Production possibility curves
1.5What the syllabus asks of you
- nature and meaning of a production possibility curve (PPC)
- shape of the PPC: constant and increasing opportunity costs
- causes and consequences of shifts in a PPC
- significance of a position within a PPC
Drill this topic
Every question on Production possibility curves, untimed, marked as you go.
Make a worksheet
Choose the years and how many questions, then print it with the answers on separate pages.
44 questions
1May / June 2026 · Paper 11 · Q5Show mark scheme →
Aemployment
Bexports
Coutput
Dproductive capacity
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2May / June 2026 · Paper 12 · Q2Show mark scheme →
AThe economy is always producing both goods and services.
BThe economy is using all of the available resources.
CThe opportunity cost of producing goods is constant.
DThere is no unemployment in the economy.
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3May / June 2026 · Paper 12 · Q3Show mark scheme →
Aa fall in output per worker of manufactured goods
Ba fall in the demand for manufactured goods
Ca rise in the quality of technology used in manufactured goods
Da rise in unemployment in the manufacturing sector
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4May / June 2026 · Paper 13 · Q3Show mark scheme →
AIt is greater at X than Y.
BIt is greater at Z than Y.
CIt is the same at X, Y and Z.
DIt is zero when 600 units of consumer goods are produced.
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5May / June 2026 · Paper 14 · Q4Show mark scheme →
A1/2 unit of good Y
B2 units of good Y
C500 units of good Y
D1000 units of good Y
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6May / June 2026 · Paper 14 · Q5Show mark scheme →
A
B
C
D
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7Oct / Nov 2025 · Paper 11 · Q3Show mark scheme →
ACapital goods are a more labour-intensive output than consumer goods.
BConsumers always seek to maximise their satisfaction from consumption.
CProfit maximisation for firms always ensures efficiency in production.
DSome resources are more efficient in production of some goods than others.
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8Oct / Nov 2025 · Paper 12 · Q5Show mark scheme →
AThe PPC shifts from ST to SV.
BThe PPC shifts from ST to SW.
CThe PPC shifts from ST to UT.
DThe PPC shifts from ST to UW.
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9Oct / Nov 2025 · Paper 13 · Q5Show mark scheme →
Athe PPC remains at PPC0
Bthe PPC shifts from PPC0 to PPC1
Cthe PPC shifts from PPC0 to PPC2
Dthe PPC shifts from PPC0 to PPC3
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10Oct / Nov 2025 · Paper 14 · Q4Show mark scheme →
AA
BB
CC
DD
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11Oct / Nov 2025 · Paper 33 · Q16Show mark scheme →
Aa change in the slope of the curve
Ba movement from a point below the curve to a point on the curve
Ca movement from one point to another along a given curve
Dan outward shift of the curve
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12May / June 2025 · Paper 11 · Q2Show mark scheme →
ABoth countries have decreasing opportunity cost in the production of consumer goods.
BBoth countries should produce 40 units of capital goods and 20 units of consumer goods.
CCountry Y has constant opportunity cost in the production of consumer goods.
DCountry Y is producing more consumer goods than country X.
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13May / June 2025 · Paper 12 · Q5Show mark scheme →
Aa decrease in mineral resources
Ba decrease in prices of consumer goods
Can increase in employment
Dan increase in technology
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14May / June 2025 · Paper 13 · Q2Show mark scheme →
AK and N
BL and R
CN and R
DR and S
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15May / June 2025 · Paper 14 · Q4Show mark scheme →
Athe actual demand in an economy given its existing resources
Bthe maximum output an economy can achieve using existing resources
Cthe maximum output an economy can ever achieve
Dthe minimum combinations of output an economy can achieve
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16Feb / March 2025 · Paper 12 · Q3Show mark scheme →
AW and Y
BW and X
CX and Z
DY and Z
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17Feb / March 2025 · Paper 32 · Q16Show mark scheme →
Aa positive output gap
Ba recession
Cactual economic growth
Dpotential economic growth
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18Oct / Nov 2024 · Paper 11 · Q4Show mark scheme →
ADiagram A: straight downward-sloping line from consumer goods axis to capital goods axis
BDiagram B: concave-to-origin curve from consumer goods axis to capital goods axis
CDiagram C: convex-to-origin curve from consumer goods axis to capital goods axis
DDiagram D: upward-sloping straight line from origin
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19Oct / Nov 2024 · Paper 11 · Q5Show mark scheme →
Aby a movement from R to T
Bby a movement from S to R
Cby a movement from S to T
Dby a movement from T to R
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20Oct / Nov 2024 · Paper 12 · Q1Show mark scheme →
Athe consumers’ preferred combination of output
Bthe level of economic growth
Cthe opportunity cost of manufactured goods in terms of agricultural products
Dthe preference for present consumption rather than future consumption
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21Oct / Nov 2024 · Paper 12 · Q5Show mark scheme →
Athe price of private goods
Bthe price of public goods
Cthe opportunity cost of private goods
Dthe opportunity cost of public goods
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22Oct / Nov 2024 · Paper 13 · Q1Show mark scheme →
AFood and drink are normal goods.
BThe country is self-sufficient in the production of food and drink.
CThe opportunity cost of food falls as more drink is produced.
DThere is a constant opportunity cost between food and drink.
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23May / June 2024 · Paper 11 · Q5Show mark scheme →
Aits degree of self-sufficiency
Bits international competitiveness
Cits level of output of two goods
Dits rate of economic growth
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24May / June 2024 · Paper 13 · Q2Show mark scheme →
Amoving from point E to point F
Bmoving from point E to point G
Cmoving from point E to point H
Dmoving from point G to point H
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25Feb / March 2024 · Paper 12 · Q1Show mark scheme →
AResources are unlimited.
BResources have alternative uses.
CSome resources can be imported.
DSome resources may be unemployed.
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26Oct / Nov 2023 · Paper 11 · Q2Show mark scheme →
A1 to 2
B1 to 3
C2 to 3
D3 to 4
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27Oct / Nov 2023 · Paper 12 · Q1Show mark scheme →
AOpportunity costs are constant between points 1 and 2, and between points 3 and 4.
BOpportunity costs decrease between points 1 and 2, and increase between points 3 and 4.
COpportunity costs decrease between points 1 and 2, and between points 3 and 4.
DOpportunity costs increase between points 1 and 2, and between points 3 and 4.
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28Oct / Nov 2023 · Paper 12 · Q23Show mark scheme →
Ar to s
Br to u
Cs to t
Dt to u
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29Oct / Nov 2023 · Paper 32 · Q18Show mark scheme →
AFuture generations will be less well-off than present generations.
BIncreasing the production of one good cannot be done without decreasing the production of another.
CIndividuals will have more choices due to a wider range of consumer goods.
DRising levels of output will cause per capita incomes to equalise.
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30May / June 2023 · Paper 11 · Q3Show mark scheme →
AConsumers chose to consume more food and less drink.
BGovernment taxed food production and subsidised drink production.
CProductivity rose in food production and fell in drink production.
DThere were more imports of food and more exports of drink.
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31May / June 2023 · Paper 12 · Q2Show mark scheme →
Aan increase in worker immigration
Ban increase in the retirement age
Can increase in labour productivity
Dan increase in the school leaving age
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32May / June 2023 · Paper 13 · Q3Show mark scheme →
Aconstant returns to scale in the production of both goods and services
Bdiminishing returns to scale in the production of both goods and services
Cincreasing returns to scale in the production of both goods and services
Dinfinite returns to scale in the production of both goods and services
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33Feb / March 2023 · Paper 12 · Q4Show mark scheme →
AAs the price of corn falls, more of it is demanded.
BResources used in producing corn are more efficient than in producing wheat.
CThe opportunity cost of producing corn falls when moving from M to N.
DThe opportunity cost of producing corn is constant when moving from M to N.
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34Oct / Nov 2022 · Paper 12 · Q5Show mark scheme →
ACurrent living standards have fallen.
BThe economy has become more efficient.
CThere has been a rise in unemployment.
DThere has been an opportunity cost of OR consumer goods.
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35Oct / Nov 2022 · Paper 13 · Q4Show mark scheme →
Aopportunity cost of producing more of good Y: decreases; opportunity cost of producing more of good X: decreases
Bopportunity cost of producing more of good Y: decreases; opportunity cost of producing more of good X: increases
Copportunity cost of producing more of good Y: increases; opportunity cost of producing more of good X: decreases
Dopportunity cost of producing more of good Y: increases; opportunity cost of producing more of good X: increases
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36May / June 2022 · Paper 11 · Q1Show mark scheme →
A40
B50
C100
D110
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37May / June 2022 · Paper 12 · Q3Show mark scheme →
AW and X
BX and Y
CY and Z
DZ and W
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38May / June 2022 · Paper 14 · Q2Show mark scheme →
ADiagram A
BDiagram B
CDiagram C
DDiagram D
Mark scheme
39May / June 2022 · Paper 31 · Q2Show mark scheme →
AThe economy must be allocatively efficient at point R.
BThe economy is Pareto efficient at point T.
CThe economy is productively efficient at point S.
DThe opportunity cost is constant as we move from L to M.
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40May / June 2022 · Paper 33 · Q2Show mark scheme →
AThe economy must be allocatively efficient at point R.
BThe economy is Pareto efficient at point T.
CThe economy is productively efficient at point S.
DThe opportunity cost is constant as we move from L to M.
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41Feb / March 2022 · Paper 12 · Q1Show mark scheme →
AW and X only
BW, X and Z only
CW, X, Y and Z
DZ and Y only
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42Oct / Nov 2021 · Paper 12 · Q1Show mark scheme →
Aa decrease in working hours to 8 per day and a machine that increases the worker's pea picking productivity
Ba machine that increases the worker's pea picking productivity only
Ca new work schedule where the worker spends 6 hours per day picking peas and only 4 hours picking beans
Da reduction in working hours to 8 per day only
Mark scheme
43Oct / Nov 2021 · Paper 13 · Q1Show mark scheme →
Aa fall in output per worker in the car industry
Ba fall in the level of competition in the car industry
Ca rise in the potential workforce of the economy
Da rise in the price of cars
Mark scheme
44May / June 2021 · Paper 32 · Q23Show mark scheme →
ADiagram A
BDiagram B
CDiagram C
DDiagram D
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