IB Design Technology HL · 2016 to 2025 (outgoing guide)

10.2 Design for a circular economy

78 past paper questions from 24 papers across 16 exam sessions. See what repeats, then practise the same skills with AI marking.

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HL archive · 2016 to 2025

10.2 Design for a circular economy

Latest exam session: May 2025

questions
78
questions
papers
24
papers
exam sessions
16
exam sessions
micro-topics
3

Micro-topics in 10.2 Design for a circular economy

In syllabus order. The ring is the share of papers each appears in.

  • 17

    10.2.1

    The closed loop

    6 questions · in 17% of papersAppears in 6 of the 36 Design Technology HL papers analysed (17%), at least once each.

    Rising

    last May 25 P2 TZ1

  • 56

    10.2.4

    Recovering and restoring

    47 questions · in 56% of papersAppears in 20 of the 36 Design Technology HL papers analysed (56%), at least once each.

    Frequently tested

    last May 25 P2 TZ1

  • 31

    10.2.5

    Renewable energy

    25 questions · in 31% of papersAppears in 11 of the 36 Design Technology HL papers analysed (31%), at least once each.

    Frequently tested

    last May 25 P1 TZ2

Exam pattern

How often each micro-topic has been examined, year by year. Each label is explained under the grid.

Does it repeat?

Questions per year for each micro-topic.

fewermore

Micro-topic2016201720182019202020212022202320242025
10.2.4Recovering and restoringFrequently tested
5Recovering and restoring, 2016: 5 questions2Recovering and restoring, 2017: 2 questions4Recovering and restoring, 2018: 4 questions8Recovering and restoring, 2019: 8 questions1Recovering and restoring, 2020: 1 question·Recovering and restoring, 2021: 0 questions3Recovering and restoring, 2022: 3 questions5Recovering and restoring, 2023: 5 questions6Recovering and restoring, 2024: 6 questions13Recovering and restoring, 2025: 13 questions
10.2.5Renewable energyFrequently tested
2Renewable energy, 2016: 2 questions10Renewable energy, 2017: 10 questions2Renewable energy, 2018: 2 questions·Renewable energy, 2019: 0 questions1Renewable energy, 2020: 1 question4Renewable energy, 2021: 4 questions·Renewable energy, 2022: 0 questions·Renewable energy, 2023: 0 questions4Renewable energy, 2024: 4 questions2Renewable energy, 2025: 2 questions
10.2.1The closed loopRising · last May 25 P2 TZ1
·The closed loop, 2016: 0 questions·The closed loop, 2017: 0 questions·The closed loop, 2018: 0 questions1The closed loop, 2019: 1 question1The closed loop, 2020: 1 question·The closed loop, 2021: 0 questions·The closed loop, 2022: 0 questions2The closed loop, 2023: 2 questions1The closed loop, 2024: 1 question1The closed loop, 2025: 1 question
  • Frequently testedin at least a quarter of all papers, and still appearing in the last two years
  • Risingappearing more often in the last two years than before

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Questions on 10.2 Design for a circular economy, by exam session

Which papers asked about 10.2 Design for a circular economy, and which question numbers. Open a paper to see them highlighted.

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Frequently asked questions

Short answers about this page.

Which Design Technology HL exam sessions are covered for 10.2 Design for a circular economy?

18 exam sessions from 2016 to 2025, the latest May 2025. Every Paper 1 and 2 in every timezone is read and classified in full, which gives 24 papers in this archive.

Which 10.2 Design for a circular economy topic comes up most?

Recovering and restoring (10.2.4): in 56% of papers, last seen May 25 P2 TZ1. Usually "other", worth about 4.5 marks in a paper that includes it.

Can I see the original question and mark scheme?

No. The wording belongs to the IB. You get the citation, the marks, the command term and the skill tested, plus our own matched practice questions with worked answers and AI marking.

What do "banker", "due" and "rising" mean?

Banker: examined in at least one sitting in four and still appearing. Due: regular before, but absent for the last two exam sessions. Rising: clearly more common in the last two years. Our classification of real papers, not an IB statistic.

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