Ceist Eile

Ceist Eile is in development. Features, questions and prices may change while we refine it.

Subjects · Leaving Cert Economics

Leaving Cert Economics: Consumer behaviour & utility

How often Consumer behaviour & utility comes up on the Economics papers, every year it was asked, and questions to try.

HL Asked on 4 of the last 5 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2025. most years

OL Asked on 3 of the last 5 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2024. most years

Consumer behaviour & utility, Higher Level(8 marks)

Quick ones on Consumer behaviour & utility.

(a)Total utility from slices of pizza is 20, 35, 45, 50. What is the marginal utility of the 3rd slice?
  1. 45 utils
  2. 10 utils
  3. 15 utils
(b)The law of diminishing marginal utility states that…
  1. Price falls as more units are bought
  2. Total utility falls as more units are consumed
  3. Each extra unit consumed adds less satisfaction
(c)Good A: MU 40, price €2. Good B: MU 60. At what price of B is the consumer in equilibrium?
  1. €3
  2. €20
  3. €1.33
Show the answers

(a) 10 utils

(b) Each extra unit consumed adds less satisfaction

(c) €3

Your turn: Higher Level questions on Consumer behaviour & utility.

Higher Level

Asked on 4 of the last 5 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2025. most years

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2025Q2
2024Q12
2023Q3
2022Not asked
2021Q8

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

Ordinary Level

Asked on 3 of the last 5 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2024. most years

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2025Not asked
2024Q4
2023Not asked
2022Q13
2021Q4

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Consumer behaviour & utility questions

Consumer behaviour & utility, 2 marks

In economics, utility means?

  1. The price paid for a good in the shop
  2. The profit a firm earns from selling a good
  3. The satisfaction gained from consuming a good
Show the answer

The satisfaction gained from consuming a good

Utility is the satisfaction or benefit a consumer gets. Consumers are assumed to spend their limited income so as to get as much total utility as possible.

Consumer behaviour & utility, 2 marks

The law of diminishing marginal utility says that?

  1. Each extra unit gives more satisfaction
  2. Each extra unit consumed gives less extra satisfaction
  3. Total utility always falls as you consume more
Show the answer

Each extra unit consumed gives less extra satisfaction

The first slice of pizza is enjoyed most; the fifth adds much less. Falling marginal utility helps explain why people buy more only if the price falls.

Consumer behaviour & utility, 3 marks

Total utility from 2 coffees is 30 and from 3 coffees is 38. The marginal utility of the 3rd coffee is?

  1. 8
  2. 38
  3. 68
Show the answer

8

Marginal utility is the change in total utility: 38 - 30 = 8. It is the extra satisfaction from the third coffee only.

Other Economics topics

All of Leaving Cert Economics