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%.

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GCSE Foundation sample Paper 1 (non-calculator)

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

MathsUKwww.geekhero.co.uk

1.A bus leaves the station at 09:47 and arrives at its destination at 11:23. Work out the journey time.
(a)1 hour 24 minutes
(b)2 hours 24 minutes
(c)2 hours 36 minutes
(d)1 hour 36 minutes
2.Make c the subject of the formula k = 6c.
(a)c = 6k
(b)c = k/6
(c)c = k − 6
(d)c = 6 − k
3.A jumper costs £45 at Shop A, where it is reduced by 20%. The same jumper costs £34 at Shop B, where a further 10% reduction is then applied. Work out the difference between the two reduced prices.
(a)£11.00
(b)£66.60
(c)£1.60
(d)£5.40
4.Triangle ABC has a right angle at B. Triangle DEF has a right angle at E. The hypotenuse of triangle ABC equals the hypotenuse of triangle DEF, and side AB equals side DE. Which condition proves that the two triangles are congruent?
(a)ASA
(b)SAS
(c)SSS
(d)RHS
5.Two fair spinners are each numbered 1, 2 and 3. Priya spins both spinners together and records the two numbers as a pair, listing every possible outcome systematically in a grid. Work out the probability that the two numbers are the same.
(a)1/2
(b)1/9
(c)2/3
(d)1/3
6.A café owner in Brighton records the midday temperature, x °C, and the number of hot chocolates sold, y, on 12 days. The temperatures recorded run from 4 °C to 18 °C, and the line of best fit is y = −3x + 74. The forecast for tomorrow gives a midday temperature of 12 °C. Work out the number the line of best fit predicts, and write down how much confidence the owner can have in it.
y = -3x + 74
(a)38, and completely certain, as the line gives exact sales
(b)110, and fairly confident, as 12 °C is inside the range
(c)38, but little confidence, as 12 °C is outside the range
(d)38, and fairly confident, as 12 °C is inside the range
7.Work out the value of 6² − 4³.
(a)100
(b)28
(c)−28
(d)0
8.Write down 0.2x with its coefficient written as a fraction in its simplest form.
(a)x/5
(b)x/2
(c)2x/5
(d)x/20
9.A bag of potatoes has a mass of 3 kg. A bag of carrots has a mass of 5 kg. Write the mass of the potatoes as a fraction of the mass of the carrots.
(a)3/5
(b)5/3
(c)2/5
(d)3/8
10.A crane's hook starts at the point (3.4, 9.5) on a construction site plan measured in metres. It moves along the vector $(- 4.5 - 1.2)$ to pick up a beam, then along the vector $(- 2.5 0.8)$ to place it. Work out the single column vector that describes the hook's overall movement from its start position to where it places the beam.
(a) $(- 2 - 2)$
(b) $(- 7 - 0.4)$
(c) $(7 - 0.4)$
(d) $(- 7 2)$
11.The probability that it rains on a given morning is 0.3. If it rains, the probability that Priya's bus is late is 0.8. If it does not rain, the probability that her bus is late is 0.1. Work out the probability that her bus is late.
(a)0.27
(b)0.24
(c)0.31
(d)0.9
12.Grace drinks 1/3 of a bottle of water in the morning and another 1/3 of the same bottle in the afternoon. Work out what fraction of the bottle she has drunk altogether.
(a)2/6
(b)2/9
(c)2/3
(d)1/9
13.A gym charges a reduced price for the first month of membership and a standard price for every month after that. The total cost is £5 for 1 month, £12 for 2 months, £19 for 3 months and £26 for 4 months. Work out an expression, in terms of n, for the total cost, in pounds, of n months of membership.
(a)7n
(b)5n + 7
(c)7n + 5
(d)7n − 2
14.The same jumper is sold at two shops. Shop A charges £40 and Shop B charges £50. Write down the price at Shop A as a percentage of the price at Shop B.
(a)90%
(b)80%
(c)20%
(d)125%
15.A right-angled triangle has two sides of length 5 cm and 12 cm, and the angle between those two sides is 90°. Work out the length of the hypotenuse.
(a)7 cm
(b)17 cm
(c)13 cm
(d)60 cm
16.In a youth club the number of girls is 2/3 of the number of boys. What fraction of the members of the club are girls?
(a)2/3
(b)2/5
(c)1/3
(d)3/5
17.A point lies on the y-axis. What can be said about the x-coordinate of that point?
(a)y = 0
(b)x = 0
(c)x = 1
(d)x = y
18.Order these three values from smallest to largest: 3/8, 0.43, 41%.
(a)3/8, 41%, 0.43
(b)0.43, 41%, 3/8
(c)3/8, 0.43, 41%
(d)41%, 0.43, 3/8
19.A country has an area of 25,000,000 hectares. Write this area in standard form.
(a)2.5 × 10⁷
(b)2.5 × 10⁸
(c)25 × 10⁶
(d)2.5 × 10⁻⁷
20.A baker uses 450 g of flour and 300 g of butter in a batch of pastry. Write the mass of butter as a fraction of the total mass of flour and butter, in its simplest form.
(a)3/2
(b)2/5
(c)2/3
(d)3/5

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.