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 car manufacturer offers a car in 6 colours and 4 trim levels. Two colour-and-trim combinations are not available: red with sport trim, and white with sport trim. Work out how many different colour-and-trim combinations are available.
- 2.A company charges for hiring chairs for a day. Hiring 1 chair costs £12, hiring 2 chairs costs £19, hiring 3 chairs costs £26, and hiring 4 chairs costs £33. Work out an expression, in terms of n, for the cost in pounds of hiring n chairs for a day.
- 3.Write 75p : £1.50 as a ratio of whole numbers in its simplest form.
- 4.In triangle ABC the angle at A is 90° and BC = 10 cm. For the angle at B, sin B = 3/5. Work out the length of AC.
- 5.Two pupils each flip the same coin to estimate the probability of heads. Leah flips it 40 times and gets 24 heads. Ben flips it 60 times and gets 33 heads. By combining both pupils' results, work out the relative frequency of heads, giving your answer as a fraction in its simplest form.
- 6.A scatter graph shows the number of days, x, that each of 16 tomato plants was watered and its height, y cm. The line of best fit has equation y = 1.5x + 4. Write down what the 1.5 in this equation tells you about the plants.y = 1.5x + 4
- 7.Work out 3/4 − 5/12 exactly, giving your answer in its simplest form.
- 8.Solve 6x + 4 = 28
- 9.8 identical pens cost £6.40 in total. Work out the cost of 5 of the same pens.
- 10.Triangle DEF is isosceles, with DE = DF. Angle E = 58°. Work out angle F.
- 11.A raffle at a school fair sells 500 tickets. Mia buys 25 of the tickets. One ticket is drawn at random to win the prize. Work out the probability that Mia wins the raffle. Give your answer as a fraction in its simplest form.
- 12.Write 0.35 as a fraction in its lowest terms.
- 13.A number, n, is tripled and then 4.5 is added. The result is 22.5. Form an equation and solve it to find n.
- 14.Four graphs are described below. Each shows one quantity plotted against another. Write down the description of the graph that shows two quantities in direct proportion.
- 15.Which of the following correctly describes what it means for two lines to be perpendicular?
- 16.A photography studio offers 4 backdrops and 3 outfits for a portrait session. The plain grey backdrop, one of the 4 backdrops, cannot be used with the formal suit outfit, one of the 3 outfits. Work out how many different backdrop-and-outfit combinations are possible.
- 17.A table of values is being drawn for the graph of y = x³. Work out the value of y when x = −2.y = x
- 18.The rent on a flat increases by 10% one year and by a further 10% the following year. Work out the overall percentage increase over the two years.
- 19.Work out 20 − 8 ÷ 2 + 1
- 20.y is directly proportional to x. If the value of x is trebled (multiplied by 3), what happens to the value of y?
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.