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%.

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GCSE Foundation sample Paper 1 (non-calculator)

Maths · GCSE Foundation · Paper 1 · Non-calculator · 20 questions

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1.A garden path is measured by Jon as 12 m, correct to the nearest metre, and by Mia as 12.6 m, correct to the nearest 0.1 m. Which statement about the two measurements is correct?
(a)They cannot both be describing the same path
(b)Jon's measurement must be wrong
(c)Mia's measurement must be wrong
(d)They must both be describing the same path
2.A Fibonacci-type sequence begins 3, 5, 8, 13, ... where each term after the second is the sum of the two terms before it. Work out the 7th term of the sequence.
(a)34
(b)68
(c)55
(d)47
3.Write 2 m : 150 cm : 50 cm as a ratio of whole numbers in its simplest form.
(a)4:3:1
(b)4:3:2
(c)2:150:50
(d)3:4:1
4.Two straight paths cross at a junction in a park. One of the angles between them, measured with a protractor, is 76°. What is the size of the angle immediately next to it on a straight line?
(a)14
(b)104
(c)76
(d)90
5.Spinner A has 4 equal sections, numbered 1, 2, 3 and 4. Spinner B has 3 equal sections, coloured red, red and blue. Both spinners are spun once. Work out the probability of getting an even number on Spinner A and red on Spinner B.
(a)1/3
(b)1/6
(c)1/4
(d)5/6
6.A café owner in Brighton records the midday temperature, x °C, and the number of hot chocolates sold, y, on 12 days. The temperatures recorded run from 4 °C to 18 °C, and the line of best fit is y = −3x + 74. The forecast for tomorrow gives a midday temperature of 12 °C. Work out the number the line of best fit predicts, and write down how much confidence the owner can have in it.
y = -3x + 74
(a)38, and completely certain, as the line gives exact sales
(b)110, and fairly confident, as 12 °C is inside the range
(c)38, but little confidence, as 12 °C is outside the range
(d)38, and fairly confident, as 12 °C is inside the range
7.£60 is shared between Amir, Bo and Chen in the ratio 1:2:3. Work out the fraction of the £60 that Amir and Bo receive together.
(a)1/2
(b)1/6
(c)5/6
(d)1
8.A cinema sells adult tickets for £10 and child tickets for £6. A family group buys 9 tickets in total, spending £74. Work out how many adult tickets were bought.
(a)7.4
(b)1.25
(c)5
(d)4
9.A kettle uses 2.1 kWh of energy. A toaster uses 0.9 kWh of energy. Write the energy used by the kettle as a fraction of the energy used by the toaster, giving your answer in its simplest form.
(a)7/10
(b)4/3
(c)3/7
(d)7/3
10.Two points on a circle divide its circumference into two arcs of different lengths. Write down the name given to the shorter of the two arcs.
(a)Major arc
(b)Minor segment
(c)Chord
(d)Minor arc
11.The probability that Priya's dentist appointment overruns is 0.35. Work out the probability that it does not overrun.
(a)1.35
(b)0.35
(c)0.65
(d)0.75
12.Two-digit numbers are formed using the digits 2, 5, 7 and 8, and each digit may be used only once in a number. Work out how many of these two-digit numbers are even.
(a)8
(b)12
(c)6
(d)2
13.The formula for the profit, £P, made on an item is P = S − C, where S is the selling price and C is the cost price. Make S the subject of the formula.
(a)S = PC
(b)S = P − C
(c)S = P + C
(d)S = C − P
14.A cartographer is choosing a scale for a map to show a small park in as much detail as possible. Which of these scales would show the MOST detail — 1 : 500, 1 : 5000, or 1 : 50 000? Give the correct scale and reason.
(a)1 : 50 000 — covers the largest real area, most detail
(b)1 : 500 — smallest real distance per cm (5 m), most detail
(c)1 : 5000 — the middle value, most balanced
(d)1 : 500 — smallest ratio, covers largest real distance
15.Triangle ABC has AB = 10 cm, BC = 7 cm and angle A = 40°. Triangle DEF has DE = 10 cm, EF = 7 cm and angle D = 40°. Sam says the two triangles are congruent by SAS. Which statement about Sam's claim is correct?
(a)Wrong - none of the sides or angles match
(b)Correct, but by ASA rather than SAS
(c)Correct - two sides and an angle match
(d)Wrong - the given angle is not the included angle
16.Work out −4.5 + 2.8.
(a)1.7
(b)−7.3
(c)−2.3
(d)−1.7
17.A printer starts a job with 480 sheets of paper loaded and prints at a steady rate. The number of sheets left, S, after t minutes is given by S = 480 − 24t. Work out how many minutes it takes for the paper to run out completely.
(a)20
(b)456
(c)0.05
(d)480
18.Butter costs £2.40 per kg. Work out the cost of the butter in pence per 100 g.
(a)2400p
(b)2.4p
(c)24p
(d)240p
19.A charity raises money from a raffle and a cake sale in the ratio 5 : 3. Altogether the charity raises £320. Work out how much money the cake sale raised.
(a)£40
(b)£192
(c)£200
(d)£120
20.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.
(a)35
(b)8
(c)0.125
(d)40

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.