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)
MathsUKwww.geekhero.co.uk
- 1.A vending machine sells 4 types of crisps, 5 types of chocolate bar and 2 types of drink. Work out how many different combinations of one crisp packet, one chocolate bar and one drink can be bought.
- 2.The solution to an inequality is n ≤ 5. Write down the largest integer value of n that satisfies this inequality.
- 3.A necklace uses 22 blue beads and 8 red beads. Write the number of blue beads as a fraction of the number of red beads. Give your answer as a mixed number in its simplest form.
- 4.The point R(−6, 9) is translated by the vector . Write down the coordinates of the image of R.
- 5.A garden centre recorded 240 plant sales using a frequency tree. The first stage splits the sales into three types: shrubs, bedding plants and trees. 96 sales were shrubs, 114 were bedding plants and the rest were trees. Work out the probability that a sale chosen at random from these 240 was a tree.
- 6.A sector of a pie chart stands for 25% of the data. Work out the angle at the centre of that sector.
- 7.Write down the fraction, in its simplest form, that is equal to 0.6
- 8.An arithmetic sequence has first term 40 and common difference −6. Work out the 9th term of the sequence.
- 9.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.
- 10.A sector of a circle has an angle of 90° at the centre. Write down what fraction of the whole circle this sector represents.
- 11.The probability that Oliver's train is delayed on any morning is 0.3. Work out the probability that his train is not delayed.
- 12.Maya buys 4 plants at £3.20 each and a bag of compost for £6.75. She pays with a £20 note. Work out her change.
- 13.The first five terms of a quadratic sequence are 5, 8, 13, 20, 29. Work out the next term in the sequence.
- 14.Write the ratio 2/3 : 1/2 as a ratio of whole numbers, in its simplest form.
- 15.In kite WXYZ, WX = WZ and XY = ZY (so at each of X and Z, one side from each of the two unequal pairs meets). Angle X = 100°. Work out angle Z.
- 16.To estimate the cost of buying 38.7 m of rope at £21.40 per metre, both numbers are first rounded to 1 significant figure. Work out the estimate.
- 17.Ben writes n + 4 ≤ 9. Which statement describes what Ben has written? Give a reason for your answer.
- 18.A sunflower is 140 cm tall. A tomato plant is 80 cm tall. Write the height of the tomato plant as a fraction of the height of the sunflower, giving your answer in its simplest form.
- 19.Postage on a parcel is calculated as £4.60, correct to the nearest 20p. Which of these could not be the actual cost of the postage?
- 20.A straight-line graph shows the cost, C pounds, of hiring a small van for m miles driven. The line passes through the origin and the point (25, 20). Work out the gradient of the line.
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.