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.Work out (−36) ÷ (−6) × 2
- 2.A distance-time graph shows a car travelling at a constant speed, covering 90 km in 2 hours. Work out the car's speed in km/h.
- 3.A graph shows two quantities, x and y, in direct proportion. Write down which statement about the graph must be true.
- 4.The bearing of a campsite B from a walker's position A is 070°. What is the bearing of A from B?
- 5.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.
- 6.A council in Leeds wants to know what local people think about letting shops stay open later in the evening. It rings landline telephone numbers between 10 am and 2 pm on a Tuesday. Write down which group is most likely to be under-represented in the sample, and give a reason for your answer.
- 7.Which of these numbers lies between −4 and −1 on a number line?
- 8.A number machine multiplies its input by 3. The output is 15. Work out the input.
- 9.Write 1/5 as a percentage.
- 10.A circle has circumference 31.4 cm. Using π = 3.14, work out the radius of the circle.
- 11.A box contains cards labelled 1, 2 and 3. A card is drawn at random and its number noted, then it is put back. A second card is then drawn at random. Every outcome is listed as an ordered pair, such as (1, 2). Work out how many of the outcomes in the full list have both numbers the same.
- 12.A measuring jug shows a volume of 340 ml, correct to the nearest 20 ml. Work out the smallest possible volume in the jug.
- 13.The point P has coordinates (0, 12). Write down the axis that P lies on and the y-coordinate of P.
- 14.Two taxi firms show their charges on straight-line graphs, with the cost in pounds on the vertical axis and the distance in miles on the horizontal axis. Firm A's line passes through (0, 4) and (5, 14). Firm B's line passes through (0, 6) and (5, 21). Work out which firm charges more per mile.
- 15.Write down how many right angles a right-angled triangle has.
- 16.Work out 2/3 × 3/4 exactly, giving your answer in its simplest form.
- 17.A gardener charges a fixed fee of £15 plus £8 for each hour worked. The total charge, £T, for a job lasting h hours is given by T = 15 + 8h. Work out the charge for a job lasting 4 hours, and identify what kind of statement T = 15 + 8h is.
- 18.A map has a scale of 1 : 100. A path measures 5 cm on the map. Work out the real length of the path, in metres.
- 19.Work out 35% of 180.
- 20.£3000 is invested in a savings account that pays 4% compound interest each year. Work out the value of the investment after 2 years.
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.