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.Freya types 4² + 3² into her calculator and writes down 49. Work out the correct value of 4² + 3².
- 2.A straight line passes through the points (2, 7) and (5, 16). Work out the value of y when x = 0.
- 3.y is directly proportional to x. When x = 2, y = 9. Which of these pairs of values is also consistent with this proportion?
- 4.A regular polygon has an exterior angle of 45°. Work out the number of sides of the polygon.
- 5.The probability that Leo wakes up before his alarm is 0.35. The probability that his younger sister wakes up before her alarm, independently of Leo, is 0.28. Work out the probability that neither of them wakes up before their alarm.
- 6.A dual bar chart shows the number of hours of rain recorded in Leeds and in Bristol on each of four days. Leeds: Monday 3 hours, Tuesday 5 hours, Wednesday 2 hours, Thursday 4 hours. Bristol: Monday 4 hours, Tuesday 4 hours, Wednesday 6 hours, Thursday 2 hours. Work out the greatest amount, in hours, by which Bristol's rainfall exceeded Leeds's rainfall on a single day.
- 7.A country has an area of 25,000,000 hectares. Write this area in standard form.
- 8.A point has coordinates (x, y), where x + y = 0 and x is not 0. In which two quadrants could this point lie?
- 9.A map has a scale of 1 : 1000. A road is 300 m long in real life. Work out the length of the road on the map, in centimetres.
- 10.A sector of a circle has an angle of 90° and an area of 78.5 cm². Using π = 3.14, work out the radius of the circle.
- 11.A six-sided dice is rolled 12 times. It lands on a six 4 times. Erin says that the dice must be biased. Which of these is the best comment on Erin's statement?
- 12.Work out an estimate for 79.3 − 24.6, by rounding each number to the nearest whole number.
- 13.Solve 2x² − 32 = 0.
- 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.A trapezium has parallel sides of 16 cm and 24 cm, and a perpendicular height of 7 cm. Work out the area of the trapezium.
- 16.A laptop costs £720. A carrying case for it costs 1/9 of the price of the laptop. Work out the cost of the carrying case.
- 17.Here are the first five terms of an arithmetic sequence: 2, 5, 8, 11, 14. Work out the 8th term.
- 18.A car travels 180 miles in 3 hours. A lorry travels 160 miles in 4 hours. Write the car's average speed as a fraction of the lorry's average speed, giving your answer in its simplest form.
- 19.A restaurant offers a lunch deal of one starter from 5 options, one main from 6 options and one dessert from 3 options. Work out how many different lunch deals are possible.
- 20.Sam has £24. Tom has £16. Write the amount of money Sam has as a fraction of the amount of money Tom has, giving your answer in its simplest form.
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.