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 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
2.Which of these is an equation, rather than an expression, a formula or an identity?
(a)3x + 5
(b)A = πr²
(c)3x + 5 = 17
(d)3(x + 5) ≡ 3x + 15
3.A conversion graph between kilometres and miles passes through the origin and the point (50, 31), with the number of kilometres on the horizontal axis and the number of miles on the vertical axis. Work out the number of miles equivalent to 1 kilometre.
(a)0.62 miles
(b)1.24 miles
(c)1.61 miles
(d)31.00 miles
4.A wooden cube has edges of length 4 cm. Work out the total surface area of the cube.
(a)96 cm²
(b)24 cm²
(c)16 cm²
(d)64 cm³
5.An archer hits the bullseye with probability 0.24 on any one shot. She wants to know how many shots she must take to expect to hit the bullseye 12 times. Work out how many shots this is.
(a)50
(b)16
(c)3
(d)48
6.A two-way table records the favourite subject, Maths or Art, of 60 pupils in Year 10, and whether each pupil is left-handed or right-handed. 9 of the 60 pupils are left-handed, and 6 of those left-handed pupils prefer Art. In total, 24 of the 60 pupils prefer Art. A pupil is chosen at random from the 60. Work out the probability that the pupil is right-handed and prefers Art.
(a)3/10
(b)1/10
(c)2/5
(d)17/20
7.Which statement about the number 91 is correct?
(a)91 is not prime, because 91 = 7 × 13.
(b)91 is prime, because it is not divisible by 2, 3 or 5.
(c)91 is not prime, because it is divisible by 3.
(d)91 is prime, because it is an odd number ending in 1.
8.A market stall's cost of hiring n tables is modelled by two formulas: Formula A: C = 3(2n + 5); Formula B: C = 6n + 15, where C is in pounds. A stallholder says the two formulas always give the same cost. Work out the cost given by each formula when n = 4, and use your results to decide whether the stallholder is correct.
(a)Formula A gives £39 and Formula B gives £39, but the stallholder is wrong because the two formulas use a different number of terms.
(b)Formula A gives £29 and Formula B gives £39, so the stallholder is wrong.
(c)Formula A gives £39 and Formula B gives £39, but this is only true when n = 4, so the stallholder is wrong.
(d)Formula A gives £39 and Formula B gives £39, and since 3(2n + 5) expands to 6n + 15 for every value of n, the stallholder is correct.
9.A parcel has a mass of 2400 g. Given that 1 kg = 1000 g, work out the mass of the parcel in kilograms.
(a)2.4 kg
(b)24 kg
(c)240 kg
(d)0.24 kg
10.Two points on a circle divide its circumference into two arcs of different lengths. Write down the name given to the shorter of the two arcs.
(a)Major arc
(b)Minor segment
(c)Chord
(d)Minor arc
11.A bag contains 3 red beads and 7 blue beads. A bead is taken out at random and not put back. A second bead is then taken out at random. Work out the probability that the first bead is red and the second bead is also red.
(a)3/50
(b)5/19
(c)9/100
(d)1/15
12.Work out the lowest common multiple of 4 and 6.
(a)12
(b)2
(c)6
(d)24
13.A number machine multiplies its input by 5. Work out the output when the input is −1.
(a)−5
(b)5
(c)4
(d)−6
14.An adult cinema ticket costs £15 and a child ticket costs £9. Write the ratio of the adult price to the child price in its simplest form.
(a)5:3
(b)2:3
(c)3:5
(d)5:8
15.In triangle ABC the base BC is 10 cm long and the sloping side AB is 13 cm long. The perpendicular height from A down to BC is 12 cm. Work out the area of triangle ABC.
(a)65 cm²
(b)60 cm²
(c)120 cm²
(d)78 cm²
16.A jug holds 1.25 litres of water. Ella pours in another 400 ml. Work out the total volume, in litres.
(a)5.25 litres
(b)401.25 litres
(c)0.85 litres
(d)1.65 litres
17.Which expression means 'add 3 to n, then multiply the result by 4'?
(a)4n + 3
(b)3(n + 4)
(c)4(n + 3)
(d)n + 3 × 4
18.The amount of fuel left in a car's tank, F litres, is plotted against the distance travelled, d miles, and the points lie on a straight line. The line passes through (0, 45) and (150, 15). Work out the gradient of the line and say what it tells you.
(a)−5, the car uses 5 litres of fuel for each mile
(b)−30, the car uses 30 litres of fuel for each mile
(c)−0.2, the car uses 0.2 litres of fuel for each mile
(d)0.2, the car gains 0.2 litres of fuel for each mile
19.Work out (−2)² − 3
(a)−7
(b)1
(c)25
(d)−1
20.Two mathematically similar rectangles have widths 5 cm and 10 cm. The perimeter of the smaller rectangle is 18 cm. Work out the perimeter of the larger rectangle.
(a)72 cm
(b)9 cm
(c)36 cm
(d)23 cm

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.