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 rectangular patio measures 90 cm by 120 cm. Ben wants to cover it exactly with identical square tiles, as large as possible, with no tiles cut. Work out the side length of the largest square tile he can use.
- 2.Work out the value of m² + 3m when m = −2
- 3.A textbook is reduced from £60 to £45. Work out the percentage reduction.
- 4.A parallelogram has a base of 9 cm and a perpendicular height of 4 cm. Work out its area.
- 5.The probability that a plant grown from a seed packet germinates is 7/10. Work out the probability that it does not germinate.
- 6.The number of pets owned by each of 19 pupils in a class is recorded: 0 pets — 7 pupils, 1 pet — 3 pupils, 2 pets — 4 pupils, 3 pets — 5 pupils. Work out the median number of pets.
- 7.The number 72 can be written as 2³ × 3², and the number 108 can be written as 2² × 3³. Work out the highest common factor of 72 and 108.
- 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.
- 9.A jumper normally costs £45. In a sale it is reduced by 20%. Work out the sale price, then write the sale price as a fraction of the normal price. Give your answer in its simplest form.
- 10.A zip-wire is fixed at an angle of 60° to the horizontal ground. The zip-wire is 12 m long. Using the exact value of cos 60°, work out the exact horizontal distance it covers.
- 11.A machine produces bolts. In a sample of 250 bolts, 15 are faulty. Work out the relative frequency of a bolt being faulty, giving your answer as a fraction in its simplest form.
- 12.Find the missing number: 17 × ▢ = 391
- 13.Which expression is equivalent to 6x − (2x − 5)?
- 14.Write 3 hours 45 minutes as a decimal number of hours.
- 15.In triangle ABC, angle A is 2x°, angle B is 3x° and angle C is 4x°. Work out the size of angle B.
- 16.Work out 2 × (−3 + 7)
- 17.Which expression is equivalent to 7x − 3(2x − 6)?
- 18.A plan of a garden is drawn to a scale of 1 : 200. A path measures 3 cm on the plan. Work out the real length of the path, in centimetres.
- 19.Round 0.0759 to 2 decimal places.
- 20.A worker is paid £13.20 per hour. Work out this rate of pay in pence per minute.
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.