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.Write 12 as a product of its prime factors.
- 2.The expression 6n + 15 is written as 3(2n + 5). Which statement is correct?
- 3.5 tins of soup cost £8 in total. Work out the multiplier that changes the number of tins into the total cost in pounds.
- 4.Write down which quadrant contains the point (−3, 5) when plotted on a coordinate grid.
- 5.A survey of 160 employees at a company recorded whether they cycle to work, using a frequency tree. The first branch splits them into 90 who work full-time and 70 who work part-time. Of the full-time employees, 27 cycle to work. Of the part-time employees, 14 cycle to work. Work out the probability that an employee, chosen at random from the 160, cycles to work. Give your answer as a fraction in its simplest form.
- 6.Two classes sat the same test. The 30 pupils in Class A had a mean mark of 72. The 20 pupils in Class B had a mean mark of 82. Work out the mean mark of all 50 pupils.
- 7.Oliver drives 95 km at an average speed of 50 km/h. Work out an estimate for the time the journey takes, by rounding the distance to the nearest 100 km.
- 8.Work out the value of 3a − 2b when a = 5 and b = 4
- 9.y is directly proportional to x. When x = 5, y = 18. Work out the value of y when x = 15.
- 10.Each of these has an exact value. Write down the one whose value is the greatest.
- 11.Bag A contains 3 red balls and 2 blue balls. Bag B contains 1 red ball and 3 blue balls. One ball is taken at random from each bag. Work out the probability that both balls are red.
- 12.A space probe is 7.5 × 10⁸ km from Earth. Write this distance as an ordinary number.
- 13.Write down the expression that means the same as 'subtract 5 from n, then divide the result by 2'.
- 14.A car uses 6 litres of petrol to travel 90 km. Write the ratio of the distance travelled in km to the amount of petrol used in litres, in its simplest form.
- 15.Triangle ABC has AB = 9 cm, BC = 6 cm and angle A = 35°. Triangle DEF has DE = 9 cm, EF = 6 cm and angle D = 35°. Which of the following correctly identifies the condition shown here?
- 16.Work out 3³ + 2⁴.
- 17.Simplify 2b − 1 + 2b − 4 + 2b
- 18.A bag contains red counters and blue counters in the ratio 5:3. There are 56 counters in the bag altogether. Work out how many counters are blue.
- 19.A roll of ribbon is 8.4 m long. Ribbon is cut into pieces that are each 0.6 m long. Work out how many complete pieces can be cut from the roll.
- 20.A tray holds 8 muffins and 20 cupcakes. Write the ratio of the number of muffins to the number of cupcakes 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.