Lesson 2.7.1

2.7.1 Marginal values, total and marginal utility Quiz: OCR Economics, Unit 2

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

In partnership with Revision Ninja

Lesson 2.7.1, Marginal values, total and marginal utility: 20 multiple choice questions for the OCR Economics (H460), Unit 2: The role of markets, written with Revision Ninja.

Host it live on the board and students join with a game code on their own devices, or revise alone with Free Play. The answers are revealed in the game.

Host this setFree Play

The 20 questions

  1. In economic theory, what is meant by the term marginal utility?

    • Total satisfaction gained
    • Average satisfaction gained
    • Additional satisfaction gained
    • Overall market demand

  2. According to the law of diminishing marginal utility, as consumption increases, marginal utility does what?

    • Increases
    • Stays constant
    • Decreases
    • Reaches infinity

  3. At what level of marginal utility is total satisfaction or total utility maximised?

    • Zero
    • Maximum
    • Negative
    • One

  4. If total utility from three bars is 15 utils and four bars is 18, what is marginal utility?

    • 3 utils
    • 33 utils
    • 4.5 utils
    • 18 utils

  5. To maximise utility, a consumer allocates budget so that the ratio of marginal utility to price is what?

    • Maximised for one
    • Greater for A
    • Zero for both
    • Equal across goods

  6. In economics, what does the term 'the margin' refer to?

    • The average value
    • The total amount
    • One extra unit
    • The minimum price

  7. If the marginal utility of consuming an extra slice of pizza is negative, total utility will what?

    • Remain constant
    • Double
    • Increase
    • Decrease

  8. Total utility for 1, 2, and 3 apples is 10, 18, and 24 utils. What is the 3rd MU?

    • 6 utils
    • 24 utils
    • 14 utils
    • 8 utils

  9. What hypothetical unit of measurement is traditional marginal utility analysis expressed in?

    • Joules
    • Utils
    • Pounds
    • Utils per hour

  10. Why does an individual consumer demand curve typically slope downwards from left to right?

    • Constant marginal cost
    • Rising consumer income
    • Increasing total utility
    • Diminishing marginal utility

  11. A rational consumer buys a single good up to the point where marginal utility equals what?

    • Price
    • Average cost
    • Zero
    • Total utility

  12. Good A gives 20 MU at £4. Good B gives 30 MU at £5. Which offers higher MU per pound?

    • Good B
    • Neither good
    • Both are equal
    • Good A

  13. If total utility from consuming four cakes is 30 utils, what is the average utility?

    • 26 utils
    • 4 utils
    • 12 utils
    • 7.5 utils

  14. Consumer surplus exists because marginal utility for early units consumed is higher than what?

    • Total utility
    • Marginal cost
    • Market price
    • Average utility

  15. Standard marginal utility theory assumes that consumers act in what way?

    • Randomly
    • Irrationally
    • Rationally
    • Altruistically

  16. If marginal utilities of the first three drinks are 10, 7, and 4, what is total utility?

    • 21 utils
    • 4 utils
    • 10 utils
    • 17 utils

  17. What does the slope or gradient of the total utility curve represent?

    • Average utility
    • Consumer surplus
    • Total expenditure
    • Marginal utility

  18. If MUa / Pa is greater than MUb / Pb, how should a utility-maximising consumer adjust spending?

    • Stop buying both
    • Buy equal amounts
    • Buy more A
    • Buy less A

  19. The paradox of value between water and diamonds is explained by distinguishing total utility from what?

    • Scarcity value
    • Fixed costs
    • Average utility
    • Marginal utility

  20. When total utility reaches its maximum point, what is the gradient of the total utility graph?

    • Negative one
    • Positive one
    • Infinite
    • Zero

All OCR Economics quizzes