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.The population of a planet is 8 × 10⁹. Write this population as an ordinary number.
- 2.Solve 5x − 9 = 16
- 3.A plumber charges a call-out fee plus an hourly rate. The total charge, C pounds, for a job lasting h hours is shown on a straight-line graph. The line passes through the points (2, 70) and (5, 130). Work out the call-out fee, in pounds.
- 4.A square tile has sides of length 6 cm. Work out the area of the tile.
- 5.Jack rolls two ordinary fair dice and adds the two scores together. Work out the probability that the total is 6.
- 6.A sports centre in Newcastle asks 60 members which activity they prefer: swimming 15 members, football 25 members, badminton 12 members and other activities 8 members. Work out the angle at the centre of the pie chart sector that represents badminton.
- 7.Two bags of mixed nuts are combined. Bag A has peanuts and cashews in the ratio 2 : 3. Bag B has peanuts and cashews in the ratio 1 : 4. Both bags contain the same total number of nuts. Work out the fraction of the combined mixture that is peanuts.
- 8.To solve 6x − 4 = 2x + 20, Yusuf's first step is to subtract 2x from both sides. Work out what equation this gives.
- 9.A ratio is 3 : 5. Write the first part of the ratio as a fraction of the whole.
- 10.A regular polygon has 12 sides. Work out the size of one exterior angle of the polygon.
- 11.Two goalkeepers face penalty kicks. Elin saves 34% of the penalties she faces. Noah saves 11/32 of the penalties he faces. Which statement correctly compares them?
- 12.A grain of fine sand has a mass of 0.001 grams. Write this mass in standard form.
- 13.Make x the subject of the formula y = 3(x + 2).
- 14.A scale model of a shipping container is built at a scale of 1 : 30, using material with the same density as the real container. The model has a mass of 400 g. Work out the mass of the real container, giving your answer in kilograms.
- 15.Angle ABC is 130°. The line BF divides angle ABC into two equal parts. Work out the size of angle FBC.
- 16.Postage on a parcel is calculated as £4.60, correct to the nearest 20p. Which of these could not be the actual cost of the postage?
- 17.A cycle route is 84 km long. Freya sets off along it at a steady 14 km/h. Write down the function for the distance y, in kilometres, that is still to be cycled after x hours.
- 18.A factory machine produces bottles at a constant rate. In 45 minutes it produces 810 bottles. The factory needs 2,160 bottles for an order. Working at the same rate, work out how many minutes it will take to produce the order.
- 19.Work out (−3) × 4 + 2 × (−5)
- 20.A tank is filled at a rate of 3 litres every 2 minutes. Given that 1 litre = 1000 cm³, work out the flow rate in cm³ per minute.
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.