Skip to main content
The new Teacher Workspace is here. Your first 3 assignments are free. Try it →

AP Human Geography One-Stimulus FRQ Practice

326 one-stimulus FRQs written in the AP format. Pick one, read the question and its source, and write your response.

Your first scored response is included. A plan unlocks unlimited scoring.

New to the One-Stimulus FRQ? Read the exam guide

all units
unit 1
unit 2
unit 3
unit 4
unit 5
unit 6
unit 7

326 questions

sorted by unit

Rural population density patterns and environmental influences

Unit 1: Thinking Geographically

Teacher? Assign this question to a class

start this question
FRQ image

Population Density of China

Respond to parts A, B, C, D, E, F, and G.

A.

Identify the type of thematic map shown in the stimulus.

B.

Describe the spatial pattern of the highest rural population density shown on the map.

C.

Explain ONE way the physical environment influences the spatial pattern of population density shown on the map.

D.

Describe ONE method of geographic data collection a government would use to gather the population data shown on the map.

E.

Explain how a geographer could use the rural density data shown on the map to define a formal region.

F.

Explain what a local scale of analysis might reveal about population density that is hidden by the national scale of the map.

G.

Explain a limitation of the map in illustrating the overall population distribution of China.

What the One-Stimulus FRQ asks

The one-stimulus FRQ is FRQ 2 on the AP Human Geography exam. You get one map, chart, data table, or image and answer seven 1-point parts, many of them anchored in that source.

25 min
suggested time per question
7 points
across parts A to G
50%
of your exam score, across all 3 FRQs
  1. Part A: Identify

    Identify a pattern or value shown in the stimulus

    1 pt

  2. Part B: Description

    Describe what the stimulus shows or a related process

    1 pt

  3. Part C: Concept

    Describe, define, or explain a related concept

    1 pt

  4. Part D: Explanation

    Explain how or why something happens, with cause and effect

    1 pt

  5. Part E: Second explanation

    Explain a related cause, effect, or consequence

    1 pt

  6. Part F: Third explanation

    Explain another process or impact tied to the topic

    1 pt

  7. Part G: Limitation

    Explain a limitation, or the degree to which an idea holds

    1 pt

How One-Stimulus FRQ practice works

Each question follows the exam’s format, from the full prompt to a score on every part.

  1. Read the question and stimulus

    The source and all seven parts, A through G, laid out the way the exam shows them.

  2. Write on a 25-minute timer

    The time to plan for on exam day. Pause it or turn it off, and your response saves as you go.

  3. Submit for a score out of 7

    Your response is scored against the scoring guidelines written for that question. Your first score is included.

Feedback on every part

A summary at the top tells you what to work on next. Below it, each part shows whether you earned the point and what the scoring guidelines were looking for.

Detailed Feedback

Part A: 1/1 point

Earned the point. You identified the map as a graduated symbol map, which matches the proportional symbol style used to show different total vote amounts by symbol size. To make this even stronger, you could say that the pie charts get bigger in states with more total votes.

Part B: 1/1 point

Earned the point. You described a correct spatial pattern by placing the strongest Democratic support in the New England/northeastern part of the country. To make this even stronger, you could also mention the West Coast, since that is another major cluster on the map.

Part C: 0/1 point

Did not earn the point. You named elections and polls, but those are not the population data collection method used to apportion electoral votes. To earn this point, you needed to describe the decennial census and say that the government counts people by household/address, using questionnaires and follow-up visits.

Detailed feedback on a practice One-Stimulus FRQ

Questions about the One-Stimulus FRQ

How many responses can I get scored?

You can read every question without a plan. Your first scored response is included. A plan unlocks unlimited scoring.

What kind of stimulus does it use?

One source: a map, chart, graph, data table, photo, or infographic. Several parts ask you to read it directly.

Do I have to mention the stimulus in my answer?

When a part points to the map, data, or image, yes. A correct answer that never uses the source can miss the point.

How is FRQ 2 different from FRQs 1 and 3?

FRQ 1 has no stimulus, and FRQ 3 gives you two sources to compare. FRQ 2 builds its question around one source.

Can I write my answer by hand?

Yes. You can type, or switch the editor to handwrite, write on paper, and add a photo of your page. The exam itself is typed, so typing is good practice.

More AP Human Geography practice

No-Stimulus FRQ practice

No-stimulus FRQs with the full scenario and all seven parts.

Two-Stimulus FRQ practice

Two-stimulus FRQs with both sources and all seven parts.

AP Human Geography FRQs

Every FRQ type for AP Human Geography, with practice for each.

AP Human Geography study guides

Unit-by-unit review for the whole course.

Write your first One-Stimulus FRQ

Pick one from the list, or let us choose for you.

Teaching AP Human Geography? Assign these One-Stimulus FRQs to your class