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.Find the missing number: ▢ ÷ 15 = 24
- 2.The nth term of a sequence is n² + 3. Work out the first term of the sequence that is greater than 50.
- 3.A straight-line graph shows the cost, C pounds, of hiring a small van for m miles driven. The line passes through the origin and the point (25, 20). Work out the gradient of the line.
- 4.In triangle XYZ, the side opposite vertex X is labelled using the standard lowercase-letter convention. Which label is correct?
- 5.A fair six-sided dice is rolled 150 times. The table shows how many times each number came up: 1 came up 22 times, 2 came up 27 times, 3 came up 24 times, 4 came up 34 times, 5 came up 21 times and 6 came up 22 times. The theoretical probability of each number is 1/6. Which number is most over-represented compared with its theoretical probability?
- 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.Work out 3 + 4 × (−2).
- 8.Make x the subject of the formula y = x/2 − 5.y = x
- 9.A straight-line graph shows the cost, C pounds, of buying n litres of paint. The line passes through the origin and through the point (5, 40). Work out the gradient of the line.
- 10.A sector of a circle is bounded by two straight edges and one curved edge. Write down the mathematical term for each of the two straight edges.
- 11.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.
- 12.A weather app records the temperature at three points in one day: 6 °C at noon, −2 °C at midnight, and −7 °C just before dawn. Work out the difference between the highest and lowest of these three temperatures.
- 13.Expand 2(x + 12)
- 14.y is directly proportional to x. When x = 5, y = 18. Work out the value of y when x = 15.
- 15.Point B is at (1, 6). It is reflected in the x-axis. Work out the coordinates of the image of point B.
- 16.Which statement about the number 91 is correct?
- 17.y = 5x − 1. Work out the value of y when x = 3.y = 5x − 1
- 18.A crate exerts a force of 84 N on the floor through a base with an area of 2.4 m². Work out the pressure on the floor, in N/m².
- 19.Which of these numbers is the largest: −9, −7, −4, −2?
- 20.Ffion is paid £11.20 per hour. She works 6 hours on Monday and 4.5 hours on Tuesday. Work out her total pay for the two days.
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.