Demand
Individual and market demand, demand curves, movements along a curve and shifts in demand.
How to study for GCSE Economics
Learn each definition and diagram as a causal model, practise calculations with units, apply evidence to the stated context and qualify conclusions with realistic trade-offs.
Core concepts
Concept 1
Demand is the quantity consumers are willing and able to buy at a given price over a stated period.
Exam cue: Ask whether the cause is the product's own price before choosing movement or shift.
Concept 2
A change in the good's own price causes a movement along the demand curve; a non-price determinant shifts the curve.
Exam cue: State the shift direction and trace the effect on equilibrium price and quantity.
Concept 3
Market demand combines individual consumers' demand, so income, tastes, population and related goods can change it.
Exam cue: For related goods, identify whether they are substitutes or complements before predicting demand.
Risk pitfalls and guardrails
Using demand to mean desire without ability to pay.
Guardrail: Do not stop at a definition or generic advantage: show the mechanism, keep units and diagram labels accurate, and separate board-specific paper claims from the England common core.
Shifting the demand curve because the product's own price changed.
Guardrail: Do not stop at a definition or generic advantage: show the mechanism, keep units and diagram labels accurate, and separate board-specific paper claims from the England common core.
Assuming every rise in income increases demand for every good.
Guardrail: Do not stop at a definition or generic advantage: show the mechanism, keep units and diagram labels accurate, and separate board-specific paper claims from the England common core.
Memory anchors
Demand
Quantity willing and able to be bought at a price over a period.
Extension of demand
A lower own price causes movement down the existing demand curve.
Contraction of demand
A higher own price causes movement up the existing demand curve.
Demand shift
A non-price determinant changes demand at every price.
Related goods
Substitutes compete for demand; complements are consumed together.
Checkpoint rule
Do the check-up only after you can summarize each concept in one sentence and identify one dangerous pitfall from memory.
Knowledge Check (after reading)
Short check-up to confirm understanding of this module.
Check-up Questions
Which change causes a movement along the demand curve for cinema tickets?
Demand means what in a market?
Answer all questions to submit.
Next step personalized recommendations
Continue learning
Move forward only after this module is stable.
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