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.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?
(a)3/13
(b)4/39
(c)1/3
(d)9/13
2.Two expressions are 4(x + 3) and 4x + 3. A student checks whether they are equivalent by substituting x = 2. Which statement correctly interprets the result?
(a)4(x + 3) = 20 and 4x + 3 = 11 when x = 2, so the two expressions are not equivalent, because the bracket means the 3 must be added before multiplying by 4.
(b)4(x + 3) = 11 and 4x + 3 = 11 when x = 2, since the bracket has no effect on the multiplication, so the two expressions are equivalent.
(c)4(x + 3) = 20 and 4x + 3 = 11 when x = 2, but the two expressions are equivalent because both involve the same terms, 4x and 3.
(d)4(x + 3) = 20 and 4x + 3 = 11 when x = 2, so the two expressions are not equivalent, but they would become equal for some larger value of x.
3.Two scale plans of the same football pitch are drawn: Plan A has a scale of 1 : 1000 and Plan B has a scale of 1 : 200. A pitch length is 8 cm on Plan A. Work out the length of the same pitch on Plan B, in centimetres.
(a)4 cm
(b)1.6 cm
(c)40 cm
(d)8 cm
4.Point A is at (2, 3). It is translated by the vector (4, −1) to give point A′. Work out the coordinates of A′.
(a)(1, 7)
(b)(6, 4)
(c)(6, 2)
(d)(−2, 4)
5.A spinner is divided into sectors of 180°, 120° and 60°, coloured red, blue and green in that order. The spinner is spun 60 times. Work out how many times you would expect it to land on green.
(a)36
(b)10
(c)20
(d)30
6.There are 10,000 pupils in a city. A researcher picks a sample of 500 of them by drawing names at random from a list of every pupil in the city. Give the reason why this method gives a representative sample.
(a)Because the pupils most willing to help are chosen
(b)Because the sample must be exactly 5% of the population
(c)Because every pupil has an equal chance of being picked
(d)Because 500 is large enough however they are chosen
7.A red blood cell has a diameter of about 7 × 10⁻⁶ metres. A virus has a diameter about 100 times smaller. Work out the diameter of the virus. Give your answer in standard form.
(a)7 × 10⁻⁴
(b)7 × 10⁻⁶
(c)7 × 10⁻⁸
(d)7 × 10⁻⁵
8.A rectangle is x cm wide and twice as long as it is wide, so its area A cm² is given by A = 2x². Work out A when x = 3.
(a)18 cm²
(b)6 cm²
(c)12 cm²
(d)36 cm²
9.After a 20% discount, a jacket costs £48. Work out the original price of the jacket.
(a)£40
(b)£60
(c)£57.60
(d)£38.40
10.A is the point (1, 3) and B is the point (7, 3). Work out the coordinates of the midpoint of AB.
(a)(3, 3)
(b)(4, 0)
(c)(4, 3)
(d)(3.5, 3)
11.A spinner lands on one of four colours: amber, black, cyan or damson. The probability it lands on amber is 0.18, on black is 0.22 and on cyan is 0.24. Work out the probability that it lands on amber or damson.
(a)0.54
(b)0.36
(c)0.82
(d)0.64
12.Two fair six-sided dice are rolled together. One die is red and the other is blue. Work out how many different outcomes are possible.
(a)6
(b)12
(c)36
(d)21
13.A number machine multiplies its input by 2 and then subtracts 5. Work out the output when the input is 6.
(a)7
(b)17
(c)12
(d)2
14.A force of 126 N acts on an area of 3.5 m². Work out the pressure on the area, in N/m².
(a)36
(b)0.03
(c)129.5
(d)441
15.Work out the y-coordinate of the midpoint of the line segment joining (2, 4) and (8, 10).
(a)3
(b)7
(c)14
(d)5
16.A concrete mix is made from cement and sand in the ratio 3 : 5 by mass. A builder mixes 96 kg of concrete. Work out the mass of cement in the mix.
(a)36 kg
(b)60 kg
(c)12 kg
(d)57.6 kg
17.Solve the simultaneous equations 2x + y = 7 and x + 2y = 8.
(a)x = 2, y = 5
(b)x = 3, y = 2
(c)x = 2, y = 3
(d)x = −2, y = 11
18.To make a shade of green paint, the amount of yellow paint used is always 0.75 times the amount of blue paint used. Write the amount of blue paint as a fraction of the amount of yellow paint, in its simplest form.
(a)40/3
(b)1/4
(c)3/4
(d)4/3
19.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.
(a)3/5
(b)3/10
(c)1/10
(d)1/5
20.Maya buys a vintage car for £15000. Its value is expected to increase by 4% each year for 2 years. She then plans to sell the car and use £2000 of the money from the sale to buy a trailer. Work out how much money she will have left after selling the car and buying the trailer.
(a)£14224
(b)£13600
(c)£14200
(d)£18224

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.