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.Round 592.5 to the nearest 10.
- 2.Work out the gradient of the straight line that passes through the points (−1, 5) and (3, −7).
- 3.Write the ratio 4x : 6x in its simplest form, where x is a positive number.
- 4.In parallelogram PQRS, angle P = 65°. Which reason correctly explains why angle R = 65°?
- 5.A fair coin is flipped three times. Work out the probability of getting at least one head.
- 6.A netball team scored 50, 83 and 68 points in three matches. Work out the mean number of points scored.
- 7.Write these three numbers in order, starting with the smallest: 7/20, 0.3, 32%
- 8.In a sequence, each term is half the term before it. The sequence begins 100, 50, 25. Write down the next term.
- 9.The table shows values of x and y. x: 3, 5, 8. y: 12, 20, 32. Which statement correctly describes the relationship between x and y?
- 10.u is the column vector with top number 5 and bottom number 1. v is the column vector with top number 2 and bottom number 4. Work out u − v, giving your answer as a column vector in the form (top, bottom).
- 11.A fair six-sided dice is rolled once. Write down the probability of rolling a 6.
- 12.Simplify 3² ÷ 3⁵, giving your answer as a single power of 3.
- 13.Write down 0.2x with its coefficient written as a fraction in its simplest form.
- 14.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.
- 15.A circular plate has a diameter of 20 cm. Work out the area of the plate. Use π = 3.14.
- 16.A block of butter has a mass of 250 g, correct to the nearest 10 g. Using m for the mass of the block in grams, write down the error interval for m.
- 17.Solve 3x + 14 = 8x − 6
- 18.A block of wood has a mass of 60 g and a volume of 100 cm³. Work out the density of the block, in g/cm³.
- 19.A paint mix is made from white paint and blue paint in the ratio 5 : 3. Priya uses 1.2 litres of blue paint and the matching amount of white paint. Work out the total volume of the mix.
- 20.Water flows into a tank at a constant rate. After 8 minutes the tank holds 200 litres. Write the ratio of time in minutes to volume in litres, 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.