Edexcel International · Unit 1: Markets in action · 1.1 The nature of economics

Edexcel International Economics past paper questions: The nature of economics

Every Edexcel International question on The nature of economics from 2019 to 2025: 5 essays, 7 data response questions, 22 short answer questions and 22 multiple choice questions. Each question links to its paper, mark scheme and examiner report.

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Essay questions on the nature of economics

AS Unit 1, October 2024, Q14OptionalEvaluate20 marks

Evaluate the advantages of the division of labour for businesses and workers. Refer to an industry of your choice in your answer.

Question paper p.22 Mark scheme p.24 Examiner report p.7 Open in the tool

AS Unit 1, June 2024, Q13OptionalEvaluate20 marks

Evaluate possible factors that could cause a rightward shift of a country's production possibility frontier. Include at least one relevant diagram in your answer.

Question paper p.20 Mark scheme p.18 Examiner report p.3 Open in the tool Draw it: PPF diagram

AS Unit 1, October 2022, Q13OptionalEvaluate20 marks

Evaluate the advantages of a free market economy.

Question paper p.20 Mark scheme p.21 Examiner report p.6 Open in the tool

AS Unit 1, January 2022, Q13OptionalEvaluate20 marks

Evaluate the possible benefits of an economy moving closer to being a 'free market economy'.

Question paper p.21 Mark scheme p.18 Examiner report p.5 Open in the tool

AS Unit 1, January 2020, Q13OptionalEvaluate20 marks

Evaluate the advantages of the division of labour in organising production.

Question paper p.22 Mark scheme p.18 Examiner report p.4 Open in the tool

Data response questions on the nature of economics

AS Unit 1, June 2024, Q12(a)Define2 marks

Case study: The market for rice

Define the term 'capital goods'. (Extract C, line 5)

Question paper p.10 Mark scheme p.11 Examiner report p.3 Open in the tool

AS Unit 1, June 2023, Q12(a)Define2 marks

Case study: Renewables, lithium and smartphones

Define the term 'supply' (Extract A, line 8).

Question paper p.12 Mark scheme p.11 Examiner report p.3 Open in the tool

AS Unit 1, June 2023, Q12(b)Explain4 marks

Case study: Renewables, lithium and smartphones

With reference to Extract A, explain one advantage of Apple using energy produced from renewable resources.

Question paper p.12 Mark scheme p.12 Examiner report p.3 Open in the tool

AS Unit 1, June 2023, Q12(d)Examine8 marks

Case study: Renewables, lithium and smartphones

With reference to the last paragraph of Extract C, examine two likely effects on smartphone manufacturers of the growth in the market for refurbished smartphones.

Question paper p.12 Mark scheme p.14 Examiner report p.3 Open in the tool

AS Unit 1, June 2022, Q12(b)Explain4 marks

Case study: The markets for copper, electricity and battery electric buses (BEBs)

With reference to Figure 2, explain the difference between 'renewable resources' and 'non renewable resources'.

Question paper p.13 Mark scheme p.14 Examiner report p.21 Open in the tool

AS Unit 1, January 2022, Q12(b)Explain4 marks

Case study: Cotton and clothing

With reference to the titles of Extract A and Extract B, explain the difference between positive statements and normative statements.

Question paper p.13 Mark scheme p.12 Examiner report p.4 Open in the tool

AS Unit 1, January 2021, Q12(a)Define2 marks

Case study: The markets for oil and electric cars

Define the term 'renewable resource' (Extract B, line 19).

Question paper p.13 Mark scheme p.11 Examiner report p.5 Open in the tool

Short answer questions on the nature of economics

AS Unit 1, June 2025, Q8Explain4 marks

Explain one advantage of specialisation in house construction.

Question paper p.8 Mark scheme p.7 Examiner report p.3 Open in the tool

AS Unit 1, June 2025, Q11Explain4 marks

Explain the likely impact on the USA's production possibility frontier (PPF) of this change in migration. Illustrate your answer with a fully labelled PPF diagram.

Question paper p.11 Mark scheme p.9 Examiner report p.3 Open in the tool Draw it: PPF diagram

AS Unit 1, January 2025, Q11Explain4 marks

Ceteris paribus, explain the likely impact on producer surplus in the hotel market in Czechia. Illustrate your answer with a supply and demand diagram.

Question paper p.10 Mark scheme p.10 Examiner report p.4 Open in the tool Draw it: supply and demand diagram

AS Unit 1, October 2024, Q7Draw4 marks

Draw a diagram to illustrate the impact of Artificial Intelligence on China's production possibility frontier (PPF). Include an arrow on your PPF diagram.

Question paper p.6 Mark scheme p.7 Examiner report p.4 Open in the tool Draw it: PPF diagram

AS Unit 1, October 2024, Q9Explain4 marks

With reference to both statements, explain the difference between normative statements and positive statements.

Question paper p.8 Mark scheme p.9 Examiner report p.4 Open in the tool

AS Unit 1, June 2024, Q11Explain4 marks

Ceteris paribus, explain the likely impact of this change in supply on consumer surplus in the tomato market. Illustrate your answer with a supply and demand diagram.

Question paper p.9 Mark scheme p.10 Examiner report p.3 Open in the tool Draw it: supply and demand diagram

AS Unit 1, January 2024, Q11Explain4 marks

Ceteris paribus, explain the likely impact of this change in production costs on producer surplus in the electric vehicle market. Illustrate your answer with a supply and demand diagram.

Question paper p.10 Mark scheme p.10 Examiner report p.4 Open in the tool Draw it: supply and demand diagram

AS Unit 1, June 2023, Q11Explain4 marks

Ceteris paribus, explain the likely impact of this decrease in visitor numbers on the producer surplus for Legoland. Illustrate your answer with an appropriate diagram.

Question paper p.11 Mark scheme p.10 Examiner report p.3 Open in the tool Draw it: supply and demand diagram

AS Unit 1, October 2022, Q8Explain4 marks

With reference to Lake Chad, explain the difference between a free good and an economic good.

Question paper p.6 Mark scheme p.7 Examiner report p.4 Open in the tool

AS Unit 1, October 2022, Q9Explain4 marks

Explain one advantage to a car manufacturer of using the division of labour to organise production.

Question paper p.7 Mark scheme p.8 Examiner report p.4 Open in the tool

AS Unit 1, June 2022, Q7Draw4 marks

Draw a diagram to illustrate the likely impact of this population change on Germany's production possibility frontier. Include an arrow to show the direction of the shift.

Question paper p.6 Mark scheme p.6 Examiner report p.3 Open in the tool Draw it: PPF diagram

AS Unit 1, June 2022, Q8Explain4 marks

With reference to China, explain the difference between 'capital goods' and 'consumer goods'.

Question paper p.7 Mark scheme p.8 Examiner report p.8 Open in the tool

AS Unit 1, October 2021, Q8Explain4 marks

With reference to the table, explain the difference between 'capital goods' and 'consumer goods'.

Question paper p.9 Mark scheme p.7 Examiner report p.3 Open in the tool

AS Unit 1, June 2021, Q8Explain4 marks

With reference to the change in how electricity was generated, explain the difference between 'renewable resources' and 'non-renewable resources'.

Question paper p.7 Mark scheme p.9 Open in the tool

AS Unit 1, June 2021, Q9Explain4 marks

Explain one advantage to firms of using division of labour to organise production.

Question paper p.8 Mark scheme p.10 Open in the tool

AS Unit 1, January 2021, Q10Calculate4 marks

Ceteris paribus, calculate the percentage change in the quantity demanded of tea following the change in the price of coffee. Show your workings.

Question paper p.9 Mark scheme p.9 Examiner report p.4 Open in the tool

AS Unit 1, October 2020, Q8Explain4 marks

With reference to Statement 1 and Statement 2, explain the difference between positive statements and normative statements.

Question paper p.8 Mark scheme p.8 Examiner report p.4 Open in the tool

AS Unit 1, January 2020, Q7Draw4 marks

Draw a diagram to illustrate the impact of this change in Qatar's population on its production possibility frontier.

Question paper p.6 Mark scheme p.5 Examiner report p.5 Open in the tool Draw it: PPF diagram

AS Unit 1, June 2019, Q8Explain4 marks

With reference to Canada's electricity generation, explain the difference between 'renewable resources' and 'non-renewable resources'.

Question paper p.8 Mark scheme p.6 Examiner report p.8 Open in the tool

AS Unit 1, June 2019, Q11Explain4 marks

Ceteris paribus, explain the likely impact of this change in population on Lithuania's production possibility frontier (PPF). Illustrate your answer with a diagram.

Question paper p.12 Mark scheme p.9 Examiner report p.16 Open in the tool Draw it: PPF diagram

AS Unit 1, January 2019, Q8Explain4 marks

With reference to the market for car manufacturing, explain one benefit of the 'division of labour'.

Question paper p.8 Mark scheme p.6 Examiner report p.7 Open in the tool

AS Unit 1, January 2019, Q9Explain4 marks

Explain whether Lake Poopó is a free good or an economic good.

Question paper p.9 Mark scheme p.7 Examiner report p.3 Open in the tool

Multiple choice questions

AS Unit 1, June 2025, Q5
Which one of the following can be deduced from the chart?
AS Unit 1, January 2025, Q4
Which one of the following can be deduced from the diagram?
AS Unit 1, January 2025, Q5
Which one of the following can be deduced from the chart?
AS Unit 1, October 2024, Q1
1 Which one of the following combinations best summarises how resources are allocated in a mixed economy? Price mechanism Government intervention
AS Unit 1, June 2024, Q1
1 Which one of the following has an opportunity cost of zero?
AS Unit 1, June 2024, Q5
Which one of the following can be deduced from the table?
AS Unit 1, June 2024, Q6
Ceteris paribus, which one of the following can be deduced from this information?
AS Unit 1, January 2024, Q2
Sea defences are an example of which one of the following?
AS Unit 1, January 2024, Q5
Which one of the following can be deduced from the chart?
AS Unit 1, January 2024, Q6
Which one of the following can be deduced from the diagram?
AS Unit 1, October 2023, Q2
Which one of the following might have caused this change in the country's production possibilities?
AS Unit 1, January 2023, Q6
Which one of the following can be deduced from the diagram?
AS Unit 1, October 2022, Q2
Which one of the following can be deduced from the table?
AS Unit 1, October 2022, Q4
Which one of the following can be deduced from the diagram?
AS Unit 1, January 2022, Q2
Which one of the following is a likely advantage of introducing the division of labour?
AS Unit 1, June 2021, Q1
Which one of the following best describes the two statements?
AS Unit 1, June 2021, Q5
5 The diagram shows a production possibility frontier for an economy. Capital goods C D B
AS Unit 1, October 2020, Q3
Which one of the following diagrams best illustrates the impact of the earthquake on Nepal's economy assuming it continued to operate at full employment? A B Capital Capital goods M goods L Y X L M X Y L M M L 0 Consumer 0 Consumer goods…
AS Unit 1, January 2020, Q5
Which one of the following can be deduced from the table?
AS Unit 1, October 2019, Q1
1 Which one of the following best describes the nature of economics?
AS Unit 1, June 2019, Q1
Which one of the following best describes the two statements above?
AS Unit 1, January 2019, Q1
1 The diagrams show the production possibility frontiers for Singapore's economy. It is operating at point X on the production possibility frontier LL. Singapore's population is expected to increase by 90 000 next year. In which one of the…

Question text is quoted from the question papers, © Pearson Edexcel, for students’ private study. Open the official papers and mark schemes from the links on each question. Examiner insights are written with AI assistance and moderated by Finn.

Essay questions on the nature of economics

Data response questions on the nature of economics

Short answer questions on the nature of economics

Multiple choice questions

More Edexcel International topics: Markets in action