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 an estimate for 397 ÷ 21, by rounding each number to 1 significant figure.
- 2.A quadratic graph has roots at x = −3 and x = 5, and it crosses the y-axis at (0, −15). Work out the equation of the curve in the form y = (x − a)(x − b).
- 3.In a box of pens, 3/7 of the pens are blue and the rest are black. Write down the ratio of the number of blue pens to the number of black pens, in its simplest form.
- 4.A solid has 10 vertices and 15 edges. Using the formula F + V − E = 2, work out how many faces it has.
- 5.Dice A is a fair six-sided dice. Dice B is biased so that P(6) = 0.3. Dice A is rolled 150 times and Dice B is rolled 150 times. Work out how many more sixes you would expect from Dice B than from Dice A.
- 6.A café sold 10 sandwiches on each of four days: 10, 10, 10, 10. Work out the range of the numbers sold.
- 7.Work out ⁴√16
- 8.A park is drawn on a grid in which 1 unit represents 1 km. The car park is at the point (0, 0) and the lake is at the point (3, 5). Work out the direct distance, in km, from the car park to the lake, giving your answer to 1 decimal place.
- 9.x × y is used to test whether two quantities are in inverse proportion. For the pairs x = 4, y = 15 and x = 6, y = 10, which statement is correct?
- 10.A sector of a circle has an angle of 90° at the centre. Write down what fraction of the whole circle this sector represents.
- 11.A bag contains 3 yellow counters and 2 green counters. Sophie takes one counter at random and does not put it back. She then takes a second counter at random. Work out the probability that the first counter is yellow and the second is green.
- 12.Work out (3 × 5)²
- 13.Make a the subject of the formula b = 20 − a.
- 14.Write the ratio 18:22 in its simplest form.
- 15.In triangle ABC and triangle DEF, the angle at A equals the angle at D, and AB ÷ DE = AC ÷ DF. Write down what this proves about the two triangles.
- 16.Tickets for a fairground ride are sold in packs of 6. Tokens for the dodgems are sold in packs of 10. Yusuf wants to buy the smallest number of packs of each so that he ends up with the same number of ride tickets as dodgem tokens. Work out how many ride tickets that is.
- 17.The diagram shows a straight line passing through the origin, drawn on a numbered grid. Which of these points lies on the line?
- 18.Triangle ABC has a right angle at C. AC = 3 cm and BC = 4 cm. Triangle ABC is mathematically similar to triangle PQR, with angle B corresponding to angle Q. Work out the value of tan(angle Q).
- 19.Work out how many factors 100 has.
- 20.A scale drawing states '1 cm represents 25 m'. Which of these is the correct way to write this scale in the form 1 : n?
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.