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 spreadsheet shows that 812 − 397 = 315. Work out an estimate for 812 − 397, by rounding each number to the nearest 100, to check whether the spreadsheet's answer is reasonable.
- 2.For the equation 2x + 3 = 11, and the inequality 2x + 3 > 11, which statement correctly compares their solutions?
- 3.A recipe uses flour and sugar in the ratio 4 : 1 by mass. The mass of sugar is s grams and the mass of flour is f grams. Write down a formula for f in terms of s.
- 4.A solid has 10 vertices and 15 edges. Using the formula F + V − E = 2, work out how many faces it has.
- 5.A spinner is spun 50 times. It lands on green 18 times. Work out the relative frequency of landing on green.
- 6.A council in Leeds wants to know what local people think about letting shops stay open later in the evening. It rings landline telephone numbers between 10 am and 2 pm on a Tuesday. Write down which group is most likely to be under-represented in the sample, and give a reason for your answer.
- 7.To estimate the cost of buying 38.7 m of rope at £21.40 per metre, both numbers are first rounded to 1 significant figure. Work out the estimate.
- 8.A rule turns each input x into an output y. The inputs are x = 0, 1, 2, 3 and the outputs are y = 4, 7, 10, 13. Work out the output when x = 5.
- 9.A mortar mix is made from sand and cement in the ratio 5 : 3. Write the ratio of sand to the total mix in its simplest form.
- 10.For two triangles to be proved congruent using SAS, which two facts must be true about both triangles?
- 11.Five balls numbered 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 are in a bag. Two of them are taken out together at random. Work out the probability that the two numbers on them add up to more than 7.
- 12.A plank of wood is 5 1/4 m long. Pieces of length 3/4 m are cut from it. Work out how many complete pieces of 3/4 m can be cut from the plank.
- 13.A car passes the 15 km marker on a road and passes the 195 km marker 3 hours later. Work out the gradient of the distance-time graph, that is the rate of change of distance with time.
- 14.A charity collects donations from adults and children in the ratio 5:2. Altogether, £238 is collected. Work out how much more the adults donate than the children.
- 15.Write down the name given to a quadrilateral with exactly one pair of parallel sides.
- 16.Write 200 as a product of its prime factors, using index notation.
- 17.Amelia's mother is three times as old as Amelia. Four years ago her mother was five times as old as Amelia was then. Work out Amelia's age now.
- 18.A charity receives £360 in donations in January and £480 in donations in February. Write the amount received in January as a fraction of the amount received in February, giving your answer in its simplest form.
- 19.A restaurant adds a service charge of 15% to a bill of £120. Work out the service charge.
- 20.A map has a scale of 1:25000. A road on the map is 6 cm long. Work out the real-life length of the road, giving your answer in kilometres.
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.