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.A concrete mix is made from cement and sand in the ratio 3 : 5 by mass. A builder mixes 96 kg of concrete. Work out the mass of cement in the mix.
- 2.Which of these equations gives a straight-line graph when plotted?
- 3.A jug holds 3 litres of a drink that is 60% fruit juice. 1 litre of water is added to the jug. Work out the percentage of the new mixture that is fruit juice.
- 4.The diagram shows a solid resting on its side on a table. Work out which shape is its plan view, the view looking straight down from above.
- 5.Spinner P and Spinner Q are each fair and have 5 equal sections, numbered 1 to 5. Both spinners are spun once, and every outcome is listed as an ordered pair, Spinner P then Spinner Q, such as (2, 4). Work out how many of the outcomes have the score on Spinner P less than the score on Spinner Q.
- 6.A café in Preston records the type of drink ordered by 20 customers one morning: tea 8, coffee 7, hot chocolate 4 and juice 1. Write down the modal drink.
- 7.A garden has flowers, herbs and vegetables in the ratio 2 : 3 : 4. What fraction of the garden is not vegetables?
- 8.A sequence starts at 2. Each term after that is found using the rule "double the previous term, then add 1". Work out the 4th term of the sequence.
- 9.A material has a density of 2 g/cm³. Work out the mass of 5 cm³ of this material.
- 10.In an isosceles triangle each of the two base angles is 46°. Work out the size of the angle at the apex.
- 11.180 gardeners at an allotment were asked whether they grow vegetables organically. 100 of the gardeners are on the north plots. 64 of the north-plot gardeners grow organically. 30 of the south-plot gardeners do not grow organically. Work out how many south-plot gardeners grow organically.
- 12.A school orders 187 packed lunches for a trip. Each packed lunch costs £4.85. The school has £900 to spend. By rounding each number to 1 significant figure, work out an estimate for the total cost and decide whether £900 is enough.
- 13.Which expression is equivalent to 4(x − 2) + 10?
- 14.The population of a village is 1200. It is predicted to grow by 5% next year. Work out the predicted population after 1 year, to the nearest whole number.
- 15.A straight line touches the edge of a circle at exactly one point and does not cross into the circle at all. Write down the term for this line.
- 16.Write these decimals in order, starting with the smallest: 0.6, 0.55, 0.601, 0.5, 0.56
- 17.A straight line has gradient −2 and passes through the point (3, 1). Work out the equation of the line.
- 18.A recipe requires flour and butter in the ratio 3 : 2. Write down which of these amounts could be used in the recipe.
- 19.Work out ⁴√81
- 20.A jug holds 2 litres. Given that 1 litre = 1000 cm³, work out the capacity of the jug in cm³.
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.