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 paint mix is made from white paint and blue paint in the ratio 5 : 3. Priya uses 1.2 litres of blue paint and the matching amount of white paint. Work out the total volume of the mix.
- 2.The first four terms of a sequence are 4, 6, 8, 10. Work out an expression, in terms of n, for the nth term.
- 3.In a car park there are 35 cars and 15 vans. Write the ratio of the number of vans to the number of cars in its simplest form.
- 4.A cyclist rides around a perfectly circular track with centre O. At every moment of the ride, the distance from O to the cyclist is exactly the same. Which term names this fixed distance?
- 5.On a probability scale from 0 to 1, the points impossible (0), unlikely (0.25), evens (0.5) and certain (1) are marked. An event has a probability of 0.3. Between which two neighbouring marked points does 0.3 lie?
- 6.A bar chart shows the number of books borrowed from a school library on each of five days. The bar heights are: Monday 12, Tuesday 18, Wednesday 9, Thursday 15 and Friday 21. Work out the total number of books borrowed over the five days.
- 7.An allotment is divided into two plots in the ratio 2:3. The larger plot has an area of 18 m². Work out the fraction of the total area taken up by the smaller plot.
- 8.The diagram shows the graph of , together with the horizontal line . Use the graphs to estimate, to 1 decimal place, the two solutions of .
- 9.A market stall sells apples at a fixed price per kilogram. Priya buys 3 kg for £5.40. Write the ratio of the mass in kilograms to the cost in pounds, in its simplest form.
- 10.A rhombus has all four sides equal in length. Write down how many pairs of parallel sides a rhombus has.
- 11.The probability that Ben catches his bus on time is 0.8. The probability that Freya catches her bus on time is 0.5. The two events are independent. Work out the probability that both Ben and Freya catch their bus on time.
- 12.Is 120 divisible by 5? Give a reason for your answer.
- 13.A number machine multiplies its input by 2 and then subtracts 5. Work out the output when the input is 6.
- 14.Two mathematically similar jugs have heights 8 cm and 12 cm. The smaller jug holds 200 ml when it is full. Work out how much the larger jug holds when it is full.
- 15.A regular hexagon is divided into six identical triangles by joining its centre to each of the six vertices. Work out the size of the angle of one of these triangles at the centre of the hexagon.
- 16.Find the missing number: 17 × ▢ = 391
- 17.x = 5. Work out the value of 3x² − 4.
- 18.A recipe for 8 people needs 320 g of rice. Sanjay scales the recipe down to serve 5 people, then wants to scale his new amount back up to serve 8 people again. Work out the multiplier he should use to scale his amount for 5 people back up to the amount for 8 people.
- 19.A company sells 4 × 10³ items per day, each priced at £2.50. It operates for 3 × 10² days a year. Work out the company's total revenue for the year. Give your answer in standard form.
- 20.Work out how many seconds there are in 3 minutes and 20 seconds.
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.