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.Which of these numbers lies between −8 and −5 on a number line?
- 2.Write down the number of terms in the expression 4x² − 7x + 3.
- 3.The ratio of Josh's savings to Mia's savings is 4:7. Mia has £39 more than Josh. Work out Josh's savings.
- 4.ABCD is an isosceles trapezium. The sides AB and DC are parallel, and the two sloping sides AD and BC are equal in length. Angle D is 112°. Work out the size of angle B.
- 5.At a gym, 70 members are asked whether they use the pool or the sauna. 38 use the pool, 30 use the sauna, and 12 use neither. Work out n(P ∩ S), the number of members who use both the pool and the sauna.
- 6.Five friends have heights, in cm, of 150, 152, 155, 158 and 160. A sixth friend, with a height of 170 cm, joins the group. Write down what happens to the mean and the range of the heights once this sixth friend is included.
- 7.Grace works out 7 × 99 by writing 99 as 100 − 1. Use her method to work out 7 × 99.
- 8.Factorise fully 12x² + 18x.
- 9.A sum of £150 is divided between Ben and Chloe in the ratio 2:3. Work out Chloe's share.
- 10.A parallelogram has a base of 9 cm and a perpendicular height of 6 cm. Work out the area of the parallelogram.
- 11.A bag contains 2 white counters and 8 black counters. One counter is taken at random from the bag. Work out the probability that the counter is not black.
- 12.Write 0.25 as a fraction in its simplest form.
- 13.Grace says that 2(x + 1) and 2x + 2 always have the same value. Work out the value of both expressions when x = 3.
- 14.A jug of squash is made by mixing water and syrup in the ratio 6:1. Nia wants to make 8.4 litres of squash. Work out how much syrup she needs, in litres.
- 15.Write down the column vector that describes a translation of 5 units to the left and 3 units down.
- 16.Work out the lowest common multiple of 9 and 15.
- 17.A gym charges a joining fee plus a monthly fee. Anna paid £100 in total after 3 months of membership. Ben paid £160 in total after 6 months of membership (same joining fee and monthly fee as Anna). Work out the monthly fee.
- 18.Two cars leave the same point at the same time and travel in opposite directions. One travels at 80 km/h and the other at 60 km/h. Work out how long it takes until the cars are 350 km apart.
- 19.Work out (−2)² − 3
- 20.A straight line passes through the points (1, 20) and (5, 8). Work out the gradient of the line.
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.