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.Write the mixed number 2 1/4 as an improper fraction.
(a)7/4
(b)9/4
(c)3/4
(d)5/4
2.Work out the value of n² − n when n = −3
(a)6
(b)−3
(c)−6
(d)12
3.1 litre = 100 centilitres. Work out how many centilitres there are in 6 litres.
(a)6000 centilitres
(b)60 centilitres
(c)600 centilitres
(d)106 centilitres
4.Triangle ABC has AB = (2x + 3) cm, BC = 11 cm and angle B = 90°. Triangle DEF has DE = 13 cm, EF = 11 cm and angle E = 90°. Given that the two triangles are congruent by SAS, work out the value of x.
(a)4
(b)10
(c)8
(d)5
5.At a school fête, a stall invites visitors to spin a fair spinner with 8 equal sections numbered 1 to 8, and separately toss a fair coin. A visitor wins a small prize only if the spinner lands on a multiple of 3 and the coin lands on heads. Work out the probability that a visitor wins a prize, giving your answer as a fraction in its simplest form.
(a)1/2
(b)1/16
(c)1/4
(d)1/8
6.Two classes sat the same maths test, both marked out of 100. Class A had a mean mark of 70 and a range of 30 marks. Class B had a mean mark of 70 and a range of 10 marks. Compare the marks of the two classes.
(a)The means are equal, and Class B's marks are the more consistent because its range is smaller.
(b)Class A's mean mark is higher, and Class A's marks are also the more consistent.
(c)The means are equal, and Class A's marks are the more consistent because its range is larger.
(d)Class B's mean mark is higher, and its smaller range makes its marks the more consistent.
7.Work out (4 × 10⁻³) × (2 × 10⁵). Give your answer in standard form.
(a)8 × 10²
(b)8 × 10⁸
(c)6 × 10²
(d)8 × 10⁻¹⁵
8.The first five terms of a sequence are 6, 10, 14, 18, 22. Work out an expression, in terms of n, for the nth term.
(a)6n + 4
(b)4n + 6
(c)4n − 2
(d)4n + 2
9.A cartographer is choosing a scale for a map to show a small park in as much detail as possible. Which of these scales would show the MOST detail — 1 : 500, 1 : 5000, or 1 : 50 000? Give the correct scale and reason.
(a)1 : 50 000 — covers the largest real area, most detail
(b)1 : 500 — smallest real distance per cm (5 m), most detail
(c)1 : 5000 — the middle value, most balanced
(d)1 : 500 — smallest ratio, covers largest real distance
10.Two straight lines PQ and RS cross at point O. Angle POR = 52°. Work out angle QOS.
(a)104°
(b)38°
(c)52°
(d)128°
11.On a Saturday, 2,000 customers go through the tills at a supermarket. The probability that a customer buys a reusable bag is 0.08. Work out how many customers you would expect to buy a reusable bag.
(a)160
(b)1,840
(c)200
(d)16
12.A quiz has 50 questions. Freya answers 10% of them incorrectly. Work out how many questions she answers incorrectly.
(a)5
(b)10
(c)500
(d)45
13.There are 30 students in a Year 10 maths class. There are 2 more boys than girls. Work out the number of boys and the number of girls.
(a)15 boys and 15 girls
(b)17 boys and 13 girls
(c)14 boys and 16 girls
(d)16 boys and 14 girls
14.Noah runs 2 km in 10 minutes. Work out how long he takes to run 5 km at the same speed.
(a)50 minutes
(b)20 minutes
(c)15 minutes
(d)25 minutes
15.A trundle wheel has a diameter of 0.5 m. It is rolled along the ground and makes 20 complete turns. Using π = 3.14, work out the total distance rolled, in metres.
(a)31.4
(b)62.8
(c)3.14
(d)15.7
16.A piece of ribbon is 2.4 metres long. Kim cuts 40 cm from it. Work out the length of ribbon left, in millimetres.
(a)2800 mm
(b)200 mm
(c)2000 mm
(d)2360 mm
17.A straight line passes through the points (2, 5) and (4, 11). Work out the gradient of the line.
(a)8/3
(b)−3
(c)3
(d)1/3
18.A tray holds 8 muffins and 20 cupcakes. Write the ratio of the number of muffins to the number of cupcakes in its simplest form.
(a)2:7
(b)2:3
(c)2:5
(d)5:2
19.A fruit bowl contains apples, pears and plums in the ratio 3 : 4 : 5. What fraction of the fruit are not plums?
(a)5/12
(b)7/24
(c)7/12
(d)7/5
20.Two mathematically similar circles have radii 4 cm and 20 cm. Write the ratio of the area of the smaller circle to the area of the larger circle in its simplest form.
(a)25 : 1
(b)1 : 5
(c)1 : 25
(d)1 : 10

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.