Higher Level · economics-hl · Interactive simulations
IB Economics HL Simulation Lab
17 unique simulations18 lessons1 sources
Every simulation here runs the real model — the applets a teacher would put on the board, from GeoGebra, not a video of one. Pick a topic, open a card inside its lesson to run it next to the notes, or jump straight to the source. A simulation that fits several lessons is listed under each of them (28 cards in all). Back to the IB Economics HL course →
1 · Introduction to economics
- GeoGebraIn the lesson
Production possibility frontier
Drag point E inside, onto and along the curve to see waste, efficiency and opportunity cost; the Productionfrontier slider shows growth.
- GeoGebraIB 1.1
PPC with constant opportunity cost
A straight-line PPC for Item X and Item Y with three labelled points: Efficiency on the line, Recession (inefficiency) inside, Not Possible (yet) beyond.
2 · Microeconomics
2.1Demand and the law of demand
1 sim- GeoGebraIB 2.1
Supply and demand: shifts and surpluses
Demand and supply lines with DemandShift and SupplyShift sliders and tick boxes for shortage, surplus, revenue and consumer and producer surplus.
2.2Supply and the law of supply
1 sim- GeoGebraIB 2.2
Supply and demand: shifts and surpluses
Demand and supply lines with DemandShift and SupplyShift sliders and tick boxes for shortage, surplus, revenue and consumer and producer surplus.
- GeoGebraIn the lesson
Supply and demand: shifts and surpluses
Shift either curve with the sliders and watch ME move; tick Show Shortage and Show Surplus for disequilibrium, then the two surplus boxes.
- GeoGebraIB 2.3
Consumer and producer surplus
Demand and Supply lines with a movable Price line. Consumer and producer surplus are shaded with their values and Total Surplus is shown.
- GeoGebraIn the lesson
PED along a straight-line demand curve
Drag point A along the demand line: read the elasticity εD and watch the shaded Expenditure rectangle grow, peak and shrink.
2.6Indirect taxes and subsidies
1 sim- GeoGebraIn the lesson
Incidence of an indirect tax
Drag the dots on the demand and supply lines: watch the shares of the tax paid by buyers and sellers, and the deadweight loss, change.
- GeoGebraIn the lesson
Short-run cost curves
Slide q along the output axis and read Current ATC, AFC, MC and AVC; untick curves to study one at a time.
- GeoGebraIB 2.9
Price taker: profit maximisation
A price-taking firm: a horizontal price line P with MC and AC curves, Price and Quantity sliders and read-outs of AC, MC and total profit.
- GeoGebraIB 2.9
Revenue, cost and profit
A total revenue line (Revenue = 8x) and a curved total cost line. Drag the point along the output axis to read Units, Revenue, Cost and Profit.
- GeoGebraIn the lesson
Monopoly: profit maximisation
Drag the Quantity slider: read AC, MC, MR and profit. Profit peaks where MC equals MR, and the price is read off D=AR.
- GeoGebraIB 2.10
Price taker: profit maximisation
A price-taking firm: a horizontal price line P with MC and AC curves, Price and Quantity sliders and read-outs of AC, MC and total profit.
- GeoGebraIn the lesson
Monopolistic competition
At h = 0 Demand just touches Average Total Cost: long-run normal profit. Move slider h and watch Demand and Marginal Revenue.
3 · Macroeconomics
- GeoGebraIn the lesson
AD–AS model
Drag the blue handles to shift Aggregate Demand, SR Aggregate Supply or Long Run Aggregate Supply and watch PLe and Ye move.
3.3Low unemployment
1 sim- GeoGebraIB 3.3
AD–AS model
Aggregate Demand, SR Aggregate Supply and a vertical Long Run Aggregate Supply with blue handles to drag; PLe, Ye and Y F are marked on the axes.
3.4Low and stable inflation
1 sim- GeoGebraIn the lesson
AD–AS model
Drag Aggregate Demand right for demand-pull inflation; put it back and drag SR Aggregate Supply left for cost-push. Compare PLe and Ye.
3.5Economic growth
2 sims- GeoGebraIn the lesson
AD–AS model
Drag Aggregate Demand right to move Ye towards Y F (actual growth), then drag Long Run Aggregate Supply right (potential growth).
- GeoGebraIB 3.5
Production possibility frontier
A curved frontier for goods X and Y with a movable point E, a Productionfrontier slider and two tick boxes that switch the view.
- GeoGebraIn the lesson
Lorenz curve and Gini coefficient
Drag the green points below the diagonal to bow the Lorenz curve; the table and the GINI Coefficient update as income gets less equal.
- GeoGebraIB 3.6
Marginal and average income tax rates
A step graph of marginal income tax rates (US, 2019). Drag the income point to read Income, Marginal Rate, Effective Rate and the tax paid.
- GeoGebraIn the lesson
AD–AS model
Drag Aggregate Demand right (expansionary) or left (contractionary) and watch the gap between Ye and Y F close or open.
- GeoGebraIB 3.7
Money market
A vertical Money Supply line and a downward-sloping Money Demand line, nominal interest rate against quantity of money, with handles to drag.
- GeoGebraIB 3.7
Crowding out in loanable funds
A loanable funds diagram (real interest rates against quantity) with one slider, ΔG, for extra government borrowing; 'size of crowding out' is marked.
3.8Supply-side policies
2 sims- GeoGebraIn the lesson
AD–AS model
Drag Long Run Aggregate Supply right: full-employment output Y F rises. Then drag SR Aggregate Supply right and watch PLe fall.
- GeoGebraIB 3.8
Production possibility frontier
A curved frontier for goods X and Y with a movable point E, a Productionfrontier slider and two tick boxes that switch the view.
4 · The global economy
4.4Exchange rates
1 sim- GeoGebraIn the lesson
Foreign exchange market
Drag the blue handles on Demand or Supply of the currency and watch the exchange rate and quantity Qe change.
4.5The balance of payments
1 sim- GeoGebraIB 4.5
Foreign exchange market
The market for Currency 1: Demand and Supply lines with blue handles to drag, the exchange rate (Currency 2 per Currency 1) and quantity Qe.
Each simulation stays the property of its source and is credited on the card inside the lesson. Back to the IB Economics HL course →