Sample paper · GCSE Foundation · grades 1–5

GCSE Foundation sample Paper 1 (non-calculator)

The real Paper 1 is 1.5 hour 30 minutes and 80 marks, non-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 no calculator-only items. AO1 / AO2 / AO3 at this tier: 50% / 25% / 25%.

Non-calculatorGCSE Foundation

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GCSE Foundation sample Paper 1 (non-calculator)

Maths · GCSE Foundation · Paper 1 · Non-calculator · 20 questions

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1.Work out an estimate for 79.3 − 24.6, by rounding each number to the nearest whole number.
(a)55
(b)54
(c)59
(d)54.7
2.Yusuf has £40 saved and adds £6 each week. His sister Aisha has £10 saved and adds £11 each week. After how many weeks will they have saved the same amount?
(a)1.76
(b)0
(c)10
(d)6
3.Rice costs £3.20 per kg. Work out the cost of the rice in pence per 100 g.
(a)3200p
(b)32p
(c)3.2p
(d)0.32p
4.A shape is made by joining two rectangles edge to edge, with no overlap. One rectangle measures 12 cm by 4 cm and the other measures 4 cm by 8 cm. Work out the total area of the shape.
(a)28 cm
(b)48 cm²
(c)80 cm²
(d)32 cm²
5.A school trip took 200 pupils to a museum, travelling either by coach or by minibus. A frequency tree records the trip: 150 pupils travelled by coach, split into 90 in Year 8 and the rest in Year 9. All the pupils who travelled by minibus were in Year 8. Work out the total number of Year 8 pupils on the trip.
(a)50
(b)90
(c)60
(d)140
6.The mean of three numbers is 50. A fourth number, 100, is added to the set. Work out the mean of the four numbers.
(a)62.5
(b)75
(c)37.5
(d)50
7.Four locations each record a temperature one winter morning. Which of these temperatures is the coldest?
(a)−4.5 °C
(b)−3.8 °C
(c)−4.05 °C
(d)2 °C
8.A candle is 30 cm tall when lit and burns at a constant rate. After burning for 5 minutes, its height is 20 cm. The height h cm after t minutes is given by h = 30 − mt. Work out the value of m.
(a)2
(b)4
(c)10
(d)0.5
9.Isla says that the ratio 4:6 is equivalent to the ratio 6:9. Is she correct? Give a reason for your answer.
(a)Yes, because the number 6 appears in both ratios
(b)No, because 9 − 6 is not equal to 6 − 4
(c)No, because 4 × 6 is not equal to 6 × 9
(d)Yes, because 4 × 9 = 6 × 6
10.The perimeter of a square is 20 cm. Work out the area of the square.
(a)5 cm
(b)25 cm²
(c)100 cm²
(d)400 cm²
11.The probability that Oliver's train is delayed on any morning is 0.3. Work out the probability that his train is not delayed.
(a)0.5
(b)0.97
(c)0.3
(d)0.7
12.Write these three numbers in order, starting with the smallest: 3/5, 0.55, 58%
(a)0.55, 58%, 3/5
(b)58%, 0.55, 3/5
(c)3/5, 0.55, 58%
(d)3/5, 58%, 0.55
13.Simplify (5x² + 3x − 2) − (2x² − x + 5)
(a)3x² + 4x + 3
(b)3x² + 2x + 3
(c)7x² + 2x + 3
(d)3x² + 4x − 7
14.In a recipe the mass of chocolate to the mass of milk is in the ratio 1:4. Amelia uses 200 g of milk. Work out the mass of chocolate she needs.
(a)800 g
(b)250 g
(c)40 g
(d)50 g
15.P is the point (3, 4) and Q is the point (6, 0). Work out the distance of each point from the origin, and write down which point is closer to the origin.
(a)Q, since OQ = 5 and OP = 6
(b)P, since OP = 5 and OQ = 6
(c)P, since OP = 6 and OQ = 5
(d)They are equally distant from the origin
16.Write these numbers in order, starting with the smallest: 5, −8, 0, −3, 2
(a)−8, −3, 2, 0, 5
(b)−3, −8, 0, 2, 5
(c)5, 2, 0, −3, −8
(d)−8, −3, 0, 2, 5
17.Write down the coordinates of the point where the line y = 2x + 4 crosses the y-axis.
y = 2x + 4
(a)(4, 0)
(b)(−2, 0)
(c)(0, 2)
(d)(0, 4)
18.Two numbers are in the ratio 3 : 7. Their sum is 60. Work out the positive difference between the two numbers.
(a)80
(b)60
(c)4
(d)24
19.A circle has a radius of 3 cm. Which of these is the exact area of the circle?
(a)28.3 cm²
(b)28.26 cm²
(c)9π cm²
(d)27 cm²
20.It takes 2 identical pumps 10 hours to empty a flooded basement. Working at the same rate, work out how many hours 5 of these pumps would take to empty the same basement.
(a)4 hours
(b)7 hours
(c)20 hours
(d)25 hours

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.