IGCSE Economics 0455 — October-November 2020 Past Papers, Topics & Exam Tips
The Cambridge IGCSE Economics (0455) October-November 2020 session consisted of 2 papers across 6 variants, covering 24 syllabus topics across all papers. This page links to every question paper, mark scheme, grade threshold and session feedback document released by Cambridge for this session, together with a topic-level breakdown of what was tested and topic-matched exam tips in our own voice.
Study Resources for Economics
Prepare for your exam with these complementary resources:
Jump straight to the topics this session tested most:
0455 October-November 2020 Papers
0455 Paper 1 - Multiple Choice
45 min • 30 marks
View syllabus topics tested in Paper 1 (13 topics, 30 marks total)
This 0455 Paper 1 from October-November 2020 tests 13 different syllabus topics. The highest-weighted topic is Households (Microeconomic decision makers) worth 6 marks out of 30 total marks. Other significant topics include Supply (4 marks) and Government role in economy (3 marks).
Mark distribution by topic:
Understanding which topics carry the most marks helps you prioritize your Economics revision. Practice questions from high-mark topics like Households to maximize your score.
0455 Paper 2 - Structured Questions
2 hr 15 min • 90 marks
View syllabus topics tested in Paper 2 (5 topics, 90 marks total)
This 0455 Paper 2 from October-November 2020 tests 5 different syllabus topics. The highest-weighted topic is Demand (The allocation of resources) worth 30 marks out of 90 total marks. Other significant topics include Balance of payments (20 marks) and Households (20 marks).
Mark distribution by topic:
Understanding which topics carry the most marks helps you prioritize your Economics revision. Practice questions from high-mark topics like Demand to maximize your score.
Topic coverage in October-November 2020
Marks in this session were weighted unevenly across the 24 syllabus topics, with the heaviest emphasis on Households. Substantial weight also fell on Demand and Money and banking , with Production possibility curve and Economic growth rounding out the five most-tested areas. Together these five topics made up about 58% of the topic-level marks awarded in the October-November 2020 session — a useful signal for where to focus revision time. The full topic-by-paper breakdown is further down the page.
Exam tips for topics in October-November 2020
- → Demand: Wage changes (or other input costs) make the whole supply curve shift, while price changes only cause movement *along* the supply curve.
- → Production possibility curve: Keep in mind that a PPC marks the *maximum* output given current resource availability; preference changes alone don't boost production capacity, and using previously idle resources simply shifts you *toward* the PPC frontier.
- → Economic growth: When discussing economic growth, focus on increases in a nation's *total* production, not just per-person averages.
Other Resources
Additional materials to help you prepare and understand how exams are marked.
Examiner Report
Insights from examiners on how students performed. Learn common mistakes to avoid and what examiners look for in top answers.
What was tested on each paper — 0455 October-November 2020
Here's which syllabus topics appeared in each of the 2 Economics 0455 papers in October-November 2020 and how the marks broke down. Focus your revision on the papers you're sitting. Click any topic below to jump straight to our revision notes, or browse the full Economics 0455 revision guide →.
Paper 1 — Multiple Choice · 30 marks total
Tested 13 topics. The heaviest-weighted were Households (6m), Supply (4m), Government role in economy (3m), Factors of production (2m), Microeconomics and macroeconomics (2m) and Money and banking (2m), plus 7 other topics.
Paper 2 — Structured Questions · 90 marks total
Tested 5 topics. The heaviest-weighted were Demand (30m), Balance of payments (20m), Households (20m), Production possibility curve (20m) and Factors of production (20m).
0455 October-November 2020 at a glance
- Papers: 2 (6 variants total)
- Topics covered: 24
- Highest-weighted topic: Households
- Grade thresholds: released by Cambridge (linked above)
- Session feedback: Cambridge report available
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0455 Study Tips & FAQ
What are paper variants?
Cambridge releases multiple variants of each paper (e.g., Paper 11, 12, 13) to accommodate different time zones around the world and maintain exam security.
Which variant you sit is set by your school's administrative zone: in the November 2026 timetable, for 0455, Variant 1 is sat in Zones 1 and 2, Variant 2 in Zones 3 and 4, and Variant 3 in Zones 5 and 6. Which zones sit which variant differs from subject to subject, so ask your exams officer which zone your school is in.
All variants cover the same syllabus and have similar difficulty. Practice with any variant to prepare effectively for your exam.
How to use Mark Schemes effectively
Mark schemes show exactly how examiners award marks for each question. Understanding them helps you write answers that earn full marks.
Tips:
- Look for key words that must appear in your answer
- Note how many points are needed for each mark
- Check if units are required for the final mark
- Understand the difference between "state" (brief) and "explain" (detailed)
Understanding Grade Thresholds
Grade thresholds show the minimum marks needed for each grade. They vary each session based on paper difficulty — harder papers have lower thresholds.
November 2020, option X (components 11, 21), out of 150:
From the copy of the Cambridge grade threshold table, November 2020. Each option has its own thresholds: see every 0455 session.
How to use thresholds:
- Set realistic target marks based on your goal grade
- Track your practice paper scores against thresholds
- Remember: you don't need 100% for an A* — aim for consistency
- Compare thresholds across sessions to gauge difficulty trends
How is the topic breakdown calculated?
The "Topics Breakdown by Paper" section above shows which syllabus topics are tested in each paper and how many marks they carry. Here's how we calculate this:
Our methodology:
- Extract questions: We analyze each question paper (QP) and identify individual questions and their mark allocations (shown in square brackets, e.g., [3]).
- Match to syllabus: Each question is matched to the official Cambridge 0455 syllabus topics based on keywords, concepts, and question content.
- Sum marks per topic: For each paper, we add up the marks for all questions testing the same topic. For example, if Q1 (4 marks) and Q5b (3 marks) both test the same topic, that topic shows as "7 marks" for that paper.
How to use this: Look at the paper(s) you'll be taking. The topics with the highest marks in YOUR papers are where you should focus your revision. A topic worth 15 marks deserves more study time than one worth 3 marks.
Note: Our topic matching may be inaccurate for questions that span multiple topics. Use this as a guide alongside the official syllabus.
How to Use IGCSE Economics Past Papers
📝 Timed Practice
Complete papers under exam conditions. 0455 Paper 2 (Structured Questions) is 2 hr 15 min - practice finishing within this time to build exam stamina.
✅ Self-Marking
Use the mark scheme to score your answers. Look for marking points you missed and understand what examiners expect in Economics responses.
📊 Examiner Reports
Read the 0455 examiner report to see common mistakes. Focus revision on topics where candidates typically lose marks.
🎯 Grade Targets
In November 2020, an A* in IGCSE Economics needed 105 to 112 out of 150 (70% to 75%), depending on the option (copy of the Cambridge grade threshold table, November 2020). See the grade thresholds for every 0455 session.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I download IGCSE Economics October-November 2020 past papers?
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What papers are available for IGCSE Economics 0455?
What is the difference between paper variants 11, 12, and 13?
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