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NCEA Level 2 Technology study materials
NCEA Level 2 Technology study resources

NCEA Level 2 Technology practice questions

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Question 1Technological Practice

In technological practice, a brief begins by establishing an issue. Why should the issue be justified in the brief?

  1. It replaces the need for stakeholder feedback.
  2. It confirms which supplier will provide the materials.
  3. It shows the outcome is worthwhile and guides later design decisions. Correct answer.
  4. It proves the technologist already knows the final design.

Explanation

Justifying the issue establishes that a genuine need or opportunity exists and gives direction to the specifications and design decisions that follow. It does not mean the final design is already known, and it does not remove the need for stakeholder input or later supplier choices.

Question 2Technological Practice

A team building a mobile app for a school event has several tasks, some of which cannot start until others finish. Which planning tool should they use to identify the longest chain of dependent tasks and the shortest possible project duration?

  1. A bill of materials
  2. A critical path analysis Correct answer.
  3. A flow chart
  4. A Gantt chart

Explanation

Critical path analysis models task dependencies and calculates the longest dependent chain, which determines the minimum time needed to complete the project. A Gantt chart is useful for scheduling and progress, but it is not the tool specifically used to calculate the critical path.

Question 3Technological Practice

A technologist builds a working prototype of a portable phone charger and tests it with users at a market. What is the main purpose of this trial?

  1. To gather evidence on performance and user needs before final production Correct answer.
  2. To replace the need for a final evaluation
  3. To calculate the retail price before any costs are known
  4. To register the design with a patent office

Explanation

Trialling a prototype provides evidence about how well it performs against the specifications and how users respond in a realistic setting. That evidence is used to refine the design before final production; it does not remove the need for evaluation or serve as a legal registration step.

Question 4Technological Practice

A designer uses a scaled cardboard model and a computer simulation before making a full-size outdoor bench. What is the main benefit of using these technological models together?

  1. They provide the exact manufacturing cost of the final bench.
  2. They guarantee the final bench will not need maintenance.
  3. They remove the need to consult stakeholders about the design.
  4. They allow design ideas and performance to be tested before committing resources. Correct answer.

Explanation

Physical and digital models let technologists explore form, test assumptions, and identify problems before expensive materials and full-scale production are committed. They support decision-making but do not replace stakeholder consultation, guarantee maintenance-free performance, or provide exact manufacturing costs.

Question 5Technological Practice

During brief development for a new school canteen ordering system, students, canteen staff, and the property manager are consulted. Why is consulting this range of stakeholders important?

  1. It transfers legal responsibility for the outcome to the stakeholders.
  2. It makes sure every stakeholder's preferred solution is built exactly as requested.
  3. It means the technologist no longer needs to test the final system.
  4. It provides different perspectives that help define a brief that is fit for purpose. Correct answer.

Explanation

Different stakeholders experience the same situation in different ways, so consultation helps the technologist understand needs, constraints, and priorities when developing the brief. The technologist must reconcile those views rather than simply build every requested feature, and responsibility for testing and legal compliance remains with the developer.

Question 6Technological Practice

A technologist is choosing between two public bike rack proposals. Proposal A uses recycled plastic, is cheaper, but flexes under heavy load. Proposal B uses galvanised steel, costs more, and meets the load specification. The brief prioritises durability and public safety, and the fixed budget can cover either proposal. Which decision is most defensible in technological practice?

  1. Reject both proposals because neither design is perfect.
  2. Choose Proposal A because the lower cost leaves more money for promotion.
  3. Choose Proposal B because it meets the key safety and durability specifications. Correct answer.
  4. Choose Proposal A because recycled plastic is the most sustainable option available.

Explanation

The brief prioritises durability and public safety, so a proposal that fails the load specification is not fit for purpose even if it is cheaper or uses recycled material. Because the budget can cover either option, the decision should be driven by the prioritised specifications rather than by promotion spending or an unrealistic demand for perfection.

Question 7Technological Practice

While trialling a prototype garden tool, a technologist records a sharp edge that could injure users. What is the most appropriate next step in technological practice?

  1. Assess the risk and modify the design or add a control before further trials. Correct answer.
  2. Ignore the hazard because the prototype is not for sale yet.
  3. Give the prototype to users and wait for an accident report.
  4. Remove the record from the trial notes to avoid delaying the project.

Explanation

Hazards identified during development must be assessed and controlled, and the prototype stage is exactly when design changes or safety controls should be introduced. Being not yet for sale does not remove the duty to manage risk, and hiding evidence or waiting for harm is unsafe and unethical.

Question 8Technological Practice

A student has developed a new type of reusable food wrap for a Technology project. Which action best protects the student's original design idea before discussing it publicly?

  1. Sharing the idea only verbally at a public meeting
  2. Recording the development in a dated design journal and checking confidentiality options Correct answer.
  3. Keeping no records so the idea cannot be copied
  4. Posting full construction details on a public social media page

Explanation

Dated design records provide evidence of when ideas were developed and help establish authorship if ownership is questioned. Before public disclosure, the student should also check what intellectual property protection or confidentiality agreements may be appropriate for the situation.

Question 9Technological Practice

A technologist is designing a disposable food container. The brief requires low cost, and the client wants a compostable material. A supplier offers a cheap compostable lining certified only for commercial composting, but the target users have no commercial composting collection. Which response best reflects ethical technological practice?

  1. Abandon the project because no material is perfect.
  2. Use the lining without a label so users do not ask questions.
  3. Discuss the limitation with the client and explore alternatives or clear disposal labelling. Correct answer.
  4. Use the lining and label the whole container as home compostable.

Explanation

Ethical practice requires honest communication about what a material can and cannot do, especially when disposal depends on infrastructure users do not have. The technologist should discuss the limitation with the client and seek alternatives or ensure disposal information is accurate rather than misleading users.

Question 10Technological Practice

A completed prototype of a storage unit is evaluated against the brief. Which evaluation approach provides the strongest evidence that the outcome is fit for purpose?

  1. Asking the technologist's friends whether they like the colour
  2. Checking only that it was completed within the planned time
  3. Testing the unit against the specifications with representative users and recording results Correct answer.
  4. Assuming it works because it looks similar to an existing product

Explanation

Fitness for purpose is judged using evidence that the outcome meets the specifications and the needs of its intended users in the intended context. Structured testing with representative users produces relevant evidence, while personal taste, visual similarity, or meeting a time plan do not by themselves show that the outcome works as required.

Question 11Technological Practice

In a technological practice brief, what is the main function of specifications?

  1. They list every possible solution the technologist considered.
  2. They record the designer's personal preferences for the outcome.
  3. They set measurable requirements the outcome must meet. Correct answer.
  4. They replace the need to consult stakeholders during development.

Explanation

Specifications translate the brief into testable criteria, such as dimensions, performance limits, or user requirements, so the outcome can be evaluated objectively. They guide development and checking rather than recording preferences or listing discarded ideas.

Question 12Technological Practice

Before committing resources to a proposed technological outcome, a technologist checks whether the needed materials, skills, time, and budget are available. What is this check called?

  1. An intellectual property audit
  2. A feasibility analysis Correct answer.
  3. An aesthetic evaluation
  4. A stakeholder consultation

Explanation

Feasibility analysis examines whether a proposed outcome can realistically be produced with the available resources, knowledge, time, and budget. It may also consider technical risk and whether the outcome can meet the brief.

Question 13Technological Practice

In technological practice, what is the main purpose of producing a conceptual design?

  1. To test the final production tolerances of the outcome
  2. To provide a legally binding agreement with the client
  3. To replace specifications once the brief is signed off
  4. To explore and communicate early ideas Correct answer.

Explanation

Conceptual designs are early representations that let the technologist and others explore possibilities, compare directions, and communicate intent before detailed design work. They are not final production documents and do not replace specifications.

Question 14Technological Practice

A brief requires a bag that is 'comfortable for a small child to carry'. Which specification best turns this requirement into something testable?

  1. The bag must use the cheapest available strap material so it stays affordable.
  2. The bag must look comfortable to the designer.
  3. A 40 mm minimum strap width and a shoulder-pressure test limit. Correct answer.
  4. The bag must be available in three bright colours that children like.

Explanation

A useful specification is measurable and linked to the brief's intent, so the outcome can be tested rather than judged by opinion. Strap width and shoulder pressure give repeatable criteria for comfort in carrying.

Question 15Technological Practice

During planning for practice, a technologist schedules review points at the end of each major stage. What is the main reason for these review points?

  1. To make the project appear longer and more thorough to the client
  2. To remove the need for any final evaluation of the completed outcome
  3. To guarantee that the original plan is followed without any changes
  4. To judge progress and decide whether to change the plan. Correct answer.

Explanation

Review points are planned opportunities to compare progress with the plan, check evidence, and decide whether resources or direction need adjustment. They support informed adaptation rather than rigid adherence to an initial plan.

Question 16Technological Practice

A technologist tests a garden seating outcome, finds the seat height is uncomfortable for older users, and adjusts the design before testing again. What does this sequence best illustrate?

  1. Intellectual property protection
  2. Linear design with no feedback
  3. Quality control at final inspection only
  4. Iterative outcome development Correct answer.

Explanation

Iteration involves using test evidence to revise a design and then retesting, so the outcome improves across cycles. The sequence shows feedback being acted on rather than a one-way design process.

Question 17Technological Practice

A workshop introduces checks on materials, dimensions, and assembly at each stage of making, rather than inspecting only the finished product. What is this practice called?

  1. Quality control
  2. Quality assurance Correct answer.
  3. Market research
  4. A feasibility study

Explanation

Quality assurance focuses on the processes used to prevent defects, such as stage-by-stage checks on materials and assembly. Quality control is more often about checking finished outputs against standards.

Question 18Technological Practice

A completed outcome meets every written specification, but the client says it is not fit for purpose in everyday use. What is the most appropriate response in technological practice?

  1. Reclassify the outcome as a prototype and deliver it to the client unchanged
  2. Revisit the brief with the client to identify missing needs. Correct answer.
  3. Ignore the client because every written specification has been met
  4. Add decorative features without changing how the outcome functions

Explanation

Fitness for purpose includes meeting the client's real needs, not only written specifications. If the client finds the outcome unsuitable, the technologist should review the brief with them and determine whether the specifications or outcome need revision.

Question 19Technological Practice

A working prototype performs well in the workshop, but production staff say it cannot be made reliably at the required rate. Which action best reflects technological practice?

  1. Reduce the required production rate without consulting the client
  2. Proceed to production because the prototype already works well
  3. Review the design for manufacture with production staff Correct answer.
  4. Add more features so the outcome appears more advanced

Explanation

Technological practice includes making outcomes that can be produced reliably, so manufacturability is part of fitness for purpose. Involving production staff and revising the design uses practical evidence to reduce production risk.

Question 20Technological Practice

A technologist designing a child car seat checks the relevant New Zealand standard before finalising dimensions. Why is this check important in technological practice?

  1. It guarantees the outcome will be the lowest-cost option
  2. It helps ensure minimum safety and legal compliance Correct answer.
  3. It proves that the design is completely original
  4. It replaces the need for any prototype testing

Explanation

Standards and codes of practice set recognised requirements that technological outcomes may need to meet, especially where safety and law are involved. Checking them early helps the technologist design within those constraints, though testing is still needed.

Question 21Technological Practice

A technologist developing a new school bag writes a brief that states the bag must cost no more than $40 to make and must be finished before the school year starts. In technological practice, these statements are best described as:

  1. specifications for the bag's appearance
  2. constraints on the outcome and process Correct answer.
  3. evaluation criteria used after production
  4. stakeholder opinions that can be ignored

Explanation

Constraints are limits such as budget, time, legal requirements, or available resources that the brief sets for both the outcome and the way it is developed. They differ from specifications, which describe measurable features the finished outcome must have. Stakeholder views and evaluation criteria have other roles in technological practice.

Question 22Technological Practice

A design team has four early concepts for a portable speaker and needs to choose which one to develop further. They list criteria such as cost, durability, and ease of use, then score each concept against them. This decision-making tool is called a:

  1. Gantt chart
  2. cutting list
  3. mood board
  4. decision matrix Correct answer.

Explanation

A decision matrix scores competing concepts against weighted criteria so the team can compare options transparently and justify a choice. A mood board communicates visual direction, a Gantt chart schedules tasks, and a cutting list supports making.

Question 23Technological Practice

A technologist designing a new range of outdoor furniture wants to reduce the product's environmental impact after it is no longer used. Which action best reflects end-of-life planning?

  1. Choosing a weather-resistant paint colour
  2. Testing how much weight the furniture can hold
  3. Using joints that allow disassembly and recycling Correct answer.
  4. Calculating the retail price of each item

Explanation

End-of-life planning considers what happens when a product is no longer wanted, including reuse, repair, disassembly, recycling, or safe disposal. Designing for disassembly makes material recovery practical. Paint colour, price, and load testing relate to other aspects of the design.

Question 24Technological Practice

A technologist keeps annotated photos, test results, and dated notes of each version of a prototype, including the versions that failed. What is the main value of this record in technological practice?

  1. It provides evidence to evaluate decisions and improve Correct answer.
  2. It replaces the need for a final evaluation with the client
  3. It guarantees the final outcome meets every specification
  4. It shows the technologist followed a fixed, linear process

Explanation

A record of iterations, including failures, is evidence of how and why design decisions were made. It supports formative evaluation, lets others review the work, and helps the technologist learn from trials rather than repeat mistakes. It cannot guarantee compliance and does not replace client evaluation.

Question 25Technological Practice

A technologist is designing a new entranceway for a community centre built on land with significance to local mana whenua. The technologist meets with mana whenua representatives early in the project. What is the main purpose of this consultation?

  1. To reduce the number of stakeholders consulted later
  2. To transfer legal responsibility for the design to mana whenua
  3. To obtain cheaper materials from local suppliers
  4. To understand cultural values and apply them in the design Correct answer.

Explanation

Early consultation with mana whenua allows the technologist to understand cultural values, protocols, and site significance, which can shape the design and avoid inappropriate outcomes. It is a partnership, not a transfer of responsibility or a way to reduce consultation. Material sourcing may be discussed separately.

Question 26Technological Practice

A technologist is developing a public information kiosk that will be used by people of different ages, heights, and abilities. Which action best reflects an inclusive design approach?

  1. Making the screen as large as possible for visibility
  2. Testing the kiosk only with the client's office staff
  3. Adding a warning label about possible difficulties
  4. Involving users with varied abilities in testing Correct answer.

Explanation

Inclusive design actively involves people with diverse needs and abilities so barriers are identified and removed during development. Testing only with a narrow group risks missing problems, and warning labels shift responsibility to users instead of designing the barrier out.

Question 27Technological Practice

A brief for a new backpack states it is for 'year 9 students carrying books between classes'. Why is this statement about the intended user and use environment important?

  1. It guides specifications, testing, and design Correct answer.
  2. It sets the retail price the client must charge
  3. It proves the outcome will be commercially successful
  4. It removes the need to consult any stakeholders

Explanation

Defining the intended user and use environment tells the technologist what the outcome must cope with, such as load, weather, or frequency of use. Those details shape measurable specifications and realistic testing. They do not set price or guarantee success, and stakeholders may still need to be consulted.

Question 28Technological Practice

A client asks a technologist to make an outdoor sign from untreated mild steel because it is cheap. The technologist knows untreated steel will rust quickly in the coastal location. What is the most appropriate professional response?

  1. Use the untreated steel as asked and say nothing about the risk
  2. Explain the risk and propose suitable alternatives Correct answer.
  3. Refuse the job without explaining the reason
  4. Substitute a more expensive material without telling the client

Explanation

Professional practice involves informing the client of foreseeable performance problems and discussing options that still meet the brief's intent, such as galvanising, powder coating, or a different material. Silently ignoring the risk or making unexplained substitutions undermines trust and informed decision-making.

Question 29Technological Practice

In technological practice, a technologist reviews a prototype with users midway through development and changes the grip based on their feedback. Later, after the final outcome is produced, the technologist judges it against the brief. These two activities are best described respectively as:

  1. formative evaluation and summative evaluation Correct answer.
  2. summative evaluation and formative evaluation
  3. concept screening and quality control
  4. stakeholder consultation and market research

Explanation

Formative evaluation happens during development to improve the outcome, while summative evaluation happens at the end to judge how well the outcome meets the brief. The midway user feedback is formative; the final judgement is summative. Concept screening and market research are different activities.

Question 30Technological Practice

A community group needs a sturdy storage unit for sports gear. A technologist can design and build a custom unit, or the group can buy a mass-produced cabinet that is cheaper but slightly too small. What is the most important question for the technologist to resolve before recommending a custom build?

  1. Whether the custom unit will look more attractive
  2. Whether the existing product meets the need Correct answer.
  3. Whether the technologist prefers working with wood
  4. Whether the mass-produced cabinet is available online

Explanation

Before committing to a custom outcome, the technologist should establish whether an existing product already satisfies the need and specifications. If the mass-produced cabinet is adequate, a custom build may not be justified; if its size causes real problems, that gap supports development. Appearance alone is not sufficient justification.

Question 31Technological Practice

A technologist designing a large playground shelter builds a 1:10 scale model before making full-size components. What is the main reason for this practice?

  1. To prove the shelter's structural strength to the required standard
  2. To replace the need for detailed construction drawings
  3. To meet health and safety legislation before construction begins
  4. To check proportions and form with stakeholders at low cost Correct answer.

Explanation

A scale model lets the technologist and stakeholders judge proportions, form, and usability before expensive materials and full-size construction are committed. It supports design decisions and communication; it does not certify structural strength, satisfy legal duties by itself, or replace construction drawings.

Question 32Technological Practice

In planning for practice, a technologist uses a Gantt chart for a product development project. What does the Gantt chart mainly show?

  1. The total retail price of each proposed outcome
  2. The durability test results for each prototype version
  3. The names of stakeholders who approved the brief
  4. Task timing, dependencies, and milestones Correct answer.

Explanation

A Gantt chart is a scheduling tool: it shows tasks along a timeline so the technologist can see sequence, duration, dependencies, and milestones. It helps coordinate resources and review points, but it does not calculate prices, record test results, or list approvals.

Question 33Technological Practice

In technological practice, which statement best describes a stakeholder?

  1. Only the person or organisation that pays for the outcome
  2. Only the end user who will operate the outcome
  3. Anyone affected by or interested in the outcome Correct answer.
  4. Only the technologist responsible for designing the outcome

Explanation

Stakeholders include anyone affected by or interested in the outcome, such as users, the client, neighbours, cultural groups, regulators, and maintenance staff. The client and end user are important stakeholders, but they are not the only ones.

Question 34Technological Practice

A technologist plans to cut panel parts on a bench saw while developing a prototype. Which action best demonstrates risk management in the planning for practice?

  1. Recording the hazard and applying controls first Correct answer.
  2. Asking the client to approve the cutting process
  3. Relying on the operator's experience to avoid accidents
  4. Postponing all cutting until the final outcome is complete

Explanation

Risk management means identifying hazards, assessing likelihood and severity, and putting controls in place before work starts. For bench saw use this could include guarding, training, PPE, and a safe sequence of work, not relying on experience or shifting responsibility to the client.

Question 35Technological Practice

A technologist wants a manufacturer to assess an early design concept without losing control of the intellectual property. What is the most appropriate action?

  1. Send the drawings with a verbal promise that they will not be copied
  2. Use a confidentiality agreement before detailed disclosure Correct answer.
  3. Keep no written record of what was shared with the manufacturer
  4. Post the full drawings on a public website to attract feedback

Explanation

A confidentiality or non-disclosure agreement sets out what the manufacturer may do with the disclosed information and provides a legal basis for protection. Public posting destroys confidentiality, verbal promises are hard to enforce, and keeping no record makes ownership and disclosure difficult to prove.

Question 36Technological Practice

A technologist is selecting material for a picnic table that will stay outdoors all year. Which action best reflects fitness for purpose in material selection?

  1. Choosing the same material used in a previous indoor project
  2. Choosing the cheapest timber without checking its weather resistance
  3. Matching weather resistance and strength to the brief Correct answer.
  4. Choosing the most attractive finish regardless of durability

Explanation

Fitness for purpose means matching material properties to the outcome's context and specifications. For an outdoor table, weather resistance, structural strength, surface safety, and maintenance needs must be compared before choosing; cost or appearance alone is not enough.

Question 37Technological Practice

A cabinet specification requires a shelf to fit with a clearance of 2 mm. What does this tolerance mean for manufacture?

  1. The clearance may vary by any amount as long as the shelf fits
  2. The shelf must be exactly 2 mm smaller than the opening in every case
  3. Critical dimensions may vary within an acceptable range Correct answer.
  4. A 2 mm error is acceptable on every dimension of the cabinet

Explanation

A tolerance defines the acceptable variation around a specified dimension so parts still fit and function. It applies to the stated critical dimensions, not to every dimension, and it is not an instruction to make the shelf exactly 2 mm smaller.

Question 38Technological Practice

Before building a physical prototype of a bike rack, a technologist runs a load simulation in CAD software. What is the main benefit of this step?

  1. It guarantees the final rack will meet every relevant standard
  2. It reveals likely weak points before costly physical trials Correct answer.
  3. It calculates the retail price of the finished rack
  4. It removes the need for any physical testing or user trials

Explanation

CAD simulation can model loads and show where a design is likely to deflect or fail, allowing changes before physical materials and workshop time are committed. It supports, but does not replace, physical testing, standards verification, user trials, or cost analysis.

Question 39Technological Practice

A technologist finds that a supplied component does not meet the safety specification, but the finished product is due for delivery. What is the most defensible professional response?

  1. Halt delivery, record the issue, and tell the client Correct answer.
  2. Change the specification to match the supplied component and deliver on time
  3. Ask the client to sign a waiver accepting the noncompliant component
  4. Deliver the product and rely on the user manual to warn about the component

Explanation

Professional technological practice requires honesty, safety, and traceability when a product does not meet its specification. Halting delivery, documenting the nonconformance, and informing the client protects users and allows a compliant replacement or redesign; warnings, altered specifications, or waivers do not make an unsafe or noncompliant product acceptable.

Question 40Technological Practice

Older users want armrests on a community bench, while skateboarders want a smooth ledge with no armrests. What is the best technological practice for the technologist to resolve this conflict?

  1. Revisit the brief and negotiate trade-offs using evidence Correct answer.
  2. Ignore both groups and build the technologist's preferred design
  3. Choose the design preferred by the group that complains most
  4. Build two identical benches so neither group can object

Explanation

Conflicting stakeholder needs should be managed by returning to the brief and specifications, gathering evidence, and negotiating priorities and trade-offs. This keeps decisions transparent and defensible; simply siding with one group, ignoring stakeholders, or duplicating the outcome does not resolve the underlying conflict.

Question 41Technological Practice

A technologist begins a project by writing a brief. What is the main purpose of this document in technological practice?

  1. It defines the need or opportunity and the boundaries the outcome must satisfy. Correct answer.
  2. It records the step-by-step sequence of workshop operations that will be used to build the final outcome.
  3. It lists the final inspection results for the completed outcome.
  4. It sets the retail price and profit margin the client will receive.

Explanation

A brief establishes why the technological outcome is being developed and what it must achieve. It sets the need or opportunity and the boundaries, such as stakeholders, budget, and performance requirements, that later specifications and planning build on.

Question 42Technological Practice

In a project plan for developing a technological outcome, what is a milestone?

  1. A named person who is assigned to complete a group of related project tasks
  2. A task that must be completely finished before another dependent task can begin
  3. A risk that has been rated as acceptable by the technologist
  4. A significant checkpoint that marks progress without consuming working time Correct answer.

Explanation

A milestone is a progress checkpoint in a project plan, such as design sign-off or prototype testing completed. It has a date but no duration, so it marks achievement rather than work to be done.

Question 43Technological Practice

A technologist is applying the hierarchy of controls to manage a workshop hazard during prototype construction. Which action sits highest in that hierarchy?

  1. Eliminate the hazard by removing the dangerous machine or task. Correct answer.
  2. Provide personal protective equipment to everyone in the workshop.
  3. Put up warning signs at the entrance to the workshop.
  4. Train students to work carefully around the hazard.

Explanation

The hierarchy of controls ranks elimination highest because removing the hazard prevents harm at its source. Personal protective equipment, signage, and training are lower-level controls that rely on people behaving in certain ways.

Question 44Technological Practice

A technologist wants to evaluate whether a new classroom chair supports sustained comfort for Year 9 students. Which testing approach gives the most valid evidence?

  1. Measure the chair against the dimensions in the brief and stop there.
  2. Trial the chair with Year 9 students over several lessons and record comfort feedback. Correct answer.
  3. Ask several members of the technologist's family to sit on the chair once and give a quick opinion.
  4. Test the chair in a showroom for five minutes with adult office workers.

Explanation

Valid testing uses participants and conditions that match the intended use, because comfort depends on body size and duration of sitting. Year 9 students using the chair across lessons gives evidence relevant to the brief's users and context.

Question 45Technological Practice

A technologist needs 50 identical plastic housings for a pilot product. Which consideration most strongly favours 3D printing over injection moulding for this batch?

  1. 3D printing always produces a noticeably smoother surface finish than injection moulding does.
  2. The high cost of injection-mould tooling is hard to justify across only 50 units. Correct answer.
  3. Injection moulding cannot use any recyclable thermoplastic materials.
  4. 3D printing has no setup or equipment costs at all.

Explanation

For a small batch, the cost of making an injection mould is spread over few units, so the price per part is high. 3D printing avoids that tooling cost and suits pilot quantities, even if unit production is slower.

Question 46Technological Practice

A technologist has developed a new chair with a distinctive shape and appearance. Which form of intellectual property protection is most appropriate for the chair's appearance in New Zealand?

  1. A trademark, because it protects the shape and form of a product.
  2. A patent, because it protects the visual look and ornamental appearance of a product.
  3. A registered design, because it protects the visual appearance of a product. Correct answer.
  4. Copyright, because it protects the functional idea behind a product.

Explanation

A registered design protects the visual appearance of a product, including its shape, configuration, pattern, or ornamentation. Patents protect how something works, trademarks protect brand identifiers, and copyright does not generally protect industrial product shape.

Question 47Technological Practice

During concept development, a technologist uses a morphological chart. What is the main purpose of this tool?

  1. To rank stakeholders by how much influence they have on the project.
  2. To combine different sub-solutions and generate new concept options. Correct answer.
  3. To calculate the final production cost of each concept before testing.
  4. To schedule the order in which prototypes will be built and tested.

Explanation

A morphological chart lists possible sub-solutions for each function of a product and invites combinations across the columns. This helps a team generate and compare concept options systematically rather than settling on the first idea.

Question 48Technological Practice

A technologist is comparing two materials and one supplier claims its product is 'eco-friendly'. Which evidence is most defensible when comparing environmental impact?

  1. An independent life cycle assessment or environmental product declaration for each material. Correct answer.
  2. A single social media post from a technologist who has used the material.
  3. The material's purchase price per kilogram compared with the other option.
  4. The supplier's glossy brochure, which uses green imagery and describes the material as natural.

Explanation

Claims about environmental impact need evidence that covers the material's life cycle, not just marketing language. An independent life cycle assessment or environmental product declaration provides comparable, verifiable data about impacts such as energy use, emissions, and waste.

Question 49Technological Practice

A client's brief asks for a product that uses fully recycled local materials and has the lowest possible cost, but the budget cannot support both requirements. What is the best technological practice response?

  1. Keep both requirements unchanged in the brief and proceed anyway, leaving the conflict for the production team to solve.
  2. Choose the cheapest materials and remove the recycled-material requirement without consultation.
  3. Choose the recycled materials and increase the budget without informing the client.
  4. Discuss the trade-off with the client, agree priorities, and record the revised requirements in the brief. Correct answer.

Explanation

When brief requirements conflict, the technologist should negotiate with the client rather than silently drop or alter a requirement. Recording the agreed priorities and trade-offs keeps the brief accurate and gives the team a defensible basis for decisions.

Question 50Technological Practice

A technologist needs to show a fabricator the internal cavity and wall thickness of a moulded housing. Which drawing view is most suitable?

  1. A section view, because it shows internal features as if the object were cut open. Correct answer.
  2. An exploded view, because it separates all components along an axis.
  3. A front elevation, because it shows the object's height and width only.
  4. An isometric view, because it shows the outside shape in three dimensions.

Explanation

A section view removes part of the object to reveal internal features such as cavities and wall thickness. Orthographic and isometric views mainly describe external form, while exploded views show how components assemble.