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)
MathsUKwww.geekhero.co.uk
- 1.Write down the symbol that makes this statement true: −2/3 ___ −5/6
- 2.A table of values is being drawn for the graph of y = x³. Work out the value of y when x = −2.y = x
- 3.In a school choir the ratio of boys to girls is 3:4. When 6 more boys join the choir, the ratio of boys to girls becomes 1:1. Work out how many girls are in the choir.
- 4.A hiker walks on a bearing of 065°. She then turns clockwise through 90° and continues walking in a straight line. What bearing is she now walking on?
- 5.120 people took a driving theory test. A frequency tree records the results. The first pair of branches splits the 120 people into 70 men and 50 women. On the men's branch, 45 passed and the rest failed. On the women's branch, 38 passed and the rest failed. Work out how many of the 120 people failed the test.
- 6.A netball team scored 50, 83 and 68 points in three matches. Work out the mean number of points scored.
- 7.Work out (3 × 5)²
- 8.The first four terms of a sequence are 5, 8, 11, 14. Work out an expression, in terms of n, for the nth term.
- 9.Two mathematically similar jugs have heights 8 cm and 12 cm. The smaller jug holds 200 ml when it is full. Work out how much the larger jug holds when it is full.
- 10.Write down the exact value of tan 60°.
- 11.A pupil must choose 2 different subjects at random from these five: maths, physics, biology, chemistry and history. Work out the probability that the two subjects chosen are maths and biology.
- 12.3/5 of the students in a year group walk to school. 90 students walk to school. Work out the total number of students in the year group.
- 13.A rectangular field has length (3a + 2) metres and width (a − 1) metres. Write a simplified expression for the perimeter of the field.
- 14.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.
- 15.Freya is designing a triangular flower bed. Two of its corners have equal angles, and the angle at the third corner is 40°. Work out the size of one of the two equal corner angles.
- 16.Write these numbers in order, starting with the smallest: −1.4, 5/4, −6/5, 1.3, 0
- 17.A point has coordinates (x, y). In which two quadrants is the product x × y positive?
- 18.A mortar mix is made from sand and cement in the ratio 5 : 3. Write the ratio of sand to the total mix in its simplest form.
- 19.Work out (5 + 2) × 3²
- 20.A delivery driver travels 45 km in the first 30 minutes of a journey, and then a further 75 km in the next 1 hour. Work out her average speed for the whole journey, in 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.