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 pack contains 20 stickers. Noah gives 1/5 of the pack to his sister. Work out how many stickers he gives away.
- 2.Work out the value of 3b − 4 when b = 6
- 3.The ratio of the amount of money Harry has to the amount of money Isla has is 5:3. Harry has £35. Work out how much money Isla has.
- 4.Every point on a circle is exactly the same distance from one particular point. Write down the name of that point.
- 5.Two fair four-sided dice, numbered 1 to 4, are rolled and the two scores are added together. Work out the probability that the total is 5.
- 6.Ben and Chloe each sat five maths tests. Ben's marks were 62, 64, 65, 66 and 68. Chloe's marks were 40, 52, 65, 78 and 90. Both pupils have a mean mark of 65. Their teacher says the mean on its own does not describe the two sets of marks well. Give a reason why the teacher is right.
- 7.Write 0.35 as a fraction in its lowest terms.
- 8.The solution to an inequality is n ≤ 5. Write down the largest integer value of n that satisfies this inequality.
- 9.£1 is worth 1.25 US dollars. Write the ratio of pounds to dollars in its simplest form, using whole numbers.
- 10.A hiker starts by walking on a bearing of 245°. She turns clockwise through 50°, then turns clockwise through a further 15°, and continues walking in a straight line. What bearing is she now walking on?
- 11.The probability that Priya scores with a netball shot is 3/4. She takes two shots, and the shots are independent. Work out the probability that she scores with her first shot but misses her second shot.
- 12.A necklace is made from red beads and gold beads in the ratio 7 : 3. What fraction of the beads are gold?
- 13.Factorise fully 5x + 5y − 5
- 14.A smoothie recipe combines 350 cm³ of mango juice with 650 cm³ of orange juice. Work out the total volume of the smoothie in litres.
- 15.A rhombus has all four sides equal in length, but it is not a square — its angles are not all 90°. How many lines of symmetry does this rhombus have?
- 16.Work out 5 + 3 × (9 − 6)
- 17.A rectangle has length (2x + 5) cm and width (x − 2) cm. Work out an expression, in terms of x, for the perimeter of the rectangle. Give your answer in its simplest form.
- 18.A ribbon of length 90 cm is cut into two pieces in the ratio 4:5. Work out the length of the shorter piece.
- 19.A jug holds 1.25 litres of water. Ella pours in another 400 ml. Work out the total volume, in litres.
- 20.A vegetable patch is divided between carrots, potatoes and onions in the ratio 2 : 3 : 5. Write down the fraction of the patch used for potatoes.
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.