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.A country's population is 8,340,000, and it is estimated that 1,950,000 of them live in the capital city. By rounding each number to 1 significant figure, work out an estimate for the number of people who do not live in the capital city.
(a)6,300,000
(b)8,000,000
(c)6,390,000
(d)6,000,000
2.Solve x − 4 = −9
(a)x = 13
(b)x = −13
(c)x = −5
(d)x = 5
3.Two numbers are in the ratio 2 : 3. The smaller number is 8. Work out the larger number.
(a)24
(b)12
(c)16
(d)9
4.A scale drawing of a bridge uses a scale of 1 : 25. A support beam on the drawing measures 4.4 cm. What is the real length of the beam, in metres?
(a)4.4
(b)110
(c)11
(d)1.1
5.The probability that a plant grown from a seed packet germinates is 7/10. Work out the probability that it does not germinate.
(a)3/10
(b)10/3
(c)7/10
(d)3/7
6.A company makes 50,000 light bulbs a day and wants to check how long they last before they fail. Testing a bulb to find out how long it lasts destroys it. Give a reason why the company should test a sample of bulbs rather than every bulb it makes.
(a)A sample is always more accurate than a census.
(b)It is against the law to test every bulb made.
(c)Testing every bulb uses too much electricity.
(d)Testing destroys bulbs, so testing all leaves none to sell.
7.In a car park the ratio of vans to cars is 2 : 7. Work out the number of vans as a fraction of the number of cars.
(a)7/9
(b)2/7
(c)7/2
(d)2/9
8.A triangle has vertices at (1, 1), (1, 5) and (6, 1). Work out the area of the triangle.
(a)20
(b)15
(c)5
(d)10
9.Paint costs £14.40 for every 20 m² of wall it covers. Assuming the same rate, work out the cost of the paint needed to cover 56 m² of wall.
(a)£40.32
(b)£5.14
(c)£50.40
(d)£0.72
10.How many vertices does a square-based pyramid have?
(a)8
(b)6
(c)4
(d)5
11.A fair spinner has 8 equal sections: 5 are red and 3 are blue. Freya spins it twice, and each spin is independent of the other. Work out the probability that she gets one red and one blue in the two spins, in either order.
(a)39/64
(b)15/32
(c)15/28
(d)15/64
12.A semicircle has a diameter of 8 cm. Work out the exact area of the semicircle, in terms of π.
(a)4π cm²
(b)8π cm²
(c)16π cm²
(d)32π cm²
13.A quadratic graph y = ax² + bx + c has its turning point on the y-axis. Which statement about its roots must be true?
(a)The two roots must both be positive.
(b)The graph has no roots at all.
(c)The graph must touch the x-axis at exactly one point.
(d)If the graph has two real roots, they are equal and opposite in value, so they sum to zero.
14.A bag contains red counters and blue counters in the ratio 5:3. There are 56 counters in the bag altogether. Work out how many counters are blue.
(a)35
(b)7
(c)28
(d)21
15.P is the point (3, 4) and Q is the point (6, 0). Work out the distance of each point from the origin, and write down which point is closer to the origin.
(a)Q, since OQ = 5 and OP = 6
(b)P, since OP = 5 and OQ = 6
(c)P, since OP = 6 and OQ = 5
(d)They are equally distant from the origin
16.Work out (2 × 10³) × (3 × 10⁴). Give your answer in standard form.
(a)6 × 10¹
(b)6 × 10¹²
(c)5 × 10⁷
(d)6 × 10⁷
17.The graph of y = x² + 2x − 15 crosses the x-axis at two points. By factorising, work out the x-coordinates of these two points.
y = x² + 2x − 15
(a)x = −3 and x = 5
(b)x = 5 and x = 3
(c)x = 3 and x = −5
(d)x = −15 and x = 1
18.Two mathematically similar cubes have edge lengths 2 cm and 6 cm. Write the ratio of the volume of the smaller cube to the volume of the larger cube in its simplest form.
(a)27 : 1
(b)1 : 9
(c)1 : 27
(d)1 : 3
19.A necklace is made from red beads and gold beads in the ratio 7 : 3. What fraction of the beads are gold?
(a)3/7
(b)7/3
(c)7/10
(d)3/10
20.Freya buys three items whose prices are in the ratio 2:3:5. Altogether she pays £400. Work out the price of the most expensive item.
(a)£120
(b)£80
(c)£40
(d)£200

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.