Solutions
LGCSE Core Mathematics ยท Paper 3 ยท November 2025
Answers shown first. Click Show workings to see each step.
Calculator paper.
(b) (i) 137
(ii) n2 + 3n + 2
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(a) Complete the table for pattern 4.
Dots form the sequence 1, 4, 9, 16, โฆ which is n2.
Crosses form the sequence 5, 8, 11, 14, โฆ which is 3n + 2.
Pattern 4: dots = 42 = 16; crosses = 3(4) + 2 = 14.
Sum = 16 + 14 = 30
(b) (i) Number of crosses needed for pattern 45:
Crosses = 3n + 2 = 3(45) + 2 = 135 + 2 = 137
(b) (ii) The nth term for the sum of crosses and dots:
Sum = n2 + (3n + 2)
= n2 + 3n + 2
(b) (i) 5 stacks
(ii) M40
(c) 29 months
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(a) Balance before deposit = โM180. New balance = M1 630.
Deposit = New balance โ Old balance = 1 630 โ (โ180) = 1 630 + 180 = M1 810
(b) (i) M1 100 paid at M220 per stack.
Number of stacks = 1 100โ220 = 5
(b) (ii) Reserved M15 000.
Maximum whole stacks = 68 (since 68 ร 220 = 14 960 โค 15 000 and 69 ร 220 = 15 180 > 15 000)
Cost = 68 ร 220 = M14 960
Amount remaining = 15 000 โ 14 960 = M40
(c) Accumulated amount = M40 000. Company gives 28.95% and keeps the balance.
Employee's share = 0.2895 ร 40 000 = M11 580
Balance kept by company = 40 000 โ 11 580 = M28 420
Monthly payment = M980
Number of months = 28 420โ980 = 29 months
(b) 2x + 3y โ 10 = 0
(c) 24 square units
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Given A(โ4, 6), B(8, โ2), C(2, โ2).
(a) Midpoint of AB:
Midpoint = (โ4 + 8โ2, 6 + (โ2)โ2) = (4โ2, 4โ2) = (2, 2)
(b) Equation of line AB in the form ax + by + c = 0:
Gradient = โ2 โ 6โ8 โ (โ4) = โ8โ12 = โ2โ3
Using point A(โ4, 6):
y โ 6 = โ2โ3(x + 4)
3(y โ 6) = โ2(x + 4)
3y โ 18 = โ2x โ 8
2x + 3y โ 10 = 0
(c) Area of triangle ABC:
Using the coordinate formula:
Area = 1โ2 | xA(yB โ yC) + xB(yC โ yA) + xC(yA โ yB) |
= 1โ2 | (โ4)(โ2 โ (โ2)) + 8((โ2) โ 6) + 2(6 โ (โ2)) |
= 1โ2 | 0 + 8(โ8) + 2(8) |
= 1โ2 | โ64 + 16 |
= 1โ2 ร 48 = 24
(b) (x โ 5)(x + 4)
(c) 9.58
(d) 9a + 22โ20
(e) (i) a = 12
(ii) 39 + 5aโ17 + a
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(a) Given a + b = 9 and a2 + b2 = 71.
(a + b)2 = a2 + 2ab + b2
92 = 71 + 2ab
81 โ 71 = 2ab โน ab = 5
(ab)3 = 53 = 125
(b) Factorise x2 โ x โ 20.
Two numbers that multiply to โ20 and add to โ1: โ5 and +4.
x2 โ x โ 20 = (x โ 5)(x + 4)
(c) T = 2ฯโ(lโg) with l = 22.8, g = 9.8.
T = 2ฯโ(22.8โ9.8)
= 2ฯ ร 1.5253โฆ
= 9.5838โฆ
โ 9.58 (to 3 s.f.)
(d) Express a + 2โ4 + a + 3โ5 as a single fraction.
LCM of 4 and 5 is 20.
= 5(a + 2)โ20 + 4(a + 3)โ20
= 5a + 10 + 4a + 12โ20
= 9a + 22โ20
(e) (i) Table: days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 with frequencies 5, 4, 6, 2, a. Total = 17 + a.
Cumulative frequencies: after day 1 = 5, after day 2 = 9, after day 3 = 15, after day 4 = 17, after day 5 = 17 + a.
For the median to equal 3, the middle value must fall in day 3's range (positions 10 to 15).
Middle position = 17 + a + 1โ2 = 18 + aโ2
For this to fall between 10 and 15:
10 โค 18 + aโ2 โค 15
20 โค 18 + a โค 30
2 โค a โค 12
Greatest value of a = 12
(e) (ii) Expression for the mean in terms of a.
Sum of (day ร frequency) = 1(5) + 2(4) + 3(6) + 4(2) + 5(a)
= 5 + 8 + 18 + 8 + 5a = 39 + 5a
Total frequency = 17 + a
Mean = 39 + 5aโ17 + a
(b) nyekoe = 8, lehala = 6
(c) (i) 1โ10
(ii) 4โ15
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(a) State the modal traditional food.
The largest single sector on the pie chart is nyekoe at 96ยฐ.
(b) Total = 30 students.
Sector angles from the pie chart: qolosi = 36ยฐ, lipabi = 36ยฐ, sekelenyekoe = 60ยฐ, nyekoe = 96ยฐ, qhubu = 60ยฐ, lehala = 72ยฐ.
Check total: 36 + 36 + 60 + 96 + 60 + 72 = 360ยฐ โ
nyekoe = 96โ360 ร 30 = 8 students
lehala = 72โ360 ร 30 = 6 students
(c) (i) P(lipabi):
36โ360 = 1โ10
(c) (ii) P(qhubu or qolosi):
60 + 36โ360 = 96โ360 = 4โ15
(b) x = 9
(c) 100(9k โ 900)โ900% or 100(kx โ 900)โ900%
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(a) Day 1 = x, Day 2 = x โ 3, Day 3 = 3(x โ 3) = 3x โ 9.
Total = x + (x โ 3) + (3x โ 9) = 5x โ 12
(b) Given total = 33:
5x โ 12 = 33
5x = 45
x = 9
(c) Day 1: cost = M900, charged Mk per phone, repaired x phones.
Revenue = kx
Profit = kx โ 900
Percentage profit = kx โ 900โ900 ร 100%
(b) (i) 204.2 cmยฒ
(ii) 6.75 cm
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(a) Find the length of the side of square ABCD.
The rectangle has area 15 cmยฒ and horizontal width 5 cm.
Height of rectangle = 15โ5 = 3 cm
Let the square's side = x.
Horizontal distance from the rectangle's right edge to vertex B = x โ 5.
Vertical distance from the rectangle's top edge to vertex B = x โ 3.
Applying Pythagoras to the right-angled triangle with hypotenuse 10 cm:
(x โ 5)2 + (x โ 3)2 = 102
x2 โ 10x + 25 + x2 โ 6x + 9 = 100
2x2 โ 16x + 34 = 100
2x2 โ 16x โ 66 = 0
x2 โ 8x โ 33 = 0
(x โ 11)(x + 3) = 0
x = 11 (since x > 0)
(b) (i) Area of the container in contact with water.
Cylinder diameter = 10 cm, so radius r = 5 cm.
Water depth = 4 cm.
Area in contact = base area + curved surface up to water level
= ฯr2 + 2ฯrh
= ฯ(25) + 2ฯ(5)(4)
= 25ฯ + 40ฯ = 65ฯ
= 65 ร 3.142 = 204.23 cm2
โ 204.2 cm2
(b) (ii) New water level after immersing a 6 cm cube.
Volume of cube = 63 = 216 cm3
Base area of cylinder = ฯ(52) = 25ฯ = 78.55 cm2
Rise in water level = 216โ78.55 = 2.75 cm
New water level = 4 + 2.75 = 6.75 cm
(b) 36 500 โค 37 000 < 37 500
(c) (i) Shown below
(ii) M3 709.08
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(a) Simplify the ratio 0.35 : 2โ5 : 3โ8
Convert to decimals: 0.35 : 0.4 : 0.375
Multiply all by 1000: 350 : 400 : 375
Divide by 25: 14 : 16 : 15
(b) Population correct to 2 s.f. is 37 000.
Lower bound = 36 500
Upper bound = 37 500
36 500 โค 37 000 < 37 500
(c) (i) Bank A: M50 000 at 7.5% simple interest for 3 years.
Interest = 50 000 ร 7.5 ร 3โ100
= 50 000 ร 0.075 ร 3 = M11 250
Total = 50 000 + 11 250 = M61 250
(c) (ii) Bank B: M40 000 at 3% compound interest for 3 years.
Amount = 40 000 ร (1.03)3
(1.03)3 = 1.092727
Amount = 40 000 ร 1.092727 = 43 709.08
Interest = 43 709.08 โ 40 000 = M3 709.08
(ii) Requires construction โ angle bisector and perpendicular bisector
(b) 3 hours 20 minutes
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(a) (i) Measure the reflex angle AED.
Use a protractor on the printed diagram. The reflex angle is the angle outside the interior of the pentagon at vertex E.
(a) (ii) Construct loci:
Equidistant from AE and DE: the angle bisector of โ AED through E.
Equidistant from A and B: the perpendicular bisector of line AB.
Shade the region inside the field that lies on the side of the perpendicular bisector closer to A, and on the side of the angle bisector closer to DE.
(b) Distance = 50 km, speed = 15 km/h.
Time = 50โ15 = 10โ3 hours
= 3 hours 20 minutes
(b) 6.43 m
(c) 8.15 m
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Given: BX = 10 m, โ OBX = 50ยฐ, โ XCO = 60ยฐ, โ BXA = 20ยฐ.
(a) Find the size of angle PXC.
In right-angled triangle XOC: โ XCO = 60ยฐ, โ XOC = 90ยฐ.
โ OXC = 180ยฐ โ 90ยฐ โ 60ยฐ = 30ยฐ
P, X, O are collinear with XO and XP forming a straight line.
โ PXC = 180ยฐ โ โ OXC = 180ยฐ โ 30ยฐ = 150ยฐ
(b) Length BO in right triangle BXO.
BX = 10 m is the hypotenuse, BO is adjacent to โ OBX = 50ยฐ.
cos(50ยฐ) = BOโBX
BO = 10 ร cos(50ยฐ)
= 10 ร 0.6428 = 6.43 m
(c) Length AX.
In triangle ABX: โ ABX = 50ยฐ (since A, B, O are collinear), โ BXA = 20ยฐ.
โ BAX = 180ยฐ โ 50ยฐ โ 20ยฐ = 110ยฐ
By Sine Rule:
AXโsin(50ยฐ) = BXโsin(110ยฐ)
AX = 10 ร sin(50ยฐ)โsin(110ยฐ)
= 10 ร 0.7660โ0.9397
= 8.15 m
(b) (i) 12
(ii) 32
(c) L โฉ Mโฒ
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40 people total. n(M) = 10, n(L) = 20, neither = 12.
n(M โช L) = 40 โ 12 = 28
n(M โฉ L) = n(M) + n(L) โ n(M โช L) = 10 + 20 โ 28 = 2
So y = 2
n(M only) = 10 โ 2 = 8 โน x = 8
n(L only) = 20 โ 2 = 18 โน z = 18
(b) (i) n(M โช L)โฒ:
Number of people not in M or L = 12
(b) (ii) n(Mโฒ โช L):
Mโฒ = people not in M = 18 + 12 = 30
The only people NOT in Mโฒ โช L are those in M only = 8
n(Mโฒ โช L) = 40 โ 8 = 32
(c) Landline only = L โฉ Mโฒ
(ii) 90ยฐ clockwise rotation about (2, 1)
(b) Requires drawing โ apply the enlargement on the grid
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(a) (i) Describe a single transformation that maps A onto B.
Triangle A vertices: (1, 3), (3, 3), (3, 6).
Triangle B vertices: (โ5, 1), (โ3, 1), (โ3, 4).
Each vertex of B = corresponding vertex of A + (โ6, โ2).
Check: (1, 3) + (โ6, โ2) = (โ5, 1) โ
So the transformation is a translation by the vector (โ6, โ2).
(a) (ii) Describe a single transformation that maps A onto C.
Triangle C vertices: (4, 0), (7, 0), (4, 2).
Using the 90ยฐ clockwise rotation rule about (a, b): (x, y) โ (a + (y โ b), b โ (x โ a))
We need (3, 3) โ (4, 0):
a + 3 โ b = 4 โน a โ b = 1
b โ 3 + a = 0 โน a + b = 3
Solving: a = 2, b = 1
Check other vertices:
(3, 6) โ (2 + 5, 1 โ 1) = (7, 0) โ
(1, 3) โ (2 + 2, 1 + 1) = (4, 2) โ
So the transformation is a 90ยฐ clockwise rotation about the point (2, 1).
(b) Enlarge B with centre (1, 1) and scale factor 1โ2.
For each vertex: new position = centre + k(vertex โ centre)
(โ5, 1) โ (1 + 0.5(โ6), 1 + 0.5(0)) = (โ2, 1)
(โ3, 1) โ (1 + 0.5(โ4), 1 + 0.5(0)) = (โ1, 1)
(โ3, 4) โ (1 + 0.5(โ4), 1 + 0.5(3)) = (โ1, 2.5)
Draw the triangle with these new vertices on the grid.