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%.
CalculatorGCSE Foundation
GCSE Foundation sample Paper 2 (calculator)
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- 1.Work out the value of ∛8.
- 2.The solution set of an inequality is x ≥ 7. Write down the value that does NOT satisfy this inequality.
- 3.The ratio of the number of red beads to blue beads in a bracelet is 3 : 7. There are 21 blue beads. Work out the number of red beads.
- 4.A parallelogram has an area of 136 cm² and a base of 17 cm. Work out the perpendicular height of the parallelogram.
- 5.A bag contains 5 red counters and 5 green counters. Three counters are taken out one at a time and are not put back. Work out the probability that all three counters are red.
- 6.A scatter graph has 12 plotted points. Four pupils each draw a line of best fit on the same graph and count how many of the 12 points lie above their line and how many lie below it: Amir — 10 above, 2 below. Priya — 6 above, 6 below. Kofi — 2 above, 10 below. Leah — 0 above, 12 below. Write down the name of the pupil whose line was drawn correctly, so that the points are roughly balanced above and below it.
- 7.Priya adds 3.6 and 0.45 on paper and writes down 3.65 as her answer. Work out the correct value of 3.6 + 0.45.
- 8.Work out the coordinates of the midpoint of the line segment joining (−3, 5) and (7, 9).
- 9.y is directly proportional to x, so y = kx. When x = 2, the value of y is 10. Work out the value of k.
- 10.Loose sweets are sold at £1.20 per 100 g. Work out the cost of 350 g of sweets.
- 11.A biased spinner is spun 200 times. It lands on red 70 times, on blue 50 times, and on green 80 times. Using these results, work out the expected number of times the spinner does NOT land on red, in 500 spins of the same spinner.
- 12.Amelia estimates 48 × 21 by working out 50 × 20 = 1,000. Work out whether her estimate is an under-estimate or an over-estimate, and by how much.
- 13.Write down the expression that means the same as (x + 7) ÷ 4.
- 14.Two mathematically similar polygons have perimeters in the ratio 2 : 5. Write the ratio of their areas in its simplest form.
- 15.Two similar triangular tiles have lengths in the ratio 3 : 5. The longest side of the smaller tile is 9 cm. Work out the length of the longest side of the larger tile.
- 16.Work out 20 − 8 ÷ 2 + 1
- 17.The first four terms of a sequence are 11, 18, 25, 32. Ravi thinks the nth term is 7n. Work out the correct expression for the nth term.
- 18.6 identical taps fill a paddling pool in 20 minutes. Each tap fills at the same steady rate. Work out how long 3 of these taps would take to fill the same pool.
- 19.A number line runs from 0 to 1 and is divided into 4 equal parts. Which mark on the line represents 1/4?
- 20.A sunflower is 140 cm tall. A tomato plant is 80 cm tall. Write the height of the tomato plant as a fraction of the height of the sunflower, giving your answer in its simplest form.
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.