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 concert hall has 300 seats. 20% of the seats are in the balcony. Work out how many of the seats are in the balcony.
- 2.Solve x² − 100 = 0.
- 3.In a fruit drink, cranberry juice and apple juice are mixed in the ratio 3:7. Write the amount of apple juice as a fraction of the amount of cranberry juice, in its simplest form.
- 4.A sector of a circle has radius 12 cm and angle 45°. Using π = 3.14, work out the area of the sector.
- 5.The probability that a machine completes a task successfully is 0.85. Work out the probability that the machine does not complete the task successfully.
- 6.A pictogram shows the number of cars sold by a garage in Plymouth each month, where each whole car symbol represents 8 cars sold and a half symbol represents 4 cars. March shows 3 whole symbols and one half symbol. Work out how many cars were sold in March.
- 7.Chloe wants to work out 3 1/4 − 1 2/3. She converts both mixed numbers to twelfths, then subtracts the whole numbers and the fraction parts separately, without checking whether she needs to exchange first. Work out the correct value of 3 1/4 − 1 2/3, giving your answer as a mixed number in its simplest form.
- 8.For the equation 2x + 3 = 11, and the inequality 2x + 3 > 11, which statement correctly compares their solutions?
- 9.Write 45 minutes : 2 hours as a ratio in its simplest form.
- 10.A chord is drawn across a circle, dividing the circle into two regions. Write down the name of one of these two regions.
- 11.Oliver flips three fair coins at the same time. Work out the probability that exactly two of the three coins land on heads.
- 12.A number, x, is truncated (not rounded) to 1 decimal place and the result is 6.2. Write down the error interval for x.
- 13.Write down the y-intercept of the line with equation y = 3x + 8.y = 3x + 8
- 14.6 identical taps fill a paddling pool in 20 minutes. Each tap fills at the same steady rate. Work out how long 3 of these taps would take to fill the same pool.
- 15.A line segment joins A(1, 1) and B(4, 7). Write down the sign of the gradient of this line.
- 16.The thickness of a sheet of card is 0.02384 cm. Write this thickness correct to 2 significant figures.
- 17.The solution to an inequality is n ≤ 5. Write down the largest integer value of n that satisfies this inequality.
- 18.A parcel has a mass of 2400 g. Given that 1 kg = 1000 g, work out the mass of the parcel in kilograms.
- 19.A country's population is 8,340,000, and it is estimated that 1,950,000 of them live in the capital city. By rounding each number to 1 significant figure, work out an estimate for the number of people who do not live in the capital city.
- 20.A metal has a density of 7.8 g/cm³. Work out the density of the metal in kg/m³.
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.