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 garden path is measured by Jon as 12 m, correct to the nearest metre, and by Mia as 12.6 m, correct to the nearest 0.1 m. Which statement about the two measurements is correct?
- 2.A phone company works out a monthly bill, £B, using the formula B = 18 + 0.05t, where £18 is the fixed monthly charge and t is the number of extra text messages sent beyond the free allowance, each charged at 5p. Farida's bill for one month is £24.50. Work out the number of extra text messages, t, she sent.
- 3.A scale drawing of a playground is drawn to a scale of 1 : 300. A slide measures 4 cm on the drawing. Work out the real length of the slide, in centimetres.
- 4.Two angles lie on a straight line. One angle is 118°. Which reason correctly explains why the other angle is 62°?
- 5.Two games are offered at a school fair, and every one of the 40 pupils in a class plays each game once. In Game A, the probability of winning a prize is 0.2 and the prize is worth £5. In Game B, the probability of winning a prize is 0.1 and the prize is worth £12. Work out which game gives a higher expected total value of prizes for the class, and by how much.
- 6.The mean of the numbers x, 20 and 30 is equal to the mean of the numbers 15 and 25. Work out the value of x.
- 7.Work out √144
- 8.Factorise fully 12x² + 18x.
- 9.A metal alloy is made from copper and tin in the ratio 7:3. Work out the mass of tin in 250 g of the alloy.
- 10.A running track has a straight section and a semicircular bend. The bend is a semicircle with radius 32 m. Work out the length of the curved part of the bend, to 1 decimal place. (Use π = 3.14.)
- 11.A box contains 1 white bead, 4 purple beads and 4 red beads. One bead is taken at random from the box. Work out the probability that the bead is white or purple.
- 12.Work out an estimate for 6.4 × 3.9, by rounding each number to the nearest whole number.
- 13.Simplify x + x + 4
- 14.A jug holds 2 litres. Given that 1 litre = 1000 cm³, work out the capacity of the jug in cm³.
- 15.A written description of a diagram states: 'AB is marked with a single arrow, CD is marked with a single arrow, and EF is marked with a double arrow.' Using the standard convention for marking parallel lines, what can be concluded?
- 16.Work out the value of √(16 + 9)
- 17.Meera writes the statement 3(x + 4) = 3x + 12. Which of these correctly describes what she has written, with a reason?
- 18.A recipe for 8 muffins needs 200 g of sugar. Sam wants to make 20 muffins for a bake sale, and he already has 350 g of sugar. Work out how many more grams of sugar he needs to buy.
- 19.A necklace is made from red beads and gold beads in the ratio 7 : 3. What fraction of the beads are gold?
- 20.It takes 2 identical pumps 10 hours to empty a flooded basement. Working at the same rate, work out how many hours 5 of these pumps would take to empty the same basement.
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.