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
GCSE Foundation sample Paper 1 (non-calculator)
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- 1.Work out 1 − 1/2 − 1/4 − 1/8 − 1/16. Give your answer as a fraction.
- 2.The formula for the perimeter of a square is P = 4s, where s is the side length. Make s the subject of the formula.
- 3.A graph shows two quantities, x and y, in direct proportion. Write down which statement about the graph must be true.
- 4.Four angles meet at a point. Three of them measure 82°, 105° and 96°. Work out the size of the fourth angle.
- 5.A library recorded loans for 250 books over a week, using a frequency tree. The first branch splits the books into 160 fiction and 90 non-fiction. Of the fiction books, 112 were returned on time and the rest were returned late. All the non-fiction books were returned on time. Work out the probability that a book, chosen at random from the 250, was returned late. Give your answer as a fraction in its simplest form.
- 6.The weekly wages of the five people who work at a small garage in Norwich are £420, £440, £460, £480 and £1,500. Write down which average better describes a typical wage at this garage, and give a reason for your answer.
- 7.A measuring jug shows a volume of 340 ml, correct to the nearest 20 ml. Work out the smallest possible volume in the jug.
- 8.A straight line passes through the points (0, 4) and (1, 9). Write down the gradient of the line.
- 9.A water tank is a cuboid measuring 30 cm × 20 cm × 10 cm. The tank is full of water. Work out how many litres of water it holds.
- 10.Triangle DEF is isosceles, with DE = DF. Angle E = 58°. Give a reason why angle F = 58°.
- 11.The probability that a component is faulty is 1/10. Two components are tested independently. Work out the probability that at least one of the two components is faulty.
- 12.In a music collection, the ratio of pop albums to rock albums is 5 : 3. Work out the number of rock albums as a fraction of the number of pop albums.
- 13.The nth term of a sequence is 4n − 3. Work out the 7th term of the sequence.
- 14.A river 120 km long is drawn as a line 6 cm long on a map. Work out the scale of the map.
- 15.In a construction, a point P is marked at the foot of the perpendicular drawn from point X to a straight line. Which statement correctly compares the distance XP with the distance from X to any other point on the line?
- 16.Work out (2 × 10³) × (3 × 10⁴). Give your answer in standard form.
- 17.Priya has a budget of £50 for a school trip. The coach costs £14 and each student ticket costs £4. Using the inequality 14 + 4s ≤ 50, work out the greatest number of student tickets, s, she can buy.
- 18.A necklace is made using gold beads and silver beads in the ratio 7:3. There are 40 more gold beads than silver beads. Work out the total number of beads in the necklace.
- 19.The distance from the Earth to the Moon is 384,000 km. Write this distance in standard form, in kilometres.
- 20.Two numbers are in the ratio 5 : 8. The larger number is 40. Work out the smaller number.
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.