---
title: "AP Microeconomics Question 2 Short FRQ Practice"
description: "102 Short FRQ (Question 2)s written in the AP format, each scored part by part."
canonical: "https://fiveable.me/ap-micro/frqs/short-frq-2"
type: "frq-type-practice"
subject: "AP Microeconomics"
---

# AP Microeconomics Question 2 Short FRQ Practice

## What the Question 2 Short FRQ asks

FRQ 2 is the first of two short questions on the AP Microeconomics exam. It focuses on one model, such as a factor market, an externality, or a monopoly, and asks for calculations and short explanations.

- **12-15 min**: suggested writing time
- **5 points**: across parts A to C
- **25%**: of your FRQ section score

| Part | What it asks | Points |
| --- | --- | --- |
| A: First result | Calculate or identify a value from the scenario | 1 |
| B: Explanation | Explain a result or calculate the next value | 1 |
| C: Three-part analysis | Subparts i to iii, each worth 1 point, that calculate and explain as the scenario changes | 3 |

## How Question 2 Short FRQ practice works

1. **Read the full question.** The scenario, any data or tables, 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.

## All 102 questions

### Unit 1: Basic Economic Concepts (18)
- [Opportunity cost and comparative advantage in production](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69714ef90348173ef3023db3&type=frq-2-short)
- [Production efficiency and opportunity cost analysis](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69714f1b0348173ef3023db6&type=frq-2-short)
- [Comparative advantage in wheat and textile production](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=698637c0f157a20a002dd31d&type=frq-2-short)
- [Production opportunity costs and comparative advantage](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863800f157a20a002dd326&type=frq-2-short)
- [Comparative and absolute advantage in production](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863843f157a20a002dd32c&type=frq-2-short)
- [Opportunity cost and comparative advantage in production](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863877f157a20a002dd331&type=frq-2-short)
- [Marginal utility and consumer spending optimization](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=698638f5f157a20a002dd33f&type=frq-2-short)
- [Production possibilities curve opportunity costs and resource allocation](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863964f157a20a002dd34a&type=frq-2-short)
- [Production opportunity costs and absolute advantage](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=698639a7f157a20a002dd351&type=frq-2-short)
- [Comparative advantage in grain and steel production](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=698639daf157a20a002dd355&type=frq-2-short)
- [Opportunity cost and comparative advantage analysis](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=698639fff157a20a002dd358&type=frq-2-short)
- [Comparative and absolute advantage in production](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863a25f157a20a002dd35c&type=frq-2-short)
- [Comparative advantage and production opportunity costs](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863a52f157a20a002dd362&type=frq-2-short)
- [Opportunity costs and comparative advantage analysis](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863abef157a20a002dd36c&type=frq-2-short)
- [Production possibilities and opportunity costs](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863af6f157a20a002dd371&type=frq-2-short)
- [Comparative advantage in wheat and cloth production](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863b5df157a20a002dd379&type=frq-2-short)
- [Opportunity costs and comparative advantage in production](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863ba5f157a20a002dd381&type=frq-2-short)
- [Comparative and absolute advantage in energy production](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863bd2f157a20a002dd387&type=frq-2-short)

### Unit 2: Supply and Demand (18)
- [Total utility maximization with budget constraints](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69714f760348173ef3023dbd&type=frq-2-short)
- [Consumer and producer surplus at price floor](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=697150790348173ef3023dd7&type=frq-2-short)
- [Domestic sugar market equilibrium and international trade effects](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=698637f5f157a20a002dd325&type=frq-2-short)
- [Consumer utility maximization and marginal analysis](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=698638b7f157a20a002dd337&type=frq-2-short)
- [Organic honey market equilibrium and producer surplus](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=698638b8f157a20a002dd338&type=frq-2-short)
- [Organic honey market equilibrium and price floor effects](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=698639faf157a20a002dd357&type=frq-2-short)
- [Producer surplus and price ceiling shortage effects](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863aaff157a20a002dd36b&type=frq-2-short)
- [Solar lamp market equilibrium and price floor effects](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863bcbf157a20a002dd385&type=frq-2-short)
- [Lithium market equilibrium and price ceiling effects](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863cfff157a20a002dd3a3&type=frq-2-short)
- [Wool market equilibrium and price ceiling effects](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863d76f157a20a002dd3b0&type=frq-2-short)
- [Solar lantern market equilibrium and producer surplus](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863e6ef157a20a002dd3c9&type=frq-2-short)
- [Consumer and producer surplus with excise tax](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863eeef157a20a002dd3d9&type=frq-2-short)
- [Domestic market equilibrium and price floor effects](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863f55f157a20a002dd3e4&type=frq-2-short)
- [Copper market equilibrium and international trade effects](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863fbef157a20a002dd3f3&type=frq-2-short)
- [Domestic wool market equilibrium and supply elasticity](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69864106f157a20a002dd419&type=frq-2-short)
- [Avocado market equilibrium and price ceiling effects](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=6a8f9382e01133566d15bf6d&type=frq-2-short)
- [Market equilibrium and price floor effects on avocados](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=6a8f946ae01133566d15bf84&type=frq-2-short)
- [Vanilla bean market equilibrium and substitute goods effects](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=6a8f9e83f5beec5c08a5b893&type=frq-2-short)

### Unit 3: Production, Cost, and the Perfect Competition Model (11)
- [Marginal product of labor and diminishing returns](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69714fae0348173ef3023dc4&type=frq-2-short)
- [Marginal product and diminishing returns in competitive markets](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863957f157a20a002dd348&type=frq-2-short)
- [Short-run production function, marginal product analysis](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=6986399bf157a20a002dd350&type=frq-2-short)
- [Marginal revenue product and profit-maximizing labor decisions](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863ae8f157a20a002dd370&type=frq-2-short)
- [Short-run marginal product and diminishing returns](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863b9df157a20a002dd380&type=frq-2-short)
- [Profit maximization through marginal analysis in competition](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863d39f157a20a002dd3aa&type=frq-2-short)
- [Firm short-run costs and production efficiency](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863db6f157a20a002dd3b6&type=frq-2-short)
- [Marginal product and diminishing returns in competitive markets](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863dedf157a20a002dd3bc&type=frq-2-short)
- [Firm profit maximization and labor market decisions](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863ed8f157a20a002dd3d7&type=frq-2-short)
- [Marginal revenue product and diminishing marginal returns](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863f14f157a20a002dd3df&type=frq-2-short)
- [Profit-maximizing firm labor productivity and production costs](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863f7af157a20a002dd3e9&type=frq-2-short)

### Unit 4: Imperfect Competition (9)
- [CableCorp monopoly pricing and economic profit](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=697150440348173ef3023dd4&type=frq-2-short)
- [Oligopoly pricing strategies and Nash equilibrium](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=698638baf157a20a002dd339&type=frq-2-short)
- [Natural monopoly pricing and economic profit](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863e75f157a20a002dd3ca&type=frq-2-short)
- [Monopoly pricing and profit maximization](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863eb6f157a20a002dd3d2&type=frq-2-short)
- [Oligopoly pricing strategies and Nash equilibrium](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863fc6f157a20a002dd3f5&type=frq-2-short)
- [Natural monopoly cost structures and economic profit](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=698642fef157a20a002dd43d&type=frq-2-short)
- [Duopoly pricing strategies and Nash equilibrium](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69864505f157a20a002dd447&type=frq-2-short)
- [Monopoly pricing and economic profit determination](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=6986466ff157a20a002dd448&type=frq-2-short)
- [Natural monopoly regulation and economic profit](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69864948f157a20a002dd44a&type=frq-2-short)

### Unit 5: Factor Markets (24)
- [Profit-maximizing labor hiring decisions and wage costs](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69714f380348173ef3023db9&type=frq-2-short)
- [Marginal factor cost and profit-maximizing hiring decisions](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69714f730348173ef3023dbc&type=frq-2-short)
- [Marginal revenue product and labor hiring decisions](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69714f7c0348173ef3023dbf&type=frq-2-short)
- [Profit maximization through marginal revenue product analysis](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=698637b3f157a20a002dd31c&type=frq-2-short)
- [Marginal product and diminishing returns in production](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=698637c5f157a20a002dd320&type=frq-2-short)
- [Profit maximization and labor costs hiring](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863834f157a20a002dd32a&type=frq-2-short)
- [Monopsony labor market and profit maximization](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863879f157a20a002dd332&type=frq-2-short)
- [Monopsony labor market wage determination and profit maximization](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=698638aef157a20a002dd336&type=frq-2-short)
- [Monopsony labor market wage determination](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863953f157a20a002dd346&type=frq-2-short)
- [Monopsony labor market equilibrium and wage determination](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863996f157a20a002dd34f&type=frq-2-short)
- [Monopsony labor market wage determination](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863a02f157a20a002dd359&type=frq-2-short)
- [Marginal product and diminishing returns in perfect competition](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863a6df157a20a002dd365&type=frq-2-short)
- [Monopsony labor market equilibrium and wage determination](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863a77f157a20a002dd366&type=frq-2-short)
- [Short-run production and marginal returns in perfect competition](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863aa4f157a20a002dd36a&type=frq-2-short)
- [Profit maximization through marginal revenue product analysis](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863b83f157a20a002dd37c&type=frq-2-short)
- [Profit maximization through labor hiring decisions](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863bd1f157a20a002dd386&type=frq-2-short)
- [Monopsony labor market wage and employment decisions](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863c56f157a20a002dd392&type=frq-2-short)
- [Monopsony labor market wage determination and hiring](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863c9cf157a20a002dd398&type=frq-2-short)
- [Monopsony labor market wage and employment decisions](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863d19f157a20a002dd3a6&type=frq-2-short)
- [Marginal revenue product and profit-maximizing labor hiring](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863d53f157a20a002dd3ac&type=frq-2-short)
- [Short-run production function and marginal returns](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863d76f157a20a002dd3b1&type=frq-2-short)
- [Short-run economic equilibrium and labor market optimization](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863dc2f157a20a002dd3b7&type=frq-2-short)
- [Profit-maximizing labor hiring decisions in competition](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863df5f157a20a002dd3bd&type=frq-2-short)
- [Marginal revenue product and profit-maximizing labor decisions](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863e36f157a20a002dd3c5&type=frq-2-short)

### Unit 6: Market Failure and the Role of Government (22)
- [Consumer surplus, excise tax, deadweight loss](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69714f8e0348173ef3023dc0&type=frq-2-short)
- [Marginal factor cost and profit-maximizing labor decisions](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69714fc30348173ef3023dc6&type=frq-2-short)
- [Market equilibrium, deadweight loss calculations](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=697150200348173ef3023dcf&type=frq-2-short)
- [Market equilibrium price, quantity, and deadweight loss](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=697150ae0348173ef3023ddc&type=frq-2-short)
- [Negative externality and deadweight loss in markets](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=698637f3f157a20a002dd324&type=frq-2-short)
- [Chemical cleaner market with negative externality](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863874f157a20a002dd330&type=frq-2-short)
- [Negative externality deadweight loss in chemical markets](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=6986395bf157a20a002dd349&type=frq-2-short)
- [Market equilibrium and consumer surplus in blueberries](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863984f157a20a002dd34d&type=frq-2-short)
- [Chemical solvent negative externality and deadweight loss](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863aa4f157a20a002dd369&type=frq-2-short)
- [Negative externality in steel market equilibrium](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863b17f157a20a002dd372&type=frq-2-short)
- [Negative externality and deadweight loss](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863b9af157a20a002dd37f&type=frq-2-short)
- [Negative externality in perfectly competitive market](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863c28f157a20a002dd38d&type=frq-2-short)
- [Domestic market equilibrium and price floor effects](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863c4ef157a20a002dd391&type=frq-2-short)
- [Negative externalities in steel market equilibrium](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863cdef157a20a002dd39f&type=frq-2-short)
- [Negative externality deadweight loss in competitive market](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863e05f157a20a002dd3c0&type=frq-2-short)
- [Steel market with negative externality deadweight loss](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863e87f157a20a002dd3cd&type=frq-2-short)
- [Negative externality and market deadweight loss](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69863fb6f157a20a002dd3f2&type=frq-2-short)
- [Wool sock market equilibrium, surplus, elasticity](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69864043f157a20a002dd403&type=frq-2-short)
- [Positive externality in flu vaccine market](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=698640b8f157a20a002dd410&type=frq-2-short)
- [Negative externality and market deadweight loss](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69864121f157a20a002dd41a&type=frq-2-short)
- [Chemical solvent production negative externality deadweight loss](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69864195f157a20a002dd42a&type=frq-2-short)
- [Monopoly pricing and allocative efficiency loss](/ap-micro/frq-practice?id=69864873f157a20a002dd449&type=frq-2-short)

## Sample question

**Opportunity cost and comparative advantage in production**

The table provided shows the maximum daily production of Radios and Tires for two countries, Alpha and Beta, assuming constant opportunity costs and equal resources.

Data Tables:
  Caption: Daily Production Possibilities
  Headers: Country | Radios | Tires
  Alpha | 40 | 80
  Beta | 20 | 120

Part A (1 point):
  Prompt: **Calculate** the opportunity cost of producing one Radio in Country Alpha. Show your work.
  Verb: calculate

Part B (1 point):
  Prompt: **Explain** which country has the comparative advantage in the production of Tires using numbers.
  Verb: explain

Part C (3 points):
  Context: Suppose the two countries decide to trade.
  i. **Calculate** the opportunity cost of producing one Tire in Country Beta. Show your work. (1 pt)
    Verb: calculate
  ii. If the terms of trade are 1 Radio for 4 Tires, will Country Alpha benefit from the trade? Explain. (1 pt)
    Verb: explain
  iii. Suppose Country Beta adopts a new technology that doubles its production of both Radios and Tires. Will Country Beta's comparative advantage in the production of Tires change? Explain. (1 pt)
    Verb: explain

## Questions

**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 model, such as a factor market, an externality, a price control, or a monopoly. Part C changes the scenario and asks three follow-up questions.

**How is FRQ 2 different from FRQ 3?**

On the exam both short questions are worth 5 points, with about 12 to 15 minutes suggested for each. Our FRQ 2 questions end with a 3-point part C, and most of our FRQ 3 questions have five 1-point parts.

**Do I need to show my work?**

Yes, on any part that says calculate. Write the setup first, then the numbers. A four-function calculator is built into the writing screen.

**Can I write my answer by hand?**

Yes. Switch the editor to handwrite, write on paper, and add a photo of your page.

## Related

- [Question 2 Short FRQ exam guide](/ap-micro/ap-microeconomics-exam/ap-micro-frq-short/study-guide/ap-micro-frq-short)
- [AP Microeconomics Long FRQ practice](/ap-micro/frqs/long-frq)
- [AP Microeconomics Question 3 Short FRQ practice](/ap-micro/frqs/short-frq-3)
- [AP Microeconomics FRQs](/ap-micro/frqs)
- Any question by id: the `get_frq` tool on the [Fiveable MCP server](/mcp/docs)

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