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 train journey takes 45 minutes, correct to the nearest 5 minutes. Using t for the actual time of the journey in minutes, write down the error interval for t.
(a)42.5 ≤ t < 47.5
(b)40 ≤ t < 50
(c)42.5 ≤ t ≤ 47.5
(d)44.5 ≤ t < 45.5
2.A cinema sells adult tickets and child tickets. On one evening, 40 tickets are sold in total. There are 8 more adult tickets sold than child tickets. Work out the number of child tickets sold.
(a)20
(b)32
(c)16
(d)24
3.Write 75p : £1.50 as a ratio of whole numbers in its simplest form.
(a)2:1
(b)3:4
(c)1:2
(d)50:1
4.A circle has two straight radii drawn from the centre to the edge, together with the arc between them. Write down the name of the region enclosed by these two radii and the arc.
(a)chord
(b)segment
(c)semicircle
(d)sector
5.A spinner lands on red, on blue or on green, and it cannot land on more than one colour at a time. The probability that it lands on red is 0.3 and the probability that it lands on blue is 0.5. Work out the probability that it lands on red or on blue.
(a)0.8
(b)0.2
(c)0.15
(d)0.4
6.A dual bar chart shows the number of hours of rain recorded in Leeds and in Bristol on each of four days. Leeds: Monday 3 hours, Tuesday 5 hours, Wednesday 2 hours, Thursday 4 hours. Bristol: Monday 4 hours, Tuesday 4 hours, Wednesday 6 hours, Thursday 2 hours. Work out the greatest amount, in hours, by which Bristol's rainfall exceeded Leeds's rainfall on a single day.
(a)1
(b)4
(c)2
(d)6
7.Grace buys three items costing £9.95, £19.90 and £4.99. Work out an estimate for the total cost, by rounding each price to the nearest pound.
(a)£34.84
(b)£35
(c)£32
(d)£40
8.Work out the distance of the point (−6, 4) from the x-axis.
(a)10
(b)−6
(c)4
(d)6
9.A toy manufacturer makes a model aircraft that is mathematically similar to the real aircraft, at a scale of 1 : 48. The wingspan of the model is 15 cm. Work out the wingspan of the real aircraft, giving your answer in metres.
(a)72 m
(b)7.2 m
(c)0.72 m
(d)0.31 m
10.Two similar triangles have lengths in the ratio 5 : 8. A side of the smaller triangle is 6.5 cm. Work out the length of the corresponding side of the larger triangle.
(a)10.4 cm
(b)4.0625 cm
(c)9.5 cm
(d)13 cm
11.A fair spinner is divided into 5 equal sections, 2 labelled win and 3 labelled lose. Zara spins it twice, and the two spins are independent. Work out the probability that she wins on the first spin and loses on the second spin.
(a)9/25
(b)6/25
(c)4/25
(d)3/10
12.A jug holds 1.8 litres of juice. Priya pours out 3/4 of a litre to fill a glass. Work out how much juice is left in the jug, in millilitres.
(a)1725 ml
(b)50 ml
(c)2550 ml
(d)1050 ml
13.Here are the first four terms of an arithmetic sequence: 5, 9, 13, 17. Work out the 5th term.
(a)22
(b)21
(c)25
(d)20
14.A rectangle has its height and its width in the ratio 3:2. The height of the rectangle is 18 cm. Work out the width of the rectangle.
(a)17 cm
(b)12 cm
(c)27 cm
(d)6 cm
15.A chord is drawn across a circle, dividing the circle into two regions. Write down the name of one of these two regions.
(a)segment
(b)arc
(c)sector
(d)radius
16.A tank contains 120 litres of water. Water is drained out at a rate of 8 litres per minute for 6 minutes, and then a hose adds 15 litres. Work out how much water is left in the tank.
(a)121 litres
(b)57 litres
(c)87 litres
(d)72 litres
17.A speed-time graph for a car shows the speed increasing steadily from 5 m/s to 17 m/s over 6 seconds. Work out the acceleration of the car, in m/s².
(a)2 m/s²
(b)22 m/s²
(c)12 m/s²
(d)72 m/s²
18.A sculptor makes two mathematically similar statues. The smaller statue is 20 cm tall and 80 ml of varnish covers its surface. The larger statue is 50 cm tall. Work out how much varnish is needed to cover the surface of the larger statue.
(a)200 ml
(b)1250 ml
(c)32 ml
(d)500 ml
19.Amelia estimates 48 × 21 by working out 50 × 20 = 1,000. Work out whether her estimate is an under-estimate or an over-estimate, and by how much.
(a)An over-estimate, by 19
(b)Neither — the estimate is exactly right
(c)An under-estimate, by 8
(d)An over-estimate, by 8
20.The number of tickets a group can afford is inversely proportional to the price per ticket. At £4 per ticket, the group can afford 12 tickets. Work out how many tickets the group can afford at £6 per ticket.
(a)6
(b)18
(c)12
(d)8

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.