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

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1.Simplify 3² ÷ 3⁵, giving your answer as a single power of 3.
(a)3⁷
(b)3³
(c)3⁻³
(d)3¹⁰
2.A rectangular garden has length (x + 7) m and width (x − 7) m. Work out an expression for the area of the garden, giving your answer in its simplest form.
(a)2x
(b)x² + 49
(c)x² − 14x − 49
(d)x² − 49
3.A cyclist rides at an average speed of 24 km/h for 1 hour 15 minutes. Work out the distance travelled, in km.
(a)27.6 km
(b)1800 km
(c)30 km
(d)19.2 km
4.A trapezium has parallel sides of 5 cm and 11 cm, and a perpendicular height of 4 cm. Work out the area of the trapezium.
(a)32 cm²
(b)44 cm²
(c)20 cm²
(d)64 cm²
5.A bag contains 20 counters. 8 of the counters are red and 12 are blue. A counter is taken at random, its colour is recorded, and it is put back in the bag. This is done 150 times. Work out how many red counters you would expect to be recorded.
(a)60
(b)75
(c)100
(d)90
6.Four pairs of variables are listed below. Write down the pair that you would expect to show negative correlation.
(a)Minutes a candle has burned and length remaining
(b)Letters in a pupil's first name and maths score
(c)A football team's shirt colour and matches won
(d)Age of a primary-school pupil and their shoe size
7.A café offers 3 types of soup and 4 types of bread roll. Work out how many different combinations of one soup and one bread roll are possible.
(a)3
(b)12
(c)7
(d)4
8.A plant is 4 cm tall in week 1. Each week after that, its height increases by 5 cm. Work out the first week in which the plant is taller than 30 cm.
(a)Week 8
(b)Week 7
(c)Week 5
(d)Week 6
9.For the pairs x = 6, y = 15 and x = 10, y = 25, which statement is correct?
(a)They are not in direct proportion, because y − x is different for each pair (9 and 15).
(b)They are not in direct proportion, because x + y is different for each pair (21 and 35).
(c)They are in direct proportion, because y ÷ x = 2.5 for both pairs.
(d)They are in direct proportion, because x × y = 90 and 250.
10.Triangle ABC has AB = 8 cm, angle B = 50° and BC = 6 cm. Triangle DEF has DE = 8 cm, angle E = 50° and EF = 6 cm. Which condition proves the two triangles are congruent?
(a)AAS - two angles and a non-included side equal
(b)SSS - three sides equal
(c)SAS - two sides and the included angle equal
(d)ASA - two angles and the included side equal
11.A weather station records whether it rains each day for 40 days: it rains on 9 of the days and does not rain on the rest. A local forecaster claims that the probability of rain on any day is 0.3. Work out the relative frequency of rain from the recorded data.
(a)0.29
(b)0.225
(c)0.09
(d)0.3
12.2/3 of an amount of money is £30. Work out the amount.
(a)£15
(b)£45
(c)£20
(d)£90
13.A student solves the simultaneous equations 2x + y = 11 and x − y = 1 by elimination, adding the two equations together. Which of these is the correct result of that step?
(a)3x = 12
(b)3x = 10
(c)3x + 2y = 12
(d)x = 12
14.Two mathematically similar logos are printed on a poster. They have areas 20 cm² and 45 cm². Nadia says that the length scale factor from the smaller logo to the larger logo is 45 ÷ 20 = 2.25. Give a reason why Nadia is incorrect, and work out the correct length scale factor.
(a)2.25
(b)0.67
(c)4.5
(d)1.5
15.A scale drawing of a park uses a scale of 1 : 2000. A path is drawn 8.5 cm long on the drawing. A cyclist rides the length of the path and then rides straight back again along the same path. How far does the cyclist travel in total, in metres?
(a)85
(b)340
(c)170
(d)680
16.The length of a nail is 12 cm, correct to the nearest centimetre. Using L for the length of the nail in centimetres, write down the error interval for L.
(a)11.5 ≤ L < 12.5
(b)11.5 < L < 12.5
(c)11 ≤ L < 13
(d)11.5 ≤ L ≤ 12.5
17.A plumber charges a call-out fee plus an hourly rate for a job. The total cost, £C, for a job lasting h hours is given by the formula C = 40 + 25h. What does the number 40 represent in this formula?
(a)The total cost for a job lasting 1 hour.
(b)The hourly rate the plumber charges.
(c)The number of hours worked before charging starts.
(d)The fixed call-out fee, charged before the hourly rate.
18.Triangle ABC has a right angle at C. AC = 3 cm and BC = 4 cm. Triangle ABC is mathematically similar to triangle PQR, with angle B corresponding to angle Q. Work out the value of tan(angle Q).
(a)3/4
(b)4/3
(c)3/7
(d)4/7
19.A tin of soup has a mass of 450 g. A bag of potatoes has a mass of 2.6 kg. Work out the total mass, in kilograms.
(a)7.1 kg
(b)2.645 kg
(c)3.05 kg
(d)452.6 kg
20.A sculptor makes two mathematically similar statues. The smaller statue is 20 cm tall and 80 ml of varnish covers its surface. The larger statue is 50 cm tall. Work out how much varnish is needed to cover the surface of the larger statue.
(a)200 ml
(b)1250 ml
(c)32 ml
(d)500 ml

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.