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.Write the fraction 47/50 as a decimal.
- 2.A rectangle has length k cm and width 5 cm less than its length. Write down an expression for the width of the rectangle, in cm.
- 3.The ratio of the number of red beads to blue beads in a bracelet is 3 : 7. There are 21 blue beads. Work out the number of red beads.
- 4.A drone starts at the point (3.5, −2) on a grid measured in metres. It flies by the vector to check a first sensor. The drone then needs to fly in a straight line to reach the point (−1.7, 9) to check a second sensor. Work out the column vector of this second flight.
- 5.A fair spinner has 8 equal sections: 5 are red and 3 are blue. Freya spins it twice, and each spin is independent of the other. Work out the probability that she gets one red and one blue in the two spins, in either order.
- 6.A netball team scored 50, 83 and 68 points in three matches. Work out the mean number of points scored.
- 7.A garden has flowers, herbs and vegetables in the ratio 2 : 3 : 4. What fraction of the garden is not vegetables?
- 8.The mean of four numbers is 12.5. Three of the numbers are 8, 15 and 19. Form an equation using n for the fourth number, and solve it to find n.
- 9.Write 1/5 as a percentage.
- 10.The diagram shows a solid resting on its side on a table. Work out which shape is its plan view, the view looking straight down from above.
- 11.A bag contains 2 white counters and 8 black counters. One counter is taken at random from the bag. Work out the probability that the counter is not black.
- 12.An allotment plot is divided into vegetables and flowers in the ratio 9 : 4. A third of the vegetable section is used for potatoes. What fraction of the whole plot is potatoes?
- 13.The first five terms of a quadratic sequence are 2, 5, 10, 17, 26. Work out the next term in the sequence.
- 14.£2000 is invested in a savings account that pays 5% compound interest each year. Work out the value of the investment at the end of 2 years.
- 15.A plan of a car park is drawn to a scale of 1 : 500. A parking bay is drawn as a rectangle measuring 1.2 cm by 0.6 cm. The real width of the bay corresponds to the 0.6 cm side. What is the real width of the bay, in metres?
- 16.Two lighthouses flash at the start of the same minute. The first lighthouse flashes every 8 minutes and the second flashes every 12 minutes. Work out how many minutes it will be until they next flash together.
- 17.The first five terms of a quadratic sequence are 5, 8, 13, 20, 29. Work out the next term in the sequence.
- 18.A recipe for 6 muffins needs 150 g of flour. Aisha wants to make 15 muffins using the same recipe. Work out how much flour she needs.
- 19.Work out (−2/5) × (−10/3). Give your answer as a fraction in its simplest form.
- 20.There are 84 passengers on a double-decker bus. 35 of the passengers are adults and the rest are children. Write the number of adults as a fraction of the number of children. Give your answer in its simplest form.
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.