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.Simplify 5⁻² × 5⁴, giving your answer as a single power of 5.
- 2.Make x the subject of the formula y = x + 7.y = x + 7
- 3.The value of a motorbike falls by 12% each year. The motorbike is worth £3200 now. Write down the calculation that gives its value after 3 years.
- 4.The bearing of a campsite B from a walker's position A is 070°. What is the bearing of A from B?
- 5.In Manchester the probability of rain on any day in November is taken to be 0.3, and whether it rains on one day is independent of whether it rains on the next. Work out the probability that it rains on both the 10th and the 11th of November.
- 6.Amelia's mean mark over four tests is 29. Her first three marks are 31, 26 and 26. Work out her fourth mark.
- 7.A shop assistant says that 7.2 × 3.9 = 56.16. Work out an estimate for 7.2 × 3.9, by rounding each number to the nearest whole number, to show that the assistant’s answer cannot be correct.
- 8.Harry is 14 years old and Mia is 8 years old. Will Harry ever be exactly twice as old as Mia? Give a reason for your answer.
- 9.A shop's takings were £4500 in May. In June the takings fell by £900. Write the June takings as a fraction of the May takings, in its simplest form.
- 10.A circle has centre O. Radii OA and OB are drawn, together with the arc AB, enclosing a sector. The straight chord AB is also drawn. Write down the name of the region enclosed between the chord AB and the arc AB.
- 11.A drawing pin is dropped many times and lands either point up or point down. The relative frequency of landing point up is recorded as the experiment goes on: after 50 drops it is 0.720, after 200 drops it is 0.665, and after 1000 drops it is 0.638. The pin is to be dropped a further 2000 times. Work out the best estimate of the number of times it will land point up.
- 12.Two-digit numbers are formed using the digits 2, 5, 7 and 8, and each digit may be used only once in a number. Work out how many of these two-digit numbers are even.
- 13.A theatre's front row has 18 seats. Each row behind has 4 more seats than the row in front. Which row has exactly 62 seats?
- 14.3 pencils cost £1.20. Work out the cost of 7 pencils.
- 15.A radar station is at the origin of a grid, where each unit represents 1 km. A boat is detected at the point (7, 24). Work out the boat's distance from the station, then work out how many hours it will take the boat to reach the station travelling directly towards it at 5 km per hour.
- 16.Write down the symbol that makes this statement true: −2/3 ___ −5/6
- 17.Which expression is equivalent to 7x − 3(2x − 6)?
- 18.A map has a scale of 1 : 100. A path measures 5 cm on the map. Work out the real length of the path, in metres.
- 19.Which one of these statements about negative numbers is true?
- 20.Write the ratio 20 : 30 in its simplest form.
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.