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Leaving Cert Engineering: Design & prototyping

How often Design & prototyping comes up on the Engineering papers, every year it was asked, and questions to try.

HL Asked on 7 of the last 9 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2025. most years

OL Asked on 5 of the last 9 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2025.

June 2028 is the first exam on the new Engineering course. These come from the 2016–2025 papers, so read them as a guide.

Design & prototyping, Higher Level(7 marks)

Quick ones on Design & prototyping.

(a)Main purpose of making a prototype?
  1. To advertise the finished product before its launch
  2. To test and improve the design before production
  3. To replace the design specification and brief
(b)How does a design specification differ from a design brief?
  1. It is the final evaluation
  2. It is a short statement of the problem
  3. It lists precise, measurable requirements
(c)Ergonomics in product design is about?
  1. Fitting the product to the user's body and use
  2. Choosing the colour scheme and surface finish
  3. Reducing the cost of manufacturing the product
Show the answers

(a) To test and improve the design before production

(b) It lists precise, measurable requirements

(c) Fitting the product to the user's body and use

Your turn: Higher Level questions on Design & prototyping.

Higher Level

Asked on 7 of the last 9 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2025. most years

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2025Q1(i)
2024Q1(d), Q7, Q9
2023Not asked
2022Not asked
2021Q1(j), Q1(k)
2019Q1(j), Q1(l)
2018Q1(b), Q1(e)
2017Q1(d)
2016Q1(f), Q1(k)

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

More Design & prototyping questions

Design & prototyping, 2 marks

A patent protects?

  1. A brand name or logo, giving the owner sole use of it
  2. The words of a song, giving the writer sole rights
  3. An invention, giving the owner sole rights for a set time
Show the answer

An invention, giving the owner sole rights for a set time

A patent stops others making or selling the invention for a fixed period. Brand names are protected by trademarks; songs by copyright.

Design & prototyping, 2 marks

Brainstorming at the ideas stage means?

  1. Costing the finished design and its parts
  2. Generating many ideas quickly without judging them
  3. Choosing the final materials and processes
Show the answer

Generating many ideas quickly without judging them

A group lists as many ideas as possible, however odd, before any are rejected. Judging comes later, when ideas are compared with the specification.

Design & prototyping, 3 marks

Why use one type of plastic for all the parts of a product where possible?

  1. It is easier to recycle at the end of its life
  2. It makes the product heavier and more solid
  3. It makes the product harder to take apart and repair
Show the answer

It is easier to recycle at the end of its life

Mixed plastics must be separated before recycling. One polymer, marked with its resin code, can go straight into one recycling stream.

Ordinary Level

Asked on 5 of the last 9 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2025.

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2025Q1(g)
2024Q1(c)
2023Not asked
2022Q1(l)
2021Not asked
2019Not asked
2018Q1(d)
2017Not asked
2016Q1(e)

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

More Design & prototyping questions

Design & prototyping, 2 marks

The engineering design process is iterative. What does this mean?

  1. It is done in one go without changes
  2. Only one idea is ever drawn
  3. Steps are repeated to improve the design
Show the answer

Steps are repeated to improve the design

Designers test, evaluate and go back to earlier steps many times. Each loop improves the solution.

Design & prototyping, 2 marks

What is a prototype?

  1. A written list of design needs
  2. A working model made to test a design
  3. The final mass-produced product
Show the answer

A working model made to test a design

A prototype lets the designer check size, fit and function early and cheaply. The written list of needs is the specification.

Design & prototyping, 3 marks

Why make a prototype before full production?

  1. Faults can be found and fixed early
  2. It removes the need for testing
  3. It replaces the design brief
Show the answer

Faults can be found and fixed early

Testing a model shows whether the design works, fits and appeals to users. Changes are cheap at this stage but costly once tooling for mass production is made.

Other Engineering topics

All of Leaving Cert Engineering