Question 1 Medium
Two heterozygous parents (Cc) have a child. What is the percentage chance that the child is cc?
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Answer: 25%
- The four offspring are CC, Cc, Cc and cc.
- One in four is cc, which is 25%.
Maths skills for biology: GCSE Combined Science Biology practice questions
A second set of questions on maths skills for biology. They are different from the ones on the topic page. Try each, then open the answer and compare your working.
More questions
Question 2 Medium
A person has a mass of 70 kg and a height of 1.75 m. Calculate the BMI to 1 decimal place.
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Answer: 22.9
- Height² = 1.75 × 1.75 = 3.0625.
- 70 ÷ 3.0625 = 22.9.
Question 3 Medium
A waist is 85 cm and the hips are 100 cm. Calculate the waist-to-hip ratio.
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Answer: 0.85
- Ratio = waist ÷ hip.
- 85 ÷ 100 = 0.85.
Question 4 Hard
A heart has a stroke volume of 70 cm³ and a heart rate of 72 beats per minute. Calculate the cardiac output in cm³ per minute.
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Answer: 5040 cm³ per minute
- Cardiac output = stroke volume × heart rate.
- 70 × 72 = 5040 cm³ per minute.
Question 5 Hard
A heart pumps 5400 cm³ per minute at 72 beats per minute. Calculate the stroke volume in cm³.
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Answer: 75 cm³
- Stroke volume = cardiac output ÷ heart rate.
- 5400 ÷ 72 = 75 cm³.
Question 6 Hard
The volume of oxygen rises from 0 to 30 cm³ in 60 s. Calculate the mean rate in cm³/s.
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Answer: 0.5 cm³/s
- Rate = change in volume ÷ time.
- 30 ÷ 60 = 0.5 cm³/s.
Question 7 Hard
What is the ratio of dominant to recessive offspring from Cc × Cc, in the form n : 1?
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Answer: 3 : 1
- The offspring are CC, Cc, Cc and cc.
- Three show the dominant trait and one shows the recessive trait.
Question 8 Hard
Ice cream sales and sunburn cases both rise in summer. Does this prove that ice cream causes sunburn?
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Answer: no
- A correlation does not prove cause.
- Hot sunny weather affects both.
Question 9 Hard
Write 0.000 002 m in standard form.
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Answer: 2 × 10⁻⁶ m
- Move the decimal point 6 places right.
- The power is −6.
Quick checks
Short questions with options. Choose one before you open the answer.
Check 1
How many micrometres are in 1 mm?
Show answer
1000 µm.
Check 2
How many nanometres are in 1 µm?
Show answer
1000 nm.
Check 3
What is standard form?
Show answer
A × 10ⁿ, with A between 1 and 10.
Check 4
What is 0.000 002 m in standard form?
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2 × 10⁻⁶ m.
Check 5
What does the prefix micro mean?
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10⁻⁶ (one millionth).
Check 6
What does the prefix nano mean?
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10⁻⁹ (one thousand millionth).
Check 7
What is the formula for magnification?
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Magnification = image size ÷ real size.
Check 8
How do you find the real size from a magnified picture?
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Divide the image size by the magnification.
Check 9
What is the mean?
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The total divided by the number of values.
Check 10
What is the median?
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The middle value when the numbers are in order.
Check 11
What is the mode?
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The most common value.
Check 12
What is the range?
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The largest value minus the smallest value.
Check 13
What is the formula for percentage change?
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(new − old) ÷ old × 100.
Check 14
What is the ratio of dominant to recessive from Cc × Cc?
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3 : 1.
Check 15
What is the chance of cc from Cc × Cc?
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1 in 4, which is 25%.
Check 16
What is the formula for probability?
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Number of ways it can happen ÷ total number of outcomes.
Check 17
What is the formula for BMI?
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BMI = mass in kg ÷ (height in m)².
Check 18
What is the waist-to-hip ratio?
Show answer
Waist measurement ÷ hip measurement.
Check 19
What is stroke volume?
Show answer
The volume of blood pumped out of the heart in one beat.
Check 20
What is the formula for cardiac output?
Show answer
Cardiac output = stroke volume × heart rate.
Check 21
How do you find a rate from a graph?
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Find the gradient: change in y ÷ change in x.
Check 22
How do you find a rate at one point on a curve?
Show answer
Draw a tangent and find its gradient.
Check 23
Does a correlation prove cause?
Show answer
No. It shows a link only.
Check 24
Which axis does the independent variable go on?
Show answer
The x-axis.
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