Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Mathematics A 4MA1: Applying number and electronic calculators – Practice Questions

These are original questions written for Marlbridge, for revision and practice on this content. They are not reproduced past-paper questions, and they do not replicate the exam’s exact structure, question count or mark tariffs – examination boards hold copyright in their own papers. Use these alongside the official past papers from your board or school.

These questions cover sections 1.10 (Applying number) and 1.11 (Electronic calculators) of topic 1 in the Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Mathematics A (4MA1) specification, Issue 2 (November 2017), first assessed in June 2018 with papers in January and June. Both sections are Foundation Tier content that the Higher Tier also assumes (“See Foundation Tier”), so every question suits both tiers and none is Higher tier only. A calculator may be used on all 4MA1 papers, so every question here is calculator allowed. Exchange rates and prices are made up for practice.

Before you start, read the study guide or the revision notes. Other links: Edexcel IGCSE Mathematics hub, printable 4MA1 checklist and the topic-level Numbers and the number system practice.

Questions

1. Change

(a) 7.5 km into metres [1] (b) 2.4 m² into cm². [1]

2. A jug holds 1.8 litres of juice. Glasses hold 240 ml each. How many glasses can be filled completely, and how much juice is left over? [2]

3. A bus leaves at 10:52 and arrives at 13:27.

(a) Work out the journey time in hours and minutes. [1] (b) Write the journey time in hours as a decimal, correct to 2 decimal places. [2]

4. (a) Use your calculator to work out

√46.24 + 3.1²
-------------
 5.6 − 1.85

Write down all the figures on your calculator display. [2] (b) Give your answer to part (a) correct to 3 significant figures. [1]

5. The exchange rates are £1 = €1.18 and £1 = 1.27 US dollars.

(a) Change £420 into euros. [2] (b) Maya has €354. She changes all of it into US dollars, using these rates. How many US dollars does she get? [3]

6. A shop sells shampoo in three sizes: 400 ml for £3.36, 650 ml for £5.33 and 1 litre for £8.40. Which size is the best value for money? Show how you decide. [3]

7. Sana works from 09:15 to 17:45, Monday to Friday. She has an unpaid lunch break of 45 minutes each day. She is paid £13.60 per hour. Work out her pay for one week. [4]

8. A water tank is a cuboid. Its internal measurements are 1.2 m by 0.8 m by 0.65 m.

(a) Work out the capacity of the tank in litres. [2] (b) Water flows into the empty tank at 6.5 litres per minute. How long does it take to fill the tank? Give your answer in hours and minutes. [2] (c) Water costs £2.15 per m³. Work out the cost of the water needed to fill the tank. [2]

9. Two phone plans are offered.

• Plan A: £12 per month, which includes 300 minutes, plus 4p for every minute over 300.
• Plan B: £19.50 per month, with unlimited minutes.

(a) Lina uses 460 minutes in one month. Which plan is cheaper for her, and by how much? [3] (b) For how many minutes in a month do the two plans cost the same? [2]

10. A rectangular patio measures 5.4 m by 3.6 m. It is to be covered with square paving slabs of side 60 cm, with no gaps and no cutting.

(a) How many slabs are needed? [2] (b) Slabs are sold in packs of 8 for £46.50 per pack. Work out the cost of the slabs. [2] (c) Before laying the slabs, a layer of sand 4 cm deep is spread over the whole patio. Sand is sold in bags of 25 litres. How many bags are needed? [3]

11. The Khan family fly from London to Dubai.

(a) The flight leaves London at 21:40 London time and takes 7 hours 55 minutes. The time in Dubai is 4 hours ahead of London time. Work out the time in Dubai when the flight lands. [3] (b) Before travelling, Mr Khan changes £900 into dirhams (AED). The bureau takes 1.5% of the £900 as commission and changes the rest at £1 = 4.62 AED. How many dirhams does he get? [3] (c) He returns with 640 AED and changes it back at £1 = 4.85 AED, with no commission. How many pounds does he get? [2]

12. Use your calculator to work out (−2.4)² + 3¾ ÷ 1⅞. Give your answer as a decimal. [2]

Answers

1. (a) 7.5 × 1000 = 7500 m [1] (b) 2.4 × 10 000 = 24 000 cm² [1] Examiner insight: Each part is a single accuracy mark, so 240 cm² (using × 100 for an area) scores nothing; there is no method mark to fall back on.

2. 1.8 litres = 1800 ml and 1800 ÷ 240 = 7.5 [1]; 7 full glasses, with 120 ml left over [1] Examiner insight: The second mark needs both parts of the answer; “7.5 glasses” does not answer the question, because only whole glasses count as filled.

3. (a) 8 min to 11:00, 2 h to 13:00, 27 min to 13:27: 2 h 35 min [1] (b) 35 ÷ 60 = 0.5833… [1]; 2.5833… = 2.58 hours [1] Examiner insight: An answer of 2.35 shows the minutes have been treated as hundredths of an hour and scores 0 in (b), though (a) can still earn its mark.

4. (a) Numerator: 6.8 + 9.61 = 16.41 and denominator 3.75 [1]; 16.41 ÷ 3.75 = 4.376 [1] (b) 4.38 [1] Examiner insight: The rounding mark in (b) is usually given as follow-through from any value in (a) that has more than 3 significant figures, so always write the full display first.

5. (a) 420 × 1.18 [1] = €495.60 [1] (b) 354 ÷ 1.18 [1] = £300 [1]; 300 × 1.27 = 381 US dollars [1] Examiner insight: In (b) the method mark is for dividing by 1.18; multiplying (354 × 1.18 = 417.72) is a wrong method and loses every mark that follows from it.

6. Cost per 100 ml: 400 ml: 3.36 ÷ 4 = 84p; 650 ml: 5.33 ÷ 6.5 = 82p [1]; 1 litre: 8.40 ÷ 10 = 84p [1]; so the 650 ml bottle is the best value [1] Examiner insight: The final mark is only given when it follows correct comparable values for all three sizes; naming the 650 ml bottle with no working scores 0.

7. Each day: 09:15 to 17:45 is 8 h 30 min [1]; minus 45 min = 7 h 45 min = 7.75 h [1]; for the week: 7.75 × 5 = 38.75 h [1]; 38.75 × 13.60 = £527.00 [1] Examiner insight: Using 7.45 hours instead of 7.75 is a common slip; you keep the method marks for the correct structure but lose the accuracy mark.

8. (a) 1.2 × 0.8 × 0.65 = 0.624 m³ [1]; 0.624 × 1000 = 624 litres [1] (b) 624 ÷ 6.5 = 96 minutes [1]; = 1 hour 36 minutes [1] (c) 0.624 × 2.15 = 1.3416 [1]; = £1.34 [1] Examiner insight: Follow-through is normally allowed from (a) into (b) and (c), so a wrong capacity does not wipe out later method marks if the later working is shown clearly.

9. (a) Plan A: 12 + (460 − 300) × 0.04 [1] = £18.40 [1]; Plan B costs £19.50, so Plan A is cheaper by £1.10 [1] (b) (19.50 − 12) ÷ 0.04 = 187.5 extra minutes [1]; 300 + 187.5 = 487.5 minutes [1] Examiner insight: Charging 4p for all 460 minutes (12 + 460 × 0.04 = £30.40) ignores the 300 included minutes; the comparison mark then follows through only if your Plan A figure is clearly shown.

10. (a) 540 ÷ 60 = 9 slabs along and 360 ÷ 60 = 6 slabs across [1]; 9 × 6 = 54 slabs [1] (b) 54 ÷ 8 = 6.75, so 7 packs are needed [1]; 7 × 46.50 = £325.50 [1] (c) Volume of sand = 5.4 × 3.6 × 0.04 = 0.7776 m³ [1]; = 777.6 litres, and 777.6 ÷ 25 = 31.104 [1]; so 32 bags [1] Examiner insight: Mixing units (5.4 × 3.6 × 4) gives a volume 100 times too big; the final mark in (b) and (c) needs rounding up, because 6.75 packs or 31 bags would not be enough.

11. (a) 21:40 + 7 h 55 min = 05:35 the next day, London time [1] [1]; plus 4 hours: 09:35 Dubai time [1] (b) Commission: 900 × 0.985 = £886.50 is changed [1] [1]; 886.50 × 4.62 = 4095.63 AED [1] (c) 640 ÷ 4.85 [1] = 131.958… = £131.96 [1] Examiner insight: In (b), working out the commission (£13.50) earns the first method mark only; you must then subtract it and convert the remaining £886.50 to gain the rest.

12. (−2.4)² = 5.76 and 3¾ ÷ 1⅞ = 2 [1]; 5.76 + 2 = 7.76 [1] Examiner insight: Typing −2.4² without brackets gives −5.76 and a final answer of −3.76, which scores 0; the bracket is part of the method.

Where marks are usually lost

• Converting area or volume with the length factor (× 100 instead of × 10 000 for m² to cm²).
• Writing minutes as hundredths of an hour (35 minutes as 0.35 h).
• Subtracting clock times across the hour like decimals.
• Multiplying instead of dividing when converting back into pounds.
• Charging a rate on included minutes in tariff questions.
• Rounding down packs, bags or glasses when the context needs whole items or “enough”.
• Forgetting the unpaid break in a wages question.
• Giving a best-buy choice without unit costs for every option.
• Typing a fraction calculation without brackets round the denominator.
• Rounding before the last step and losing the accuracy mark.

Next steps

• Revision notes for this unit
• Study guide for this unit
• Numbers and the number system study guide
• Edexcel IGCSE Mathematics hub
• Printable 4MA1 checklist
• All free 10-minute diagnostics
• Book a free trial class

Official syllabus

Pearson Edexcel International GCSE in Mathematics (Specification A) (4MA1), Specification Issue 2, November 2017, Pearson Education Limited. Topic 1, Numbers and the number system: 1.10 Applying number and 1.11 Electronic calculators (Foundation Tier content; the Higher Tier refers to the Foundation Tier for both sections).