Country X and Country Y produce only two goods, Food and Machines. The table below shows the maximum amount of each good that can be produced by each country if it uses all of its available resources efficiently.
Resources are fully employed in both countries.
Opportunity costs are constant.
Maximum Production with Available Resources
Country
Food (units)
Machines (units)
Country X
20
10
Country Y
15
45
A.
Calculate the opportunity cost of producing one unit of Food in Country X. Show your work.
B.
Which country has the comparative advantage in the production of Machines? Explain.
C.
Identify the good that Country Y will export if the two countries specialize and trade based on comparative advantage.
D.
Assume the terms of trade are 1 unit of Food for 4 units of Machines. Will this trade be beneficial for Country X? Explain.
E.
Assume Country X develops a new technology that doubles the productivity of resources used to produce Machines. Will the opportunity cost of producing Food in Country X increase, decrease, or remain the same? Explain.
What the Question 2 Short FRQ asks
FRQ 2 is the first of two short questions on the AP Macroeconomics exam. It usually centers on one topic, like GDP and inflation, multipliers, banking, or trade, and asks for calculations, short explanations, and sometimes a graph.
Another calculation, a graph, or a short answer that builds on part A
1 pt
C
Part C: Graph or analysis
A labeled graph, a calculation, or an identified result
2 pts
D
Part D: Explanation
Explain why a result happens, through cause and effect
1 pt
How Question 2 Short FRQ practice works
Each question follows the exam’s format, from the full prompt to a score on every part.
1
Read the full question
The scenario, any data, and every part, laid out the way the exam shows them.
2
Write on a 12-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 5
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.
Earned the point. You correctly identified the recessionary gap and explained that the unemployment rate (7%) exceeds the natural rate (5%), which is exactly what the rubric requires. Referencing the LRPC as additional support was a nice touch.
Part B(B1): 1/1 point
Earned the point. Your graph has the vertical axis labeled 'Real Interest Rates,' the horizontal axis labeled 'Quantity of Loanable Funds,' an upward-sloping supply curve (S_LF1), and a downward-sloping demand curve (D_LF). All required elements for a correctly labeled loanable funds market are present.
Part B(B2): 0/1 point
Did not earn the point. The rubric requires showing the demand for loanable funds shifting to the right (increasing), which causes the real interest rate to rise. Instead, your graph shows the supply curve shifting to the right (from S_LF1 to S_LF2), which would cause the real interest rate to fall — the opposite of what happens when the government borrows more. When the government borrows to finance spending, it increases the demand for loanable funds, not the supply. You needed to draw a new demand curve (D_LF2) to the right of D_LF, with a higher equilibrium real interest rate.
Detailed feedback on a practice Question 2 Short FRQ
Questions about the Question 2 Short 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 does FRQ 2 usually cover?
One topic, like GDP and inflation, multipliers, banking, or comparative advantage. Many parts ask you to calculate from a data table and show your work.
How is FRQ 2 different from FRQ 3?
On the exam they’re the same kind of question: 5 points each, with about 12 minutes suggested for each. Practicing both gives you more questions in the same format.
Is every short FRQ split the same way?
No. Most have four parts with one part worth 2 points, and which part that is changes by question. The table shows the most common split.
How do I draw a graph or show my work?
Type your work with the formula first, then the numbers. When a part asks for a graph, open the drawing tool and sketch it on a grid with axes, or switch the editor to handwrite and add a photo of your page. A four-function calculator is built in.
