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Home > AP Courses and Exams > Exam_Questions > The AP Microeconomics Exam The AP Microeconomics Exam More About Microeconomics... AP Exam Formats AP Microeconomics Course Home Page Exam Content The AP Exams in economics were introduced in 1989. The major content areas covered by the AP Microeconomics Exam are basic economic concepts, the nature and functions of product markets, factor markets, and market failure and the role of government. The following table reflects the approximate percentage of the multiple-choice section of the exam devoted to each content area: 8-14% economic concepts 50-70% nature and functions of product markets 10-18% factor markets 12-18% market failure and the role of government The free-response questions on the exam generally ask students to analyze a given economic situation and present and evaluate general macroeconomic principles. Students are expected to write well-organized and analytical essays and to include explanatory diagrams that clarify their analysis. Questions may require students to interpret graphs or to draw their own graphs as part of their answers. All graphs should be clearly labeled. Generally, the longer essay (50 percent of the free-response score) requires students to interrelate several content areas, while the two shorter essays (together, 50 percent of the free-response score) typically focus on a specific topic in a given content area. Multiple-Choice Questions For sample multiple-choice questions, refer to the Course Description. AP Economics Course Description (.pdf/590K) Free-Response Questions Below are free-response questions from past AP Microeconomics Exams. Included with the questions are scoring guidelines, sample student responses, and commentary on those responses, as well as exam statistics and the Chief Reader's Report for past administrations. Important Note About the "Form B" Exams Because of the worldwide growth of the AP Program and the administration of exams in multiple time zones, another version of the AP Microeconomics Exam, called "Form B," may be administered in order to maintain security. Free-Response Questions 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 1999-2002 2011: Free-Response Questions Questions Scoring Samples and Commentary Score Distributions All Questions 2011: Form B Questions Scoring Samples and Commentary Score Distributions All Questions 2010: Free-Response Questions Questions Scoring Samples and Commentary Score Distributions All Questions Scoring Guidelines Student Performance Q&A Scoring Statistics Sample Response Q1 Sample Response Q2 Sample Response Q3 Score Distributions 2010: Form B Questions Scoring Samples and Commentary Score Distributions All Questions Scoring Guidelines Sample Response Q1 Sample Response Q2 Sample Response Q3 2009: Free-Response Questions Questions Scoring Samples and Commentary Grade Distributions All Questions Scoring Guidelines Student Performance Q&A Scoring Statistics Sample Responses Q1 Sample Responses Q2 Sample Responses Q3 Grade Distributions 2009: Form B Questions Scoring Samples and Commentary Grade Distributions All Questions Scoring Guidelines Sample Responses Q1 Sample Responses Q2 Sample Responses Q3 2008: Free-Response Questions Questions Scoring Samples and Commentary Grade Distributions All Questions Scoring Guidelines Student Performance Q&A Scoring Statistics Sample Responses Q1 Sample Responses Q2 Sample Responses Q3 Grade Distributions 2008: Form B Questions Scoring Samples and Commentary Grade Distributions All Questions Scoring Guidelines Sample Responses Q1 Sample Responses Q2 Sample Responses Q3 2007: Free-Response Questions Questions Scoring Samples and Commentary Grade Distributions All Questions Scoring Guidelines Student Performance Q&A Scoring Statistics Sample Responses Q1 Sample Responses Q2 Sample Responses Q3 Grade Distributions 2007: Form B Questions Scoring Samples and Commentary Grade Distributions All Questions Scoring Guidelines Sample Responses Q1 Sample Responses Q2 Sample Responses Q3 2006: Free-Response Questions Questions Scoring Samples and Commentary Grade Distributions All Questions Scoring Guidelines Student Performance Q&A Scoring Statistics Sample Responses Q1 Sample Responses Q2 Sample Responses Q3 Grade Distributions 2006: Form B Questions Scoring Samples and Commentary Grade Distributions All Questions Scoring Guidelines Sample Responses Q1 Sample Responses Q2 Sample Responses Q3 2005: Free-Response Questions Questions Scoring Samples Grade Distributions All Questions Scoring Guidelines Scoring Commentary Student Performance Q&A Scoring Statistics Sample Responses Grade Distributions 2005: Form B Questions Scoring Samples Grade Distributions All Questions Scoring Guidelines Scoring Commentary Sample Responses 2004: Free-Response Questions Questions Scoring Samples Grade Distributions All Questions Scoring Guidelines Scoring Commentary Student Performance Q&A Scoring Statistics Sample Response Q1 Sample Response Q2 Sample Response Q3 Grade Distributions 2004: Form B Questions Scoring Samples All Questions Scoring Guidelines Scoring Commentary Sample Response Q1 Sample Response Q2 Sample Response Q3 2003: Free-Response Questions Questions Scoring Samples Grade Distributions All Questions Scoring Guidelines Scoring Commentary Student Performance Q&A Scoring Statistics Sample Response Q1 Sample Response Q2 Sample Response Q3 Grade Distributions 2003: Form B Questions Scoring Samples All Questions Scoring Guidelines Scoring Commentary Sample Response Q1 Sample Response Q2 Sample Response Q3 Important Note: PDF Files The links to exam questions for this course are in Adobe® PDF format, and you will need to use the Adobe® Acrobat® Reader® to view them. If you don't have Acrobat Reader 4.0 or higher installed on your computer, choose the link for the Adobe Web site below for installation instructions. For help downloading and printing PDF files, choose the link "PDF Troubleshooting" below in "See also." See also... Exam Information Index PDF Troubleshooting Adobe® Acrobat® Reader®

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