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

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GCSE Foundation sample Paper 1 (non-calculator)

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

MathsUKwww.geekhero.co.uk

1.In a classroom the ratio of boys to girls is 3 : 4. What fraction of the class are boys?
(a)3/4
(b)3/7
(c)7/3
(d)4/7
2.A number machine adds 5 to its input. Work out the output when the input is 0.
(a)5
(b)−5
(c)0
(d)6
3.Two scale plans of the same football pitch are drawn: Plan A has a scale of 1 : 1000 and Plan B has a scale of 1 : 200. A pitch length is 8 cm on Plan A. Work out the length of the same pitch on Plan B, in centimetres.
(a)4 cm
(b)1.6 cm
(c)40 cm
(d)8 cm
4.A garden shed is shaped like a triangular prism: two identical vertical triangular end walls (the gable ends), joined by a sloping rectangular roof and a vertical rectangular back wall. Looking at the shed from directly above (the plan view), what shape is seen?
(a)a triangle
(b)a triangle with a rectangle attached
(c)two triangles joined at their bases
(d)a rectangle
5.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.
(a)0.3
(b)0.4
(c)1.3
(d)0.1
6.A charity shop in Bath holds 2,000 books. Volunteer A checks a random sample of 50 books and finds 35 paperbacks. Volunteer B checks a different random sample of 50 books and finds 31 paperbacks. Work out the estimate each sample gives for the whole stock, and write down what the shop should do next.
(a)1,400 and 1,240, so combine the samples for one estimate
(b)1,400 and 1,240, so keep 1,400 as the larger estimate
(c)1,400 and 1,240, so one volunteer must have miscounted
(d)1,750 and 1,550, so the larger estimate must be right
7.Write down the value of 7⁰
(a)1/7
(b)1
(c)7
(d)0
8.A graph has equation y = 3x + 2. Which word or phrase best describes its shape?
y = 3x + 2
(a)A curve that gets closer to an axis but never reaches it.
(b)A straight line.
(c)A curve that decreases then increases.
(d)A U-shaped curve, like a quadratic.
9.A car travels 90 km using 6 litres of petrol. Work out how far the car can travel, at the same rate, using 9 litres of petrol.
(a)135 km
(b)60 km
(c)99 km
(d)45 km
10.Triangle ABC has AB = 5 cm and BC = 7 cm. Triangle DEF has DE = 5 cm and EF = 7 cm. Which extra fact would prove the triangles are congruent by SAS?
(a)angle C = angle F
(b)angle B = angle E
(c)AC = DF
(d)angle A = angle D
11.A student is estimating the probability that a spinner lands on red. In her first 85 spins it landed on red 34 times. She then spins it 165 more times, and in those it lands on red 58 times. Work out the best estimate of the probability of red from all 250 spins. Give your answer as a decimal, correct to 3 decimal places.
(a)0.368
(b)0.352
(c)0.400
(d)0.376
12.Last year a company made a profit of £5,200,000. Write this amount in standard form.
(a)5.2 × 10⁵
(b)5.2 × 10⁶
(c)52 × 10⁵
(d)5.2 × 10⁻⁶
13.A hall is set out in rows of chairs for an assembly. Row 1 has 50 chairs, row 2 has 45 chairs, row 3 has 40 chairs, and row 4 has 35 chairs, with each row after the first having 5 fewer chairs than the one before. Work out an expression, in terms of n, for the number of chairs in row n.
(a)55 − 5n
(b)n − 5
(c)−5n − 5
(d)50n − 5
14.A cyclist rides 30 km in 1 hour 30 minutes. Work out the average speed of the cyclist in km/h.
(a)15 km/h
(b)30 km/h
(c)45 km/h
(d)20 km/h
15.Work out the gradient of the line segment joining A(2, 3) and B(6, 11).
(a)2
(b)−2
(c)8
(d)0.5
16.Work out an estimate for 79.3 − 24.6, by rounding each number to the nearest whole number.
(a)55
(b)54
(c)59
(d)54.7
17.A triangle has vertices at (1, 1), (1, 5) and (6, 1). Work out the area of the triangle.
(a)20
(b)15
(c)5
(d)10
18.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
19.A gym increases its membership price by 1/5. The original price is £60. Work out the new price.
(a)£48
(b)£72
(c)£75
(d)£12
20.Noah runs 2 km in 10 minutes. Work out how long he takes to run 5 km at the same speed.
(a)50 minutes
(b)20 minutes
(c)15 minutes
(d)25 minutes

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.