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.Meera says that 0.7 ÷ 0.1 = 0.07. Work out the correct value of 0.7 ÷ 0.1.
(a)7
(b)0.07
(c)70
(d)0.7
2.Simplify (5x² + 3x − 2) − (2x² − x + 5)
(a)3x² + 4x + 3
(b)3x² + 2x + 3
(c)7x² + 2x + 3
(d)3x² + 4x − 7
3.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.
(a)Firm A — £3 per mile against Firm B's £2 per mile
(b)Firm A — £0.50 per mile against Firm B's £0.33 per mile
(c)Firm B — £3 per mile against Firm A's £2 per mile
(d)Neither — both lines start with a positive fixed charge
4.A cylindrical candle and a cone-shaped candle have the same base radius and the same height. State the cone's volume as a fraction of the cylinder's volume.
(a)The same as the cylinder's volume
(b)Two thirds of the cylinder's volume
(c)One third of the cylinder's volume
(d)Half the cylinder's volume
5.Spinner C has 3 equal sections, numbered 2, 3 and 5. Spinner D has 6 equal sections, numbered 1 to 6. Both spinners are spun once, and the two numbers are multiplied together. Work out the probability that the product is a multiple of 5.
(a)4/9
(b)1/3
(c)1/9
(d)1/2
6.A scatter graph has 12 plotted points. Four pupils each draw a line of best fit on the same graph and count how many of the 12 points lie above their line and how many lie below it: Amir — 10 above, 2 below. Priya — 6 above, 6 below. Kofi — 2 above, 10 below. Leah — 0 above, 12 below. Write down the name of the pupil whose line was drawn correctly, so that the points are roughly balanced above and below it.
(a)Priya
(b)Leah
(c)Kofi
(d)Amir
7.Work out (2/3)² + (1/2)². Give your answer as a fraction.
(a)7/3
(b)49/36
(c)25/36
(d)5/13
8.Solve 2x² = 18.
(a)x = 9 or x = −9
(b)x = 4 or x = −4
(c)x = 6 or x = −6
(d)x = 3 or x = −3
9.A shop sells fruit juice concentrate that must be diluted with water in the ratio 2 : 5 (concentrate : water) to make squash. Priya has 8 litres of concentrate. Work out how much water she needs to keep the same ratio.
(a)40 litres
(b)3.2 litres
(c)11 litres
(d)20 litres
10.A regular polygon has 5 lines of symmetry. What is the order of rotational symmetry of this polygon?
(a)5
(b)6
(c)10
(d)4
11.One card is taken at random from an ordinary pack of 52 playing cards. 26 of the cards are red. Work out the probability that the card is red. Give your answer as a percentage.
(a)2%
(b)26%
(c)25%
(d)50%
12.Which of these numbers rounds to 0.048 when rounded to 2 significant figures?
(a)0.0485
(b)0.052
(c)0.0479
(d)0.04
13.Priya says that x = 6 is the solution of the equation 4x + 8 = 24. Priya is wrong. Work out the correct value of x.
(a)12
(b)4
(c)8
(d)16
14.A cyclist rides at a steady speed of 20 mph. Given that 1 mile ≈ 1.6 km, work out the cyclist's speed in km/h.
(a)21.6 km/h
(b)20 km/h
(c)32 km/h
(d)12.5 km/h
15.A rectangular bookmark measures 2 cm by 25 cm. Work out the area of the bookmark.
(a)54 cm
(b)50 cm²
(c)25 cm²
(d)27 cm
16.Which of these is equal to 5³?
(a)125
(b)25
(c)15
(d)53
17.Expand and simplify 4(2x − 1) − 3(x + 2) − 5x
(a)−10
(b)5x − 10
(c)2
(d)−7
18.A train journey takes 2 hours 15 minutes. A bus journey to the same place takes 3 hours 45 minutes. Write the time for the train journey as a fraction of the time for the bus journey, giving your answer in its simplest form.
(a)2/5
(b)5/3
(c)3/8
(d)3/5
19.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.
20.Work out 50% of 60.
(a)6
(b)3000
(c)120
(d)30

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.