Economics Practice Tests

These Grade 12 Social Studies practice tests develop Economics skills through scarcity, opportunity cost, production, markets, supply and demand, market structures, labor, public policy, externalities, international trade, and economic indicators.

Skills covered

  • Explaining scarcity, opportunity cost, factors of production, production possibilities, marginal analysis, incentives, economic systems, circular flow, GDP, and real GDP
  • Applying the laws of demand and supply, equilibrium, shortages, surpluses, demand and supply shifts, price controls, and elasticity
  • Comparing perfect competition, monopoly, oligopoly, monopolistic competition, barriers to entry, labor demand, human capital, minimum wage, unions, and income distribution
  • Evaluating externalities, public goods, common resources, tax incidence, progressive taxation, fiscal policy, market failure, regulation, and cost-benefit analysis
  • Analyzing comparative and absolute advantage, tariffs, quotas, exchange rates, trade balance, inflation, unemployment, interest, and consumer protection

How to use these practice tests

Identify the scarce resource or market relationship first. Then trace the incentive, curve shift, policy effect, opportunity cost, or economic indicator and check whether the conclusion follows from the model.

For more Grade 12 Social Studies practice, return to the Grade 12 Social Studies category.

3. Test

Grade 12 Economics Practice Tests

Practice Grade 12 Social Studies questions about scarcity, opportunity cost, production, markets, supply and demand, labor, public policy, externalities, trade, and economic indicators.

Choose the best answer. Identify the scarce resource, incentive, market relationship, policy tool, or economic indicator and consider the relevant tradeoff.

10 Questions
0/10 Questions0 %
Correct 0
Incorrect 0
Unanswered 10
1. QuestionMultiple choice

What characterizes perfect competition?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: A

The correct answer is Many buyers and sellers offer a standardized product with relatively easy entry and exit.

  1. Identify the economics concept: Determine whether the question concerns scarcity, incentives, markets, production, labor, public policy, international trade, or economic indicators.
  2. Apply the economic model: Perfect competition is an ideal model in which individual firms have little market power and take the market price as given.
  3. Connect choice and tradeoffs: The correct answer is Many buyers and sellers offer a standardized product with relatively easy entry and exit.

Perfect competition is an ideal model in which individual firms have little market power and take the market price as given.

2. QuestionMultiple choice

What is a monopoly?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: B

The correct answer is A market dominated by a single seller with substantial barriers to entry.

  1. Identify the economics concept: Determine whether the question concerns scarcity, incentives, markets, production, labor, public policy, international trade, or economic indicators.
  2. Apply the economic model: A monopoly can arise from legal, technological, natural, or resource barriers and may possess significant market power.
  3. Connect choice and tradeoffs: The correct answer is A market dominated by a single seller with substantial barriers to entry.

A monopoly can arise from legal, technological, natural, or resource barriers and may possess significant market power.

3. QuestionMultiple choice

What is an oligopoly?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: C

The correct answer is A market dominated by a small number of interdependent firms.

  1. Identify the economics concept: Determine whether the question concerns scarcity, incentives, markets, production, labor, public policy, international trade, or economic indicators.
  2. Apply the economic model: Because a few firms account for much of output, each firm's decisions can affect the others.
  3. Connect choice and tradeoffs: The correct answer is A market dominated by a small number of interdependent firms.

Because a few firms account for much of output, each firm's decisions can affect the others.

4. QuestionMultiple choice

What characterizes monopolistic competition?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: D

The correct answer is Many firms sell differentiated products and entry is relatively possible.

  1. Identify the economics concept: Determine whether the question concerns scarcity, incentives, markets, production, labor, public policy, international trade, or economic indicators.
  2. Apply the economic model: Product differentiation gives firms some market power while competition and entry remain important.
  3. Connect choice and tradeoffs: The correct answer is Many firms sell differentiated products and entry is relatively possible.

Product differentiation gives firms some market power while competition and entry remain important.

5. QuestionMultiple choice

What is a barrier to entry?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: A

The correct answer is A condition that makes it difficult for a new firm to enter a market.

  1. Identify the economics concept: Determine whether the question concerns scarcity, incentives, markets, production, labor, public policy, international trade, or economic indicators.
  2. Apply the economic model: Barriers can include patents, economies of scale, regulation, control of resources, and strong brand loyalty.
  3. Connect choice and tradeoffs: The correct answer is A condition that makes it difficult for a new firm to enter a market.

Barriers can include patents, economies of scale, regulation, control of resources, and strong brand loyalty.

6. QuestionMultiple choice

What generally determines a firm's demand for labor?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: B

The correct answer is The value of the additional output produced by an additional worker relative to the wage.

  1. Identify the economics concept: Determine whether the question concerns scarcity, incentives, markets, production, labor, public policy, international trade, or economic indicators.
  2. Apply the economic model: Labor is a derived demand because firms hire workers to produce goods and services that generate revenue.
  3. Connect choice and tradeoffs: The correct answer is The value of the additional output produced by an additional worker relative to the wage.

Labor is a derived demand because firms hire workers to produce goods and services that generate revenue.

7. QuestionMultiple choice

What is human capital?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: C

The correct answer is Knowledge, skills, training, health, and experience that increase productive ability.

  1. Identify the economics concept: Determine whether the question concerns scarcity, incentives, markets, production, labor, public policy, international trade, or economic indicators.
  2. Apply the economic model: Education, training, health, and experience can raise productivity and potential earnings.
  3. Connect choice and tradeoffs: The correct answer is Knowledge, skills, training, health, and experience that increase productive ability.

Education, training, health, and experience can raise productivity and potential earnings.

8. QuestionMultiple choice

What can happen when a binding minimum wage is set above equilibrium?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: D

The correct answer is The quantity of labor supplied can exceed the quantity of labor demanded.

  1. Identify the economics concept: Determine whether the question concerns scarcity, incentives, markets, production, labor, public policy, international trade, or economic indicators.
  2. Apply the economic model: A binding wage floor may create a surplus of labor, often described as unemployment, depending on market conditions.
  3. Connect choice and tradeoffs: The correct answer is The quantity of labor supplied can exceed the quantity of labor demanded.

A binding wage floor may create a surplus of labor, often described as unemployment, depending on market conditions.

9. QuestionMultiple choice

What is a labor union?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: A

The correct answer is An organization that represents workers in negotiations with employers.

  1. Identify the economics concept: Determine whether the question concerns scarcity, incentives, markets, production, labor, public policy, international trade, or economic indicators.
  2. Apply the economic model: Unions may bargain over wages, hours, benefits, safety, and working conditions.
  3. Connect choice and tradeoffs: The correct answer is An organization that represents workers in negotiations with employers.

Unions may bargain over wages, hours, benefits, safety, and working conditions.

10. QuestionMultiple choice

What does income distribution describe?

Please select an answer first.

Correct answer: B

The correct answer is How income is divided among people or households.

  1. Identify the economics concept: Determine whether the question concerns scarcity, incentives, markets, production, labor, public policy, international trade, or economic indicators.
  2. Apply the economic model: Income distribution can be described with measures such as percentiles, the Lorenz curve, and the Gini coefficient.
  3. Connect choice and tradeoffs: The correct answer is How income is divided among people or households.

Income distribution can be described with measures such as percentiles, the Lorenz curve, and the Gini coefficient.