The role of markets in allocating resources: past paper questions
Real questions on the role of markets in allocating resources
The newest 11 of 11 written questions. Open one to see it on the real paper.
- 2281/21 · May/June 2026 · Q2a[2]
Define ‘price mechanism’.
See it on the paper → - 2281/22 · October/November 2025 · Q1a[1]
Calculate foreign workers as a percentage of Japan’s labour force in 2022.
See it on the paper → - 2281/22 · October/November 2025 · Q1d[4]
Explain two ways Japan could attract more foreign workers.
See it on the paper → - 2281/23 · October/November 2025 · Q3c[6]
Analyse the services provided to households by commercial banks.
See it on the paper → - 2281/21 · May/June 2025 · Q1c[2]
Explain what effect an increase in tourism may have on Gabon’s current account of the balance of payments.
See it on the paper → - 2281/22 · October/November 2022 · Q5c[6]
Analyse how a fall in a country’s foreign exchange rate could increase its inflation rate.
See it on the paper → - 2281/23 · October/November 2021 · Q1e[4]
Analyse how an increase in labour mobility could improve the performance of a country’s trade in goods.
See it on the paper → - 2281/23 · October/November 2020 · Q1c[2]
Explain one reason why traffic congestion can reduce labour productivity.
See it on the paper → - 2281/23 · October/November 2020 · Q1d[4]
Explain how an increase in the mobility of Philippine workers would be likely to affect unemployment in the Philippines.
See it on the paper → - 2281/22 · October/November 2019 · Q1b[2]
Explain, using information from the extract, whether the market for driverless cars is expected to be in equilibrium in 2030.
See it on the paper → - 2281/22 · October/November 2019 · Q6a[2]
Identify the difference between an export and an import.
See it on the paper →
What examiners said
There were some excellent answers to this question with candidates showing a strong understanding of the links between a lower foreign exchange rate and cost-push inflation and demand-pull inflation. Other candidates, however, wrote that it would cause imported inflation without analysing why this may occur and some confused the effects of a lower foreign exchange rate on the prices of exports and...
— Examiner report, October/November 2022, 2281/22 Q5(c) (Cambridge)
The fact that traffic congestion led to workers arriving late to work, feeling tired and stressed was mentioned by most candidates. However, many did not explain how this linked with lower productivity; they just stated that it led to lower productivity. Candidates needed to show an understanding that lower productivity meant a reduction in output due to less working time or days off through illne...
— Examiner report, October/November 2020, 2281/23 Q1(c) (Cambridge)
A significant number of candidates did not recognise that this question was about how better geographical and occupational mobility would increase the opportunities for employment. Instead, many wrote about the increased ease of moving around the Philippines with less traffic congestion. Strong answers explained that greater geographical mobility enabled workers to move from areas of high unemploy...
— Examiner report, October/November 2020, 2281/23 Q1(d) (Cambridge)
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