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 0.875 as a fraction in its simplest form.
- 2.Which expression means the same as 3 × a × b?
- 3.In a bag, the ratio of green counters to yellow counters is 3 : 8. There are 24 yellow counters. A student says, 'There must be 9 green counters.' Is the student correct? Choose the correct verdict and reason.
- 4.Two sides of a triangle are 9 cm and 15 cm long. Write down which one of these lengths is possible for the third side.
- 5.A fair spinner has 6 equal sections, and 2 of the sections are coloured purple. The spinner is spun 180 times. Work out how many times you would expect it to land on purple.
- 6.A dual bar chart shows how many boys and how many girls are in a class. The bar for boys stands at 14 and the bar for girls stands at 16. Work out how many pupils are in the class altogether.
- 7.Write 0.36 as a fraction in its simplest form.
- 8.A hall is set out in rows of chairs for an assembly. Row 1 has 50 chairs, row 2 has 45 chairs, row 3 has 40 chairs, and row 4 has 35 chairs, with each row after the first having 5 fewer chairs than the one before. Work out an expression, in terms of n, for the number of chairs in row n.
- 9.5 tins of soup cost £8 in total. Work out the multiplier that changes the number of tins into the total cost in pounds.
- 10.A polygon has 12 straight sides. What is the mathematical name for this polygon?
- 11.Two ordinary fair dice are rolled, one after the other. Work out the probability that the first dice shows a 6 and the second dice shows an even number.
- 12.Work out (−6) + (−4) × 3
- 13.Given that (x + 2)(x − 7) = 0, write down the two solutions of x.
- 14.y is directly proportional to x. When x = 4, y = 10. Work out the value of y when x = 6.
- 15.Write down the exact value of tan 45°.
- 16.Work out the value of √64.
- 17.Work out the value of 5a + 2 when a = 3
- 18.A garden centre has 90 rose bushes in stock. It receives a delivery that increases its stock of rose bushes by 20%. In the same week it sells 150 lavender bushes. Work out the new number of rose bushes, then write it as a fraction of the number of lavender bushes sold, giving your answer in its simplest form.
- 19.Two allotments are combined. Allotment A grows vegetables and flowers in the ratio 3 : 2, and has 20 plots in total. Allotment B grows vegetables and flowers in the ratio 1 : 4, and has 20 plots in total. Work out the fraction of all the plots, in both allotments combined, that grow vegetables.
- 20.The length of ribbon A is 5/12 of the length of ribbon B. Write the length of ribbon B as a fraction of the length of ribbon A.
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.