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 15% of £40, using 10% and 5%.
- 2.On a map, where each grid unit represents 1 km, Ravi's house is at (−3, 4) and the library is at (6, 4). Work out the distance between Ravi's house and the library.
- 3.A sofa costs £800. Its price is increased by 25%. Work out the new price of the sofa.
- 4.Compasses are opened to exactly half the length of AB, and arcs are drawn centred at A and at B, to construct the perpendicular bisector of AB. Why does this fail?
- 5.Two pupils each flip the same coin to estimate the probability of heads. Leah flips it 40 times and gets 24 heads. Ben flips it 60 times and gets 33 heads. By combining both pupils' results, work out the relative frequency of heads, giving your answer as a fraction in its simplest form.
- 6.For each of 30 fires in one county, the number of fire engines sent and the cost of the damage were recorded. The scatter graph of the data shows strong positive correlation. A newspaper prints the headline "Sending more fire engines causes more damage". Is the newspaper right? Give a reason for your answer.
- 7.A number, n, is equal to 3.7 when rounded to 1 decimal place. Write down the error interval for n.
- 8.Work out the gradient of the straight line with equation y = (2x/5) − 3.
- 9.y is directly proportional to x. If the value of x is trebled (multiplied by 3), what happens to the value of y?
- 10.Triangle PQR has angle P = 90°. The side PQ = 9 cm and the hypotenuse QR = 15 cm. Work out the length of PR.
- 11.Two ordinary fair dice are rolled and the two scores are added together. Work out the probability that the total is a prime number.
- 12.The density of a type of plastic is 0.9 g/cm³. Work out this density in kg/m³.
- 13.Tom is asked to classify the statement 5(2x − 3) = 10x − 15. Which statement about it is correct?
- 14.A scale drawing of a park has a scale of 1 : 2500. On the drawing, the distance between the entrance and the lake is 4.4 cm. A jogger runs from the entrance to the lake and then back to the entrance. Work out the total distance the jogger runs, in kilometres.
- 15.A bearing is described as being exactly halfway between north and east, measured clockwise. What is the three-figure bearing?
- 16.Round 3.947 to 2 decimal places.
- 17.Make x the subject of the formula y = 3(x + 2).
- 18.A glass holds 250 ml of squash. Work out how many of these glasses are needed to fill a 1 litre bottle.
- 19.Nadia has £84. She spends 3/7 of it on a jacket and the rest on a bag. Work out the ratio of the amount spent on the jacket to the amount spent on the bag, in its simplest form.
- 20.A plan is drawn to a scale of 1 : 500. Work out how many metres are represented by 1 cm on the plan.
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.