ECAA 2018 Economics Admissions Assessment D563/11
36 questions36 marks80Updated August 2025
The ECAA 2018 Economics Admissions Assessment D563/11 paper in full: all 36 questions, each with its answer. ECAA is the Economics Admissions Assessment. Sit it cold under exam timing, mark it, then work back through anything you missed using the solutions below.
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Question 1
1 markI am redecorating my house and need to buy wallpaper for one of the rooms. I need to buy 54 m of wallpaper in total and want to pay the lowest price. The table below shows the details of the five types of wallpaper I want to choose between.

Which type of wallpaper should I choose?

Which type of wallpaper should I choose?
- A.woodchip
- B.vymura
- C.anaglypta
- D.embossed
- E.fabric effect
Answer: D
Question 2
1 markThe diagram below shows the method of construction of a book with four folded sheets in each block, and three blocks in total. Page one is the first page of the first block of four sheets. At the centre of each block, you can see the stitching that binds the book together.

A book is to be made using the same technique but with eight sheets of paper in each of the three blocks.
Which of the following pairs of pages could be in the centre of a block (that is, if opened there, the stitching would be visible)?

A book is to be made using the same technique but with eight sheets of paper in each of the three blocks.
Which of the following pairs of pages could be in the centre of a block (that is, if opened there, the stitching would be visible)?
- A.46 and 47
- B.47 and 48
- C.48 and 49
- D.63 and 64
- E.64 and 65
Answer: C
Question 3
1 markJake has a 500 ml bottle of orange squash that he has made according to the instructions on the bottle of concentrate. The instructions dictate that he should add 4 parts water to 1 part concentrate. He accidentally spills his squash, and now there is only 400 ml in the bottle. He then tops up the remainder with concentrate.
What percentage of the squash in his 500 ml bottle is now concentrate?
What percentage of the squash in his 500 ml bottle is now concentrate?
- A.18%
- B.20%
- C.28%
- D.36%
- E.40%
Answer: D
Question 4
1 markBelow is a table showing the value of Lucy's shares. They started at £3.00 in 2011 and in 2016 they were worth £22.68.

When did Lucy's shares have the biggest percentage increase?

When did Lucy's shares have the biggest percentage increase?
- A.2011–2012
- B.2012–2013
- C.2013–2014
- D.2014–2015
- E.2015–2016
Answer: D
Question 5
1 markConnem Ltd. has recently adopted a new company logo.
A large plastic version of the logo has just been delivered to the office, to be attached to the outside of the building. Unfortunately, in transit, the plastic has broken into two pieces, as shown below:

Which one of the following could not be Connem's new logo?

A large plastic version of the logo has just been delivered to the office, to be attached to the outside of the building. Unfortunately, in transit, the plastic has broken into two pieces, as shown below:

Which one of the following could not be Connem's new logo?

- A.Logo A
- B.Logo B
- C.Logo C
- D.Logo D
- E.Logo E
Answer: E
Question 6
1 markA Youth Centre runs a number of football teams for boys of different ages. Each season, one prize is awarded to the player who has given the best all-round performance. Five players have been nominated as possible recipients of this year's prize. The manager has decided not to reward any player who has missed two consecutive training sessions more than twice, and the manager will also exclude anyone who has failed to score a goal from a penalty kick more than twice. After these criteria have been applied, the prize will go to the player who has scored the highest number of goals.

Which player will receive the best all-round performance prize?

Which player will receive the best all-round performance prize?
- A.David
- B.John
- C.Colin
- D.Mike
- E.Graham
Answer: D
Question 7
1 markThe diagram below shows the net of a cube.

The following diagrams show five suggested views of the cube once it has been assembled.

Which two of the above are possible views of the cube?

The following diagrams show five suggested views of the cube once it has been assembled.

Which two of the above are possible views of the cube?
- A.1 and 2
- B.2 and 3
- C.3 and 4
- D.1 and 4
- E.4 and 5
Answer: B
Question 8
1 markFive girls are collecting shells on a beach. They are putting them in buckets that each hold 24 shells. At the end of the collecting time, they are going to ensure that they all have the same number of shells. Four of them are only two short of filling their bucket, but the youngest one is lagging behind with her total. Each of the others give her three shells from their buckets in order to equalise the numbers collected.
How many shells did the youngest girl collect for herself?
How many shells did the youngest girl collect for herself?
- A.4
- B.7
- C.10
- D.12
- E.19
Answer: B
Question 9
1 markI have a digital clock that works in 24-hour format (that is, after 23:59, it goes to 00:00). The patterns for each number are made up of segments, as shown below:

What is the maximum number of segments that can be displayed at once, while still showing a valid time?

What is the maximum number of segments that can be displayed at once, while still showing a valid time?
- A.20
- B.23
- C.24
- D.26
- E.28
Answer: D
Question 10
1 markThere is an automatic photograph booth in my local shopping centre. It takes exactly 2 minutes from the time that the money is inserted for the photographs to be taken, then the developed photographs appear 4 minutes later.
Money may only be inserted when the green light is on. This light goes out immediately after money is inserted, and comes back on again exactly 3 minutes later.
This morning, I arrived at the booth just as it was being switched on, and I was sixth in the queue. The first person inserted their money immediately, and the rest of us all inserted our money as soon as we were allowed to.
How long after I arrived at the booth did I insert my money?
Money may only be inserted when the green light is on. This light goes out immediately after money is inserted, and comes back on again exactly 3 minutes later.
This morning, I arrived at the booth just as it was being switched on, and I was sixth in the queue. The first person inserted their money immediately, and the rest of us all inserted our money as soon as we were allowed to.
How long after I arrived at the booth did I insert my money?
- A.15 minutes
- B.18 minutes
- C.21 minutes
- D.25 minutes
- E.30 minutes
Answer: A
Question 11
1 markA number of identical boxes are piled up, waiting to be loaded into a delivery van. Amy and Ben are about to load them into the van.
The appearance of the pile of boxes and the positions of Amy and Ben at present are shown below:

Amy's view of the pile is:

Which one of the following could not be Ben's view of the pile?

The appearance of the pile of boxes and the positions of Amy and Ben at present are shown below:

Amy's view of the pile is:

Which one of the following could not be Ben's view of the pile?

- A.View A
- B.View B
- C.View C
- D.View D
- E.View E
Answer: E
Question 12
1 markRecently, packets of Amblers crisps have had 'money-off' coupons inside them. Some coupons are worth 9p, some are worth 14p and some are worth 20p.
George has been collecting these coupons. He has more 14p coupons than 9p coupons, and more 9p coupons than 20p coupons. The total value of all of his coupons is exactly £1.50.
How many coupons has George collected?
George has been collecting these coupons. He has more 14p coupons than 9p coupons, and more 9p coupons than 20p coupons. The total value of all of his coupons is exactly £1.50.
How many coupons has George collected?
- A.9
- B.10
- C.11
- D.12
- E.13
Answer: C
Question 13
1 markJoanne is studying the period 1900–1950 and has decided to buy a new book to help with her studies. There are five different books available at her local bookshop, the details of which are summarised below:

On Tuesday, Joanne chose to buy the cheapest book that would satisfy her requirements, and went away to get the exact amount of money needed to buy it. When she returned the following day to buy her chosen book she found that there was a sale and all of the books had been reduced by 20%. She then decided instead to buy the most expensive book that she could with the money she had, and which still satisfied her requirements.
How much money did Joanne have left over once she had bought the book?

On Tuesday, Joanne chose to buy the cheapest book that would satisfy her requirements, and went away to get the exact amount of money needed to buy it. When she returned the following day to buy her chosen book she found that there was a sale and all of the books had been reduced by 20%. She then decided instead to buy the most expensive book that she could with the money she had, and which still satisfied her requirements.
How much money did Joanne have left over once she had bought the book?
- A.£0
- B.£1
- C.£2
- D.£3
- E.£5
Answer: E
Question 14
1 markAt the start of the school year, a village shop stocks and sells a range of stationery items. The table below shows details of the wholesale costs and retail prices for a number of the items sold.

Of the five items sold, which two together made the most profit for the shop owner?

Of the five items sold, which two together made the most profit for the shop owner?
- A.crayons and pencils
- B.crayons and pens
- C.felt tips and pencils
- D.felt tips and rulers
- E.pens and rulers
Answer: B
Question 15
1 markIn the main draw of a lottery, six of the balls (which are numbered from 1 to 49) are selected at random, then the numbers chosen are rearranged and displayed in ascending numerical order.
For instance: 3 17 20 29 34 45
In one draw recently, I noticed that the six numbers were made up of a total of ten digits, all different. The lowest number on this occasion was 1 and the highest number was 49, so the range of the six numbers was 48, the greatest possible range for the lottery main draw.
What is the smallest possible range when the six numbers in the main draw of the lottery have a total of ten digits, all different?
For instance: 3 17 20 29 34 45
In one draw recently, I noticed that the six numbers were made up of a total of ten digits, all different. The lowest number on this occasion was 1 and the highest number was 49, so the range of the six numbers was 48, the greatest possible range for the lottery main draw.
What is the smallest possible range when the six numbers in the main draw of the lottery have a total of ten digits, all different?
- A.21
- B.23
- C.27
- D.31
- E.32
Answer: E
Question 16
1 markCar parking charges are shown in the table below. Brian wants to park his car for a period of 7.5 hours, whilst he is at work. He buys a ticket in the morning when he arrives at the car park. Due to the close proximity of the car park to his place of work, he is able to return to his car to buy a new ticket as many times as needed.

What is the most Brian can save by returning to the car to buy new tickets compared to buying one 8-hour ticket?

What is the most Brian can save by returning to the car to buy new tickets compared to buying one 8-hour ticket?
- A.£1.10
- B.£1.40
- C.£1.60
- D.£2.10
- E.£3.60
Answer: C
Question 17
1 markA car journey begins with a 15 km drive at an average speed of 60 km/hour, then 5 hours on the motorway, including two 15-minute rest stops, travelling at an average driving speed of 80 km/hour, and finally a 20 km drive at an average speed of 40 km/hour from the motorway to the destination.
If the destination is reached at 12:00 midday, at what time did the journey begin?
If the destination is reached at 12:00 midday, at what time did the journey begin?
- A.5:18 am
- B.5:25 am
- C.5:45 am
- D.6:15 am
- E.6:45 am
Answer: D
Question 18
1 markFiona is going to put some shelves up in her living room. The shelves must each be 1.80 m long and have a depth of at least 40 cm. There will be five shelves in total. The different prices for wood are shown in the table below.

Fiona can cut pieces of wood to make more than one piece of the correct size, but she wants each of the shelves to be made of one complete piece of wood.
What is the cheapest total cost for which Fiona can make her shelves?

Fiona can cut pieces of wood to make more than one piece of the correct size, but she wants each of the shelves to be made of one complete piece of wood.
What is the cheapest total cost for which Fiona can make her shelves?
- A.$21.15
- B.$23.25
- C.$23.55
- D.$24.75
- E.$25.50
Answer: C
Question 19
1 markKeith likes to draw 'bump charts' to look at relationships. For instance, if 6 individuals were ordered by height, and it happened that the order was the same by weight, the bump chart would look like this:

Or if height was maintained for order on the left hand but lightness rather than heaviness on the right hand, the bump chart would be this:

If one axis is reversed in order (as in heaviness goes to lightness), which one of the following bump charts would not be symmetrical about a vertical line midway between the axes?


Or if height was maintained for order on the left hand but lightness rather than heaviness on the right hand, the bump chart would be this:

If one axis is reversed in order (as in heaviness goes to lightness), which one of the following bump charts would not be symmetrical about a vertical line midway between the axes?

- A.Chart A
- B.Chart B
- C.Chart C
- D.Chart D
- E.Chart E
Answer: C
Question 20
1 markA frequent train service runs between Weskham and Eashon, a distance of 18 miles. Most trains stop once during the journey, for 2 minutes at Orthorp, 7 miles from Eashon. When in motion, all trains travel the route at a steady speed of 60 mph.
At 2:45 pm, trains leave Weskham and Eashon simultaneously. The train from Weskham stops at Orthorp, but the train from Eashon does not.
Which one of the following graphs, suitably labelled, shows how far apart the two trains are from each other, beginning with the time of departure and ending when they have both reached their final destination?

At 2:45 pm, trains leave Weskham and Eashon simultaneously. The train from Weskham stops at Orthorp, but the train from Eashon does not.
Which one of the following graphs, suitably labelled, shows how far apart the two trains are from each other, beginning with the time of departure and ending when they have both reached their final destination?

- A.Graph A
- B.Graph B
- C.Graph C
- D.Graph D
- E.Graph E
Answer: E
Question 21
1 markGiven that
what is the value of ?
what is the value of ?
- A.3
- B.
- C.8
- D.9
- E.
Answer: C
Question 22
1 markThe 1st term of an arithmetic progression is non-zero.
The 5th term of this arithmetic progression is the square of the 1st term.
The 33rd term of this arithmetic progression is 10 times the 3rd term.
What is the 10th term?
The 5th term of this arithmetic progression is the square of the 1st term.
The 33rd term of this arithmetic progression is 10 times the 3rd term.
What is the 10th term?
- A.31
- B.34
- C.39
- D.248
- E.496
Answer: A
Question 23
1 markIn the binomial expansion of , where is positive, the coefficient of is 1200
What is the value of ?
What is the value of ?
- A.
- B.
- C.
- D.
- E.
Answer: D
Question 24
1 mark is a factor of
is a non-zero real number.
What are the possible values of ?
is a non-zero real number.
What are the possible values of ?
- A.-1 or
- B. or +1
- C.-2 or
- D. or +2
- E. or
- F. or
Answer: D
Question 25
1 markTwo fair six-sided dice are identical except for their colour.
Each of the dice has its faces numbered from 1 to 6, with one number on each face.
One of the dice is red and the other is blue.
The two dice are rolled.
The number shown on the red dice is divided by the number shown on the blue dice to give the score.
What is the probability of a score of 0.5?
Each of the dice has its faces numbered from 1 to 6, with one number on each face.
One of the dice is red and the other is blue.
The two dice are rolled.
The number shown on the red dice is divided by the number shown on the blue dice to give the score.
What is the probability of a score of 0.5?
- A.0
- B.
- C.
- D.
- E.
Answer: D
Question 26
1 markThe positive real numbers and satisfy the simultaneous equations:
What is the value of ?
What is the value of ?
- A.0
- B.
- C.2
- D.
- E.4
- F.6
Answer: C
Question 27
1 markA train arriving at Edinburgh has 12 passengers.
The passengers got on the train at three different stations:
5 at Peterborough
4 at Newark
3 at York
The passengers leave the train one at a time in a random order.
What is the probability that the first three to leave did not all get on the train at the same station?
The passengers got on the train at three different stations:
5 at Peterborough
4 at Newark
3 at York
The passengers leave the train one at a time in a random order.
What is the probability that the first three to leave did not all get on the train at the same station?
- A.
- B.
- C.
- D.
- E.
- F.
- G.
- H.
Answer: B
Question 28
1 markFind the set of values of such that both and
- A.
- B.
- C. or
- D. or
- E. or
- F. or
Answer: F
Question 29
1 markThe line with equation
is perpendicular to the line with equation
What is the value of ?
is perpendicular to the line with equation
What is the value of ?
- A.
- B.
- C.
- D.
Answer: A
Question 30
1 markS is a geometric progression:
All of the terms in S are positive.
S is split to form two new geometric progressions, O and E.
The terms of O are:
The terms of E are:
The sum to infinity of O is and .
What is the sum to infinity of E?
All of the terms in S are positive.
S is split to form two new geometric progressions, O and E.
The terms of O are:
The terms of E are:
The sum to infinity of O is and .
What is the sum to infinity of E?
- A.
- B.
- C.
- D.
- E.
- F.
Answer: A
Question 31
1 markA class of 20 students took a maths test, and their mean mark was 70. The range of these marks was 18.
Five new students joined the class and took the same maths test. When their marks were included, the new mean for the 25 students was 68.
Given only this information, which of the following statements must be true?
1 All of the five new students scored 68 marks or less for this test.
2 The mean of the marks for just the five new students was 60.
3 When the marks for the five new students were included, the range of the marks for the class was unchanged.
Five new students joined the class and took the same maths test. When their marks were included, the new mean for the 25 students was 68.
Given only this information, which of the following statements must be true?
1 All of the five new students scored 68 marks or less for this test.
2 The mean of the marks for just the five new students was 60.
3 When the marks for the five new students were included, the range of the marks for the class was unchanged.
- A.none of them
- B.1 only
- C.2 only
- D.3 only
- E.1 and 2 only
- F.1 and 3 only
- G.2 and 3 only
- H.1, 2 and 3
Answer: C
Question 32
1 markThe tangents to the curve are drawn at the points where the curve meets the x-axis.
What is the area of the closed region bounded by the curve and the two tangents?
What is the area of the closed region bounded by the curve and the two tangents?
- A.9
- B.18
- C.54
- D.72
- E.90
Answer: B
Question 33
1 mark is the greatest solution and is the least solution of the equation
What is the value of ?
What is the value of ?
- A.
- B.
- C.
- D.
- E.6
- F.21
Answer: B
Question 34
1 markConsider the statement:
for all real values of
Which one of the following is a negation of this statement?
for all real values of
Which one of the following is a negation of this statement?
- A. for all real values of
- B. for all real values of
- C. for at least one real value of
- D. for at least one real value of
- E. for at least one real value of
- F. for at least one real value of
- G. for no real values of
- H. for no real values of
Answer: D
Question 35
1 markA cubic polynomial is given by where and are constants.
Two of its factors are and
Which of the following statements, taken independently, is/are necessarily true?
1 If then
2
3 The graph of is symmetrical in the y-axis.
Two of its factors are and
Which of the following statements, taken independently, is/are necessarily true?
1 If then
2
3 The graph of is symmetrical in the y-axis.
- A.none of them
- B.1 only
- C.2 only
- D.3 only
- E.1 and 2 only
- F.1 and 3 only
- G.2 and 3 only
- H.1, 2 and 3
Answer: B
Question 36
1 markIn this question, and are non-zero real numbers.
Consider the three statements:
1 if
2 if and only if
3 If then both and
Which of these statements, taken independently, is/are true?
Consider the three statements:
1 if
2 if and only if
3 If then both and
Which of these statements, taken independently, is/are true?
- A.none of them
- B.1 only
- C.2 only
- D.3 only
- E.1 and 2 only
- F.1 and 3 only
- G.2 and 3 only
- H.1, 2 and 3
Answer: A