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

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GCSE Foundation sample Paper 1 (non-calculator)

Maths · GCSE Foundation · Paper 1 · Non-calculator · 20 questions

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1.A car travels 180 km using 6 litres of fuel. Work out the car's fuel consumption in kilometres per litre, then work out how many kilometres it can travel on a full tank of 12 litres at this rate.
(a)2160 km
(b)30 km
(c)90 km
(d)360 km
2.A rectangle is x cm wide and twice as long as it is wide, so its area A cm² is given by A = 2x². Work out A when x = 3.
(a)18 cm²
(b)6 cm²
(c)12 cm²
(d)36 cm²
3.Grace's mean mark in her maths tests rises from 70 to 84. Work out the percentage increase in her mean mark.
(a)20%
(b)120%
(c)17%
(d)14%
4.State whether the line segment joining A(−4, 3) and B(2, 6) is horizontal, vertical or neither, and give a reason for your answer.
(a)Horizontal, because both points have a y-coordinate
(b)Neither, because both coordinates differ
(c)Horizontal, because the x-coordinates increase from A to B
(d)Vertical, because both points have an x-coordinate
5.The probability that a machine completes a task successfully is 0.85. Work out the probability that the machine does not complete the task successfully.
(a)0.85
(b)0.15
(c)0.25
(d)0.5
6.A scatter graph shows the height, x cm, and the mass, y kg, of 20 pupils in Year 10. The heights on the graph run from 150 cm to 180 cm, and the line of best fit is y = 0.9x − 85. Nadia puts x = 90 into this equation to estimate the mass of a two-year-old child who is 90 cm tall. Is her estimate reliable? Give a reason for your answer.
y = 0.9x − 85
(a)Yes, the line passes through all 20 of the points
(b)Yes, the equation works for any value put into it
(c)No, 90 cm is far outside the heights on the graph
(d)No, a line of best fit cannot be used to predict at all
7.Write the fraction 9/25 as a decimal.
(a)0.9
(b)2.8
(c)0.36
(d)0.925
8.Solve 2x² = 18.
(a)x = 9 or x = −9
(b)x = 4 or x = −4
(c)x = 6 or x = −6
(d)x = 3 or x = −3
9.Two mathematically similar logos are printed on a poster. They have areas 20 cm² and 45 cm². Nadia says that the length scale factor from the smaller logo to the larger logo is 45 ÷ 20 = 2.25. Give a reason why Nadia is incorrect, and work out the correct length scale factor.
(a)2.25
(b)0.67
(c)4.5
(d)1.5
10.A shop sells a scale model of a van. The model and the real van are similar shapes, with lengths in the ratio 1 : 24. The model is 18.5 cm long. Work out the length of the real van, giving your answer in metres.
(a)444 m
(b)44.4 m
(c)0.77 m
(d)4.44 m
11.A fair spinner has 10 equal sections, numbered 1 to 10. The spinner is spun 150 times. Work out how many times you would expect it to land on a number greater than 7.
(a)60
(b)50
(c)45
(d)105
12.A café sells ice cream in three flavours: vanilla, mango and pistachio. Isla buys a cone with two scoops, using two different flavours, one for the bottom scoop and one for the top scoop. Work out how many different cones she could buy.
(a)6
(b)5
(c)9
(d)3
13.A rectangular photo has length (x + 3) cm and width x cm. Its area is 40 cm². Work out the value of x.
(a)x = −8
(b)x = 5
(c)x = 5 or x = −8
(d)x = 4
14.A material has a density of 2 g/cm³. Work out the mass of 5 cm³ of this material.
(a)7 g
(b)2.5 g
(c)10 g
(d)0.4 g
15.A rectangular tile measures 4.5 cm by 6 cm. Work out the area of the tile.
(a)10.5 cm²
(b)21 cm²
(c)27 cm²
(d)30 cm²
16.Is 120 divisible by 5? Give a reason for your answer.
(a)Yes, because 120 ends in 0
(b)No, because 1 + 2 + 0 = 3 is not a multiple of 5
(c)Yes, because 120 is even
(d)No, because 5 does not divide into 12
17.A number, n, is doubled and then 7 is subtracted. The result is 15. Form an equation and solve it to find n.
(a)11
(b)4
(c)7.5
(d)22
18.A car travels for 3 hours at an average speed of 80 km/h and then for 1 hour at an average speed of 40 km/h. Work out the average speed for the whole journey.
(a)70 km/h
(b)80 km/h
(c)60 km/h
(d)280 km/h
19.A plumber charges a call-out fee of £45 and then £28 for each hour she works. She is at a house from 09:15 until 12:45. Work out the total charge.
(a)£98
(b)£129
(c)£255.50
(d)£143
20.The price of a share falls by 10% on Monday and then rises by 10% on Tuesday. Work out the overall percentage change from Monday's starting price.
(a)0%
(b)−1%
(c)−2%
(d)+1%

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.