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.A tin of beans has a mass of 650 g. A bag of rice has a mass of 1.35 kg. Work out the total mass, in kilograms.
- 2.The triangular numbers begin 1, 3, 6, 10, 15, ... Work out the next term in the sequence.
- 3.In a class, 50% of the students study French, 30% study Spanish and the rest study German. Write down the ratio of French : Spanish : German students, in its simplest form.
- 4.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?
- 5.A fair six-sided dice is rolled 90 times. Work out how many more times you would expect it to land on a number less than 4 than on a 6.
- 6.A line graph shows the temperature in a greenhouse at the end of each of six hours. The six readings were 10 °C, 14 °C, 18 °C, 22 °C, 26 °C and 30 °C. Describe the trend shown by the line graph.
- 7.2/3 of an amount of money is £30. Work out the amount.
- 8.Two expressions are 6(x − 1) and 6x − 6. A student says these are equivalent for every value of x. Is the student correct?
- 9.A box contains 12 red counters and 18 blue counters. Write the number of red counters as a fraction of the number of blue counters. Give your answer in its simplest form.
- 10.A cube has all of its edges the same length. How many planes of symmetry does it have?
- 11.A small pack contains 5 cards, numbered 1 to 5. One card is drawn at random from the pack, and a fair coin is flipped. Every outcome is listed as a pair, such as (3, H). Work out how many equally likely outcomes there are in total.
- 12.Which of these decimals lies between 1/4 and 2/5?
- 13.Rosie is asked whether 4(x + 3) = 4x + 12 is an equation or an identity. Which statement is correct? Give a reason for your answer.
- 14.y is directly proportional to x, so y = kx. When x = 2, the value of y is 10. Work out the value of k.
- 15.Two sides of a triangle are 9 cm and 15 cm long. Write down which one of these lengths is possible for the third side.
- 16.A crowd of 8,400 people is recorded correct to the nearest 100. Work out the smallest possible number of people in the crowd.
- 17.Factorise fully 56x − 24
- 18.A metal has a density of 7.8 g/cm³. Work out the density of the metal in kg/m³.
- 19.Work out (−6) + (−4) × 3
- 20.y is inversely proportional to x, and y = 20 ÷ x. Work out the value of y when x = 4.
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.