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.In a box of counters the ratio of red counters to blue counters is 4 : 5. What fraction of the counters are blue?
- 2.A sequence has the position-to-term rule: the term is the square of the position number. Its first four terms are 1, 4, 9, 16. Work out the 10th term.
- 3.1 metre = 100 cm. Work out how many square centimetres there are in 1 square metre.
- 4.A rectangular photograph is 12 cm long and 5 cm wide. Work out the perimeter of the photograph.
- 5.A bag contains 5 red counters and 5 green counters. Three counters are taken out one at a time and are not put back. Work out the probability that all three counters are red.
- 6.A pie chart of the favourite hobby of a group of pupils has three sectors: reading 50%, sport 25% and music 25%. Write down, as a fraction in its simplest form, the share of the pie chart taken up by the reading sector.
- 7.Work out an estimate for 113 + 491, by rounding each number to the nearest 100.
- 8.Make x the subject of the formula y = (x − 4)/5.
- 9.A box holds 60 crayons. 25 of the crayons are broken and the rest are unbroken. Write the number of unbroken crayons as a fraction of the number of broken crayons. Give your answer in its simplest form.
- 10.A chord divides a circle into two regions, one larger than the other. Write down the term used for the smaller of these two regions.
- 11.In a game, Freddie says the probability of winning is 0.45, the probability of drawing is 0.3 and the probability of losing is 0.35, and that all three of his probabilities are correct. Which statement about Freddie's probabilities is correct?
- 12.Work out 6² − 4².
- 13.In a sequence, each term is half the term before it. The sequence begins 100, 50, 25. Write down the next term.
- 14.The price of a jacket increases by 50% and then decreases by 50%. Describe the overall change from the original price.
- 15.Write down how many right angles a rectangle has.
- 16.At a book fair the ratio of fiction books to non-fiction books is 4 : 5. Of the non-fiction books, 3/5 are about history. Work out the fraction of all the books at the fair that are history books.
- 17.Write down the expression that means the same as m × m × m × n.
- 18.£120 is shared between three cousins in the ratio 3:4:5. Work out the largest share.
- 19.Write 45,000 in standard form.
- 20.A laptop is bought for £600. Its value decreases by 20% after 1 year. Work out the value of the laptop after 1 year.
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.