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.Two lighthouses flash at the start of the same minute. The first lighthouse flashes every 8 minutes and the second flashes every 12 minutes. Work out how many minutes it will be until they next flash together.
- 2.Write down the coordinates of the point that is 4 units to the left of the origin and 7 units up.
- 3.1 litre = 100 centilitres. Work out how many centilitres there are in 6 litres.
- 4.In quadrilateral ABCD, side AB is parallel to side DC. Which statement correctly uses geometric notation to show this?
- 5.A fair coin is flipped and a fair three-sided spinner, labelled X, Y and Z, is spun. Every outcome is listed as a pair, such as (H, X). Work out the probability that the outcome is a head and Z.
- 6.A netball team scored 50, 83 and 68 points in three matches. Work out the mean number of points scored.
- 7.Round 24,681 to the nearest 1,000.
- 8.Work out the coordinates of the midpoint of the line segment joining (−3, 5) and (7, 9).
- 9.Priya invests £750 in a savings account that pays simple interest. After 3 years, the account contains £840. Work out the annual rate of simple interest.
- 10.A furniture catalogue drawing uses a scale of 1 cm to 1.5 m. A sofa in the drawing is measured as 7 cm long. What is the real length of the sofa, in metres?
- 11.At a school fête, a stall invites visitors to spin a fair spinner with 8 equal sections numbered 1 to 8, and separately toss a fair coin. A visitor wins a small prize only if the spinner lands on a multiple of 3 and the coin lands on heads. Work out the probability that a visitor wins a prize, giving your answer as a fraction in its simplest form.
- 12.An allotment plot is divided into vegetables and flowers in the ratio 9 : 4. A third of the vegetable section is used for potatoes. What fraction of the whole plot is potatoes?
- 13.A regular hexagon has sides of length (x + 2) cm. Write down an expression, in terms of x, for the perimeter of the hexagon.
- 14.For the pairs x = 6, y = 15 and x = 10, y = 25, which statement is correct?
- 15.In an isosceles triangle each of the two base angles is 46°. Work out the size of the angle at the apex.
- 16.Work out 3³ + 2⁴.
- 17.To solve 6x − 4 = 2x + 20, Yusuf's first step is to subtract 2x from both sides. Work out what equation this gives.
- 18.A post 2 metres tall casts a shadow 3 metres long. At the same time a nearby tree casts a shadow 12 metres long. Work out the height of the tree.
- 19.A coach journey has a 55 minute first leg, a 20 minute break and a 40 minute second leg. The coach leaves at 13:25. Work out the arrival time, using the 24-hour clock.
- 20.The time taken for a train journey is inversely proportional to the average speed of the train. At an average speed of 60 km/h the journey takes 2 hours. Work out the time taken at an average speed of 40 km/h.
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.