Sample paper · GCSE Foundation · grades 1–5

GCSE Foundation sample Paper 2 (calculator)

The real Paper 2 is 1.5 hour 30 minutes and 80 marks, calculator, and all three papers carry equal weight. This sample is 20 original questions in the same content proportions as the Foundation qualification — number 25%, algebra 20%, ratio, proportion and rates of change 25%, geometry and measures 15%, probability 7.5%, statistics 7.5% — with a calculator allowed. AO1 / AO2 / AO3 at this tier: 50% / 25% / 25%.

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GCSE Foundation sample Paper 2 (calculator)

Maths · GCSE Foundation · Paper 2 · Calculator · 20 questions

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1.Work out the value of √(16 + 9)
(a)5
(b)12
(c)7
(d)−5
2.The first term of an arithmetic sequence is 5, and each term after that increases by 6. Work out the 8th term of the sequence.
(a)53
(b)41
(c)48
(d)47
3.Work out the time taken to travel 120 km at an average speed of 60 km/h.
(a)180 minutes
(b)0.5 hours
(c)2 hours
(d)2 minutes
4.A footpath sign shows a distance of 0.45 km to the next village. Work out this distance in metres.
(a)45 m
(b)4500 m
(c)450 m
(d)0.45 m
5.A survey of 90 people records which of two apps, X and Y, they use. 55 people use app X, 42 people use app Y, and 20 people use neither app. Work out the probability that a randomly chosen person uses both apps, giving your answer as a fraction in its simplest form.
(a)7/90
(b)3/10
(c)2/9
(d)7/9
6.A pie chart of the favourite hobby of a group of pupils has three sectors: reading 50%, sport 25% and music 25%. Write down, as a fraction in its simplest form, the share of the pie chart taken up by the reading sector.
(a)1/4
(b)3/4
(c)1/3
(d)1/2
7.A paint mix is made from white paint and blue paint in the ratio 5 : 3. Priya uses 1.2 litres of blue paint and the matching amount of white paint. Work out the total volume of the mix.
(a)9.6 litres
(b)2 litres
(c)3.2 litres
(d)1.92 litres
8.Explain why the equation 4x + 3 = 4x + 10 has no solution for x.
(a)Subtracting 4x gives 3 = 10, which is never true.
(b)x would have to be negative, but x must be positive.
(c)It's true for every x, so there are infinite solutions.
(d)x = 7, since 10 − 3 = 7.
9.A water tank is a cuboid measuring 30 cm × 20 cm × 10 cm. The tank is full of water. Work out how many litres of water it holds.
(a)600 litres
(b)6 litres
(c)0.6 litres
(d)60 litres
10.A surveyor is marking out field ABCD for a new crop. The plan states that side AB is parallel to side DC, but AB and DC are not equal in length, and sides BC and AD are not parallel to each other. Which term correctly describes the shape of field ABCD?
(a)kite
(b)trapezium
(c)rhombus
(d)parallelogram
11.A game has two independent stages. P(win stage 1) = 0.4, and P(win stage 2) = 0.25. Work out the probability that Ffion wins at least one of the two stages.
(a)0.1
(b)0.55
(c)0.45
(d)0.65
12.The rainfall in a town during April is recorded as 62.4 mm, correct to 1 decimal place. Write down the error interval for the actual rainfall, r mm.
(a)62 ≤ r < 63
(b)62.35 ≤ r ≤ 62.45
(c)62.35 ≤ r < 62.45
(d)62.3 ≤ r < 62.5
13.Work out the values of x and y that satisfy both x + y = 10 and x − y = 4.
(a)x = 14, y = −4
(b)x = 7, y = 3
(c)x = 5, y = 5
(d)x = 7, y = 4
14.Two mathematically similar water bottles have a volume scale factor of 8 from the smaller bottle to the larger bottle. Work out the surface area scale factor from the smaller bottle to the larger bottle.
(a)8
(b)4
(c)2
(d)64
15.A rectangular tile measures 4.5 cm by 6 cm. Work out the area of the tile.
(a)10.5 cm²
(b)21 cm²
(c)27 cm²
(d)30 cm²
16.Write 0.0038 in standard form.
(a)3.8 × 10⁻³
(b)38 × 10⁻⁴
(c)3.8 × 10⁻⁴
(d)3.8 × 10³
17.A distance-time graph shows a car travelling at a constant speed, covering 90 km in 2 hours. Work out the car's speed in km/h.
(a)88 km/h
(b)180 km/h
(c)45 km/h
(d)92 km/h
18.Order these three values from smallest to largest: 3/8, 0.43, 41%.
(a)3/8, 41%, 0.43
(b)0.43, 41%, 3/8
(c)3/8, 0.43, 41%
(d)41%, 0.43, 3/8
19.Write down the reciprocal of 5/8
(a)−8/5
(b)8/5
(c)5/8
(d)3/8
20.A straight-line graph shows the number of pages printed, p, plotted against the time in minutes, t, since a printer started a print job. The line passes through the points (2, 30) and (5, 90). Work out the gradient of the line.
(a)18
(b)20
(c)0.05
(d)−20

How the 20 questions are shared out

Number — 5 questions (25% of the qualification)
Algebra — 4 questions (20% of the qualification)
Ratio, proportion and rates of change — 5 questions (25% of the qualification)
Geometry and measures — 3 questions (15% of the qualification)
Probability — 2 questions (7.5% of the qualification)
Statistics — 1 question (7.5% of the qualification)

Where an area has fewer printable questions than its share, the shortfall is filled from the other areas. These are original questions, not past papers.