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IB Design Technology SL Mock (Paper 1 and Paper 2): 10 Multiple-Choice and 5 Written Questions with Answers
TUTORZONE ORIGINAL MOCK PAPER · IB DESIGN TECHNOLOGY SL (FIRST ASSESSMENT 2027)
Written to the IBO design technology subject brief (first assessment 2027): at SL the course is assessed by Paper 1, multiple choice, 1 hour (20%) and Paper 2, short answer and extended response, 1 h 30 (40%), plus a 50-hour design project worth 40% — 2.5 hours of external assessment. Paper 3 and the optional topics no longer exist. This is a Paper 1 and Paper 2 mock (10 multiple-choice items plus five written items, 50 marks) with answers.
What is in IB design technology SL and how is it weighted?
Direct answer: the external assessment is 2.5 hours and 60% of the grade — Paper 1 multiple choice, 1 hour (20%), and Paper 2 short answer with extended response, 1 h 30 (40%) — plus the design project at 50 hours (40%), internally assessed. Paper 3 and the optional topics were removed from the 2027 session.
Assessment at a glance (2027)
| Component | Content | Weighting | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (multiple choice) | Officially 1 hour; 10 questions (20 marks) in this paper | 20% | 1 h |
| Paper 2 (short answer and extended response) | Officially 1 h 30; 5 questions (30 marks) in this paper | 40% | 1 h 30 min |
| Design project (internal assessment) | Individual design project, report up to 3,500 words (33 marks) | 40% | 50 h |
Time is where SL candidates lose most: ten multiple-choice items in an hour (about two minutes each) and a written paper finished inside 1 h 30. Take the calculation items first, then the concept items, and put the judgement sentence in the first paragraph of every extended answer.
How this paper was built
This is a TutorZone original mock paper: the questions follow the shape of the IB design technology course first assessed in 2027 (Paper 1 multiple choice, Paper 2 short answer and extended response) and the answers are our own, not IB past papers or marking references.
The official subject brief publishes the time and weighting of each paper but not its question count or marks; the 10 multiple-choice items (20 marks) and five written items (30 marks) here are this paper’s own design, built to train the paper shape and the pacing.
The course is first assessed in May 2027 and no past papers exist yet. Every numerical answer (percentiles, density, cost, life cycle energy) was recomputed programmatically.
Pacing
| Section | Marks | Suggested time | What to do first |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (multiple choice) | 20% | about 2 min per question, calculations first | concept recognition: ergonomics, materials, life cycle |
| Paper 2 (short answer and extended response) | 40% | 45 min short answer, 45 min extended response | analysis and argument built around one product |
| Design project (internal assessment) | 40% | staged across the two years, never left to the last two months | five criteria starting from the redesign of an existing product |
What does each part of this mock test?
Direct answer: Paper 1 (10 items, 20 marks) covers anthropometric percentiles, density and mass, material and prototype cost, break-even, usability testing and energy figures; Paper 2 (5 items, 30 marks) covers the design cycle, material trade-offs, ergonomic limits, life cycle data and product evaluation, all built around a concrete product.
Paper 1: multiple choice (10 questions, 20 marks)
Each question is worth 2 marks, 20 in total. All are compulsory and there is no penalty for a wrong answer. Several items need a calculation: take those first, then return to the concept questions.
Question 1
A seat must accommodate the 5th percentile popliteal height. Mean adult popliteal height is 420 mm with a standard deviation of 25 mm and z = -1.645 at the 5th percentile. Give the seat front height in mm.
A. 379B. 395C. 412D. 461
Question 2
A part has a mass of 1.2 kg and a volume of 1500 cm3. State its density in kg/m3.
A. 1800B. 800C. 1600D. 1250
Question 3
Sheet material costs $240 for 3 m2 and each product needs 0.35 m2. Give the material cost per unit in dollars.
A. 28.00B. 24.00C. 32.00D. 40.00
Question 4
Fixed costs are $180,000, the selling price is $250 and variable cost is $150 per unit. State the break-even quantity in units.
A. 1800B. 720C. 1200D. 3600
Question 5
A prototype uses 3.2 kg of material at $18 per kg and 6 hours of workshop time at $95 per hour. Give the total prototype cost in dollars.
A. 627.60B. 570.00C. 632.00D. 590.40
Question 6
A handheld fan uses 0.35 kWh per use and is used 300 times (1 kWh = 3.6 MJ). Give the total in-use energy in MJ.
A. 105B. 1050C. 137D. 378
Question 7
A part is machined from a 1.8 kg billet down to 1.35 kg. State the material utilisation in per cent.
A. 75.0B. 133.3C. 25.0D. 45.0
Question 8
Of 120 usability tasks, 84 were completed without help. Give the task success rate in per cent.
A. 70.0B. 84.0C. 42.0D. 60.0
Question 9
A part has a volume of 240 cm3 and the material density is 2.7 g/cm3. Give its mass in grams.
A. 890B. 648C. 320D. 240
Question 10
A motor draws 250 W and delivers 162.5 W. State its efficiency in per cent.
A. 75.0B. 65.0C. 87.0D. 60.0
Paper 2: short answer and extended response (5 questions, 30 marks)
All compulsory, 30 marks in total. The short-answer items carry 6 marks each and the two extended-response items also carry 6 marks; the extended answers need a judgement and the reasoning behind it.
Question 1 (6 marks)
Using the design cycle, explain the process of redesigning an existing product from understanding user needs to testing and evaluation: what happens at each of the four stages, plus three measurable design specifications.
Question 2 (6 marks)
A bottle grip can be moulded from ABS (density about 1.05 g/cm3, not biodegradable, $32 per kg) or made from bamboo (density about 0.7 g/cm3, biodegradable, $18 per kg). Compare the trade-offs in durability, end-of-life and cost, and give your conclusion on a replaceable grip.
Question 3 (6 marks)
Design the cap of a school water bottle for primary pupils: which percentile of anthropometric data you would use, the maximum force you would allow to open it, and the accessibility points to consider.
Question 4 (6 marks)
A handheld fan costs 45 MJ at the production stage and uses 0.02 kWh per day of use, 120 days a year, for a two-year life (1 kWh = 3.6 MJ). Calculate the in-use energy and the whole life cycle total in MJ, and state the production energy per use over that life.
Question 5 (6 marks)
Evaluate single-use packaging against a refillable packaging system on four criteria — function, usability, sustainability and cost — and state your recommendation with its assumptions.
How should this paper be worked through?
Direct answer: (1) Paper 1 in about 20 minutes, calculations first; (2) the short-answer items in about 45 minutes, each with its formula or criterion written down; (3) the extended items in the last 45 minutes, judgement first and reasoning after; (4) log the missing steps and units in your error book.
Paper 1 answers and explanations
Question 1
Answer: A (379) 420 – 1.645 x 25 = 378.9, so 379 mm. This is the accommodate-the-smallest approach; adjustability covers the taller users.
Question 2
Answer: B (800) 1500 cm3 = 0.0015 m3, and 1.2 / 0.0015 = 800 kg/m3 (0.8 g/cm3 if you prefer).
Question 3
Answer: A (28.00) $80 per m2, so 80 x 0.35 = $28.00; offcut waste is a separate line.
Question 4
Answer: A (1800) 180000 / (250 – 150) = 1800 units, on a contribution of $100 each.
Question 5
Answer: A (627.60) 3.2 x 18 = $57.60 plus 6 x 95 = $570, a total of $627.60; workshop time is usually the largest line.
Question 6
Answer: D (378) 0.35 x 300 = 105 kWh, and 105 x 3.6 = 378 MJ. Both the per-use figure and the number of uses have to be stated for a fair comparison.
Question 7
Answer: A (75.0) 1.35 / 1.8 = 0.75, so 75%; the other 0.45 kg leaves as swarf, recyclable but still a loss.
Question 8
Answer: A (70.0) 84 / 120 = 0.70, so 70%. Always report the sample size beside the percentage.
Question 9
Answer: B (648) 240 x 2.7 = 648 g. Keep the units consistent across mass, volume and density.
Question 10
Answer: B (65.0) 162.5 / 250 = 0.65, so 65%. The rest leaves as heat, which is a design problem in itself.
Paper 2 model answers
Question 1
(1) Inquire: observe real use, interview users and the client, and log the faults of the existing product (hard to clean, slippery grip). (2) Analyse: turn those faults into specifications that can be measured and verified, for example a slip torque of at least 2 N m with wet hands, a total mass under 350 g, and fewer than three removable parts. (3) Ideate: sketch at least three concepts, compare them through a mock-up or CAD model, choose one and justify the trade-offs. (4) Test and evaluate: build a physical fidelity model, measure it against each specification, and record the misses with the next change. (6 marks)
Question 2
(1) Durability: ABS takes impact, moulds to fine tolerances and does not grow mould in constant damp; bamboo is lighter for the same volume (about 33% lighter, since 1.05 against 0.7) but swells, cracks and moulds in the long run. (2) End of life: ABS is recyclable in theory and mostly landfilled in practice; bamboo biodegrades, but a lacquer or glue layer removes that advantage. (3) Cost: bamboo is cheaper per kg yet its cutting, sanding and sealing labour outweighs a single moulding shot. Conclusion: a replaceable grip splits the materials — bamboo for the renewable, wear-prone grip, a recyclable polymer for the body — with a tool-free joint that still seals. That is design for repair and service life. (6 marks)
Question 3
(1) Percentile: use the 5th percentile for strength and hand size (accommodate the weakest decile), and a 5th-to-95th span for grip circumference. (2) Force: keep the opening force under about 10 N; pupils are far weaker than adults, so reduce the torque needed with surface texture and leverage rather than asking for more strength. (3) Accessibility: high-contrast direction markings, an opening action that works one-handed and without teeth (push or pull-tab), ambidextrous use, and a body diameter that fits school water dispensers. (4) Verification: test with eight to ten pupils of the target age and log failures and the force required. (6 marks)
Question 4
(1) In use: 0.02 x 120 x 2 = 4.8 kWh, and 4.8 x 3.6 = 17.28 MJ. (2) Life cycle total: 45 + 17.28 = 62.28 MJ, with 27.7% of it in use. (3) The 45 MJ of production spread over 240 uses is 0.19 MJ per use. That last figure drives the decision: doubling the service life halves the production energy per use, which beats any in-use saving. Conclusion: for this product class the leverage is in longevity and repairability, not in shaving the wattage. (6 marks)
Question 5
(1) Function: single-use seals tightly, travels light and needs no cleaning; refillable has to solve the joint and leakage between refill and container. (2) Usability: single-use is the simplest; a refill route that takes more than two steps will simply not be used. (3) Sustainability: refillables cut material and shipping mass sharply (say 12 g of plastic per unit down to 3 g), but the benefit disappears if the container is thrown away. (4) Cost: the refillable container costs more and is paid back over repeat uses — an $18 container saving $1.2 per refill breaks even after about 15 uses. Recommendation: trial the refillable system where repeat purchase rates are high and the container is durable, and verify with the real refill rate rather than an assumed one; write the failure threshold down before the trial. (6 marks)
How is the time split in the real examination?
Direct answer: SL Paper 1 is 1 hour (about two minutes an item, with eight minutes to check); Paper 2 is 1 h 30 (45 minutes of short answer, 45 of extended response); the design project is 50 hours spread over the two years.
Where these marks are usually lost
| Mistake | What it looks like | What it costs | Instead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mixing up the SL and HL weightings | Quoting SL 20/40/40 as HL 25/45/30 | Study time is allocated to the wrong component and the design project is underweighted | Write your own level’s three numbers down first: SL 20/40/40, HL 25/45/30 |
| Terms memorised but not applied | Knowing what a life cycle analysis is, never having seen one run on real data | Paper 2 is built on a product; a bare definition earns nothing | Attach one real product and one set of numbers to every concept |
| Extended answers that only describe | Listing a product’s faults with no comparison, judgement or reason | The judgement marks in the extended items are all lost | Every paragraph needs a because and a closing conclusion |
| Calculations with no units or steps | Writing 40.9 with no mA, skipping the formula and substitution | Method and unit marks go together | Formula, substitution, units, then the answer |
How to use this paper
First sit: 20 minutes on the multiple choice and 90 minutes on the written section, timed, with nothing open beside you.
Mark it: check every calculation step and unit, and place your extended answers beside the model answers to find the missing judgements.
Second sit: redo after three to seven days; a third pass covers only the items in your error log.
What should I do after finishing this paper?
Direct answer: (1) Log the calculation and unit errors; (2) redo the paper three to seven days later; (3) work through the design report section by section against the five criteria; (4) since the course is first assessed in 2027 there are no past papers to drill, so use the example questions in the official guide and the original mocks here.
FAQ
Is this an official IB paper?
No. The course is first assessed in May 2027, so no past papers exist; the questions and answers here are TutorZone originals.
What separates SL from HL?
Both levels sit Paper 1 (multiple choice) and Paper 2 (short answer and extended response) and both complete the design project. SL is 1 hour and 1 h 30 at 20/40/40; HL is 1 h 30 and 2 h 30 at 25/45/30, with additional strands on structural, mechanical and electronic systems, life cycle analysis and production.
How should the design project be prepared?
Start from redesigning an existing product, build a physical fidelity model for testing, and write a report of no more than 3,500 words, marked out of 33 against five criteria that are identical at SL and HL — only the weighting differs. Stage it across the two years rather than leaving it to the last two months.
Official references
| Resource | What to check |
|---|---|
| IBO design technology subject brief (first assessment 2027) | Check the paper times, weightings and the five design-project criteria |
| IB design technology course updates (IBO) | Confirm that Paper 3 is gone, that the criteria are common to SL and HL, and the word limit |
Related: IB Design Technology HL mock · IB Computer Science Paper 1 mock · practice area
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