| Date | May 2022 | Marks available | 1 | Reference code | 22M.1.SL.TZ0.2 |
| Level | Standard Level | Paper | Paper 1 | Time zone | Time zone 0 |
| Command term | Calculate | Question number | 2 | Adapted from | N/A |
Question
Figure 4(a): Demographic data for 2018
[Source: Data from: CIA, 2019. The World Factbook: Costa Rica. Available at: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/theworld-
factbook/geos/cs.html/ [Accessed 06 November 2019].]
Figure 4(b): Age–gender pyramid for Costa Rica in 1990 and
projected pyramids for 2020 and 2050
[Source: Population Pyramid. Costa Rica 1990, 2020 and 2050. [online] Available at: https://www.populationpyramid.net/costa-rica/1990/, https://www.populationpyramid.net/costa-rica/2020/, https://www.populationpyramid.net/costa-rica/2050/ Made available under a Creative Commons license CC BY 3.0 IGO: http://creativecommons.org/
licenses/by/3.0/igo/ [Accessed 06 November 2019].]
Based on the 2018 data in Figure 4(a), calculate the doubling time for the population of Costa Rica.
With reference to Figure 4(b), suggest three possible reasons for the changes between the age–gender pyramid for 1990 and that projected for 2050.
Markscheme
= 66.67/66.7/67 (years);
Note: Accept where there is a dot or dash above the last ‘6’ in 66.6/66.66 as this shows that the ‘6’ is recurring.
Do not accept only ‘66.6’ or other incorrect rounding of the answer.
reduction in births due to greater use of contraception/improved family planning/sex education;
reduction in births due to women having children later/access to education/access to employment/improved status /increase in affluence (more personal choice);
growth in urbanization leading to fewer children required to work in agriculture to support parents / reduction in births because of increasing cost of bringing up children;
reduction in children/births due to improvements in welfare system/pensions reducing reliance on children to support parents;
increase in more elderly population/longer life expectancy/reduction in death rate due to improvement in health care/sanitation;
reduction in infant mortality, so parents can expect most members of a family will survive to adulthood;
reduction in child mortality due to improved nutrition/access to healthcare/immunizations;
government policy/legislation that encourages a reduction in birth rates;
Note: For credit both change observed and associated cause must be given, e.g. do not accept only ‘decrease in birth rate / increase in life expectancy’ or only ‘use of contraception / improved health care’.
Do not accept ‘increase in life expectancy due to better living conditions/better quality of life’.
Do not accept ‘increase in working age people due to migration’.
Do not accept only ‘decrease in birth rates due to education’, for credit needs to also specify either sex education/family planning education or education of women.
Examiners report
A significant number of candidates struggled with this question with some giving no response at all. Common errors included calculating the natural increase rate (NIR) from the data provided instead of doubling time, incorrect rounding of the final answer and incorrect placing of the decimal point.
There were some very good responses to this question. However, common errors included not explaining the reasons for decrease in birth rates or increase in life expectancy or the converse, not explaining the impact of greater availability of contraception or improved health care.
