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.Work out 36 ÷ (2 × 3)
(a)216
(b)54
(c)6
(d)18
2.Work out the coordinates of the point halfway between (−9, −2) and (−1, −2).
(a)(−10, −2)
(b)(−5, −2)
(c)(−4, −2)
(d)(5, −2)
3.y is directly proportional to x, so y = kx. When x = 2, the value of y is 10. Work out the value of k.
(a)20
(b)12
(c)8
(d)5
4.Sam says: '3.2 litres is the same as 320 ml, because you multiply by 100.' Which statement about Sam's claim is correct?
(a)Wrong: 1 litre = 100 ml, so his number is off.
(b)Wrong: 1 litre = 1000 ml, so 3.2 l = 3200 ml.
(c)Wrong, but only because 3.2 should round to 3.
(d)Correct: ×100 converts litres to millilitres.
5.In a survey of 45 students, 22 said they like reading, 18 said they like gaming, and 6 said they like both. Work out how many students like exactly one of reading or gaming.
(a)6
(b)40
(c)28
(d)34
6.Isla wants to find out the favourite television programme of the pupils at her school. She asks only her own close group of friends. Write down what is wrong with her sample.
(a)It is fine, as everyone she asked goes to her school
(b)It is too small, though it was picked at random
(c)It is not representative, as she picked her own friends
(d)It is too large, so she gets more replies than she needs
7.Work out (−3) × 4 + 10
(a)−42
(b)−2
(c)−22
(d)22
8.A photo printing service has two adverts for its price. Advert A: cost in pounds = 3(2n + 4) for n photos. Advert B: cost in pounds = 6n + 12. A customer says the two adverts always charge the same amount. Is the customer correct?
(a)They always charge the same, since 3(2n + 4) = 6n + 12.
(b)It depends on the value of n, so it cannot be decided.
(c)Advert A is cheaper, since 3(2n + 4) = 6n + 4.
(d)Advert A is cheaper, since 3(2n + 4) = 2n + 7.
9.Cheng is paid an hourly rate that is proportional to the number of hours she works. She earns £52.50 for 7 hours. Work out how much she earns for 11 hours, assuming the same rate.
(a)£99
(b)£56.50
(c)£30
(d)£82.50
10.A right-angled triangle has angles of 90°, 40° and x°. Work out the value of x.
(a)45
(b)130
(c)90
(d)50
11.At a gym, 70 members are asked whether they use the pool or the sauna. 38 use the pool, 30 use the sauna, and 12 use neither. Work out n(P ∩ S), the number of members who use both the pool and the sauna.
(a)12
(b)10
(c)28
(d)68
12.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
13.A caterer uses the formula C = 6p + 20 to work out the total cost, £C, of a buffet for p people, where £20 covers fixed costs. A customer is charged £92. Work out how many people, p, the buffet was for.
(a)18.67
(b)12
(c)15.33
(d)4.3
14.Two mathematically similar tins have heights 8 cm and 12 cm. Jayden says that the volume of the larger tin is 1.5 times the volume of the smaller tin. Give a reason why Jayden is incorrect, and work out the correct volume scale factor.
(a)3.375
(b)2.25
(c)4.5
(d)1.5
15.A square-based pyramid has a square base and four identical triangular sloping faces, with its apex directly above the centre of the base. How many planes of symmetry does it have?
(a)1
(b)8
(c)2
(d)4
16.Round 0.006482 to 2 significant figures.
(a)0.01
(b)0.00648
(c)0.0065
(d)0.006
17.Solve x² + 7x = 0.
(a)x = 0 or x = 7
(b)x = 0 or x = −14
(c)x = 0 or x = −7
(d)x = −7
18.A water butt is being filled from a hosepipe at a constant rate while a small leak drains water out at a constant rate, giving a constant net rate of change. The volume of water in the butt, V litres, is shown on a straight-line graph against time, t minutes. The line passes through the points (5, 20) and (15, 60). The butt is empty at t = 0. Work out how many minutes it takes to reach a volume of 100 litres.
(a)400
(b)20
(c)10
(d)25
19.Work out the value of ∛125.
(a)5
(b)375
(c)15625
(d)62.5
20.Two mathematically similar rectangles have widths 5 cm and 10 cm. The perimeter of the smaller rectangle is 18 cm. Work out the perimeter of the larger rectangle.
(a)72 cm
(b)9 cm
(c)36 cm
(d)23 cm

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.