2017, Q27

    The table below shows the Consumer Prices Index for a country over a number of years. End of year prices Year index 1 100 2 3 103 4 105 5 106 6 104 7 107 Which one of the following can be concluded from the table?

29. AS Paper 2, June 2017, Q15

    Changes are regularly made to the weights used in the UK’s Consumer Prices Index. This means that the index takes account of changes in

30. AS Paper 2, June 2016, Q1

    Changes in real GDP are used to measure

31. AS Paper 2, June 2016, Q6

    The table below shows how the index of GDP and the index of population changed in an economy between 2011 and 2015. GDP Population (2013 = 100) (2013 = 100) 2011 92 2012 96 2013 100 100 2014 101 102 2015 103 103 Which one of the following…

32. AS Paper 2, June 2016, Q17

    The table below shows the annual percentage change in real GDP for an economy between 2013 and 2016. The long-run trend rate of growth for this economy is estimated to be 2.8%. Year Change in real GDP (%) 2013 2.4 2014 3.5 2015 2.8 2016…

33. A-level Paper 3, Specimen, Q27

    The table below contains index number data for an economy’s GDP, population size and its price level for the years 2005 and 2014. All three indices have 2005 for their base year. GDP Population Price level 2005 100 100 100 2014 200 120 150…

34. AS Paper 2, Specimen, Q11

    The table below shows the Consumer Price Index (CPI) of a country over a period of time. Year CPI 2009 2010 100 2011 110 2012 120 2013 125 Which one of the following can be deduced from the data?