Maths questions
Maths questions will appear throughout both exam papers, and at both Foundation tier and Higher tier.
Don't forget to take a ruler and calculator into the exam.
Maths questions often start with the command word 'calculate', followed by a blank space for your working. It is important that you show your working - don't just write the answer down. You might earn marks for your working even if you get the answer wrong.
Always include the correct units for your answer, unless they are already given on the answer line. This may earn you an additional mark.
Check carefully to see if the question tells you to round your answer to a particular number of significant figures or decimal places. Don't forget to check your rounding.
Other command words you might see in maths questions include:
- 'predict' (look at some data and suggest an outcome - don’t just guess, look at trends in the data and use your scientific knowledge and understanding to make a sensible suggestion)
- 'estimate' (suggest a rough value without doing a calculation - don’t just guess, use your scientific knowledge and understanding to make a sensible suggestion)
- 'show' (write down the details, steps or calculations to prove that an answer is correct)
Maths questions might include tables and graphs as well as calculations. When drawing a graph, make sure you:
- put the independent variable (the factor you changed) on the x-axis
- put the dependent variable (the factor you measured) on the y-axis
- construct regular scales for the axes
- label each axis with the quantity and units, eg time (s)
- plot each point accurately
- decide whether the origin (0,0) should be used as a data point
- draw a straight or curved line of best fit if appropriate
These questions have been written by Bitesize consultants as suggestions to the types of questions that may appear in an exam paper.
Learn maths skills with Dr Alex Lathbridge
Listen to the full series on BBC Sounds.
Brush up on the maths you need for your exam - percentages, averages and converting units.
Sample question 1 - Foundation
Question
Magnesium burns in oxygen to produce magnesium oxide (MgO).
a) Write a balanced chemical equation for the reaction. [2 marks]
The relative atomic mass of magnesium is approximately 24 and of oxygen is 16.
b) Calculate the relative formula mass of magnesium oxide. Show your working. [1 mark]
c) If 3 g of magnesium reacts, what is the maximum mass of magnesium oxide that could be produced? Show your working. [2 marks]
a)
- 2Mg + O2 → 2MgO
- chemical equation correct [1]
- correctly balanced [1]
b) 24 + 16 = 40 [1]
c)
- 24 g of magnesium could produce 40 g of magnesium oxide [1]
- therefore 3 g could produce 40 ÷ 8 = 5 g of magnesium oxide [1]
Sample question 2 - Higher
Question
3 g of magnesium reacts with oxygen to form magnesium oxide.
The relative atomic mass of magnesium is approximately 24 and of oxygen is 16.
a) Calculate how many moles of magnesium react. Show your working. [2 marks]
b) Calculate the maximum mass of magnesium oxide that can be produced. Show your working. [4 marks]
a)
- number of moles = mass ÷ relative atomic mass
- = 24 ÷ 3 [1]
- = 8 moles [1]
b)
- the balanced chemical equation is 2Mg + O2 → 2MgO [1]
- this shows that the number of moles of Mg that react is the same as the number of moles of MgO that are produced [1]
- the relative formula mass of MgO = 24 + 16 = 40 [1]
- mass = moles × relative formula mass
- = 8 × 40
- = 320 g [1]
