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 200 as a product of its prime factors, using index notation.
- 2.Write down the gradient of the line with equation y = −x + 3.y = −x + 3
- 3.5 tins of soup cost £8 in total. Work out the multiplier that changes the number of tins into the total cost in pounds.
- 4.Triangle ABC is isosceles, with AB = AC. Angle B = 70°. Which reason correctly explains why angle C = 70°?
- 5.At a fun run, a raffle stall charges £1.50 per ticket. The probability that any one ticket wins a prize worth £8 is 0.12, and a losing ticket wins nothing. Nadia buys 25 tickets. Work out how much money Nadia should expect to lose in total.
- 6.Two classes sat the same test. The 30 pupils in Class A had a mean mark of 72. The 20 pupils in Class B had a mean mark of 82. Work out the mean mark of all 50 pupils.
- 7.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.
- 8.Make x the subject of the formula y = 2x − 9.y = 2x − 9
- 9.A map has a scale of 1 : 50 000. Two villages are 4 cm apart on the map. Work out the real distance between the villages, in kilometres.
- 10.In geometry, which of the following best describes a 'plane'?
- 11.A machine produces bolts. In a sample of 250 bolts, 15 are faulty. Work out the relative frequency of a bolt being faulty, giving your answer as a fraction in its simplest form.
- 12.Work out (2/3)² + (1/2)². Give your answer as a fraction.
- 13.A point has coordinates (x, y), where x + y = 0 and x is not 0. In which two quadrants could this point lie?
- 14.A sum of £150 is divided between Ben and Chloe in the ratio 2:3. Work out Chloe's share.
- 15.Which pair of points lies on a horizontal line when the points are plotted on a coordinate grid?
- 16.Write 0.005 in standard form.
- 17.Work out the value of 5a + 2 when a = 3
- 18.A cookery class lasts 45 minutes. A double lesson at school lasts 2 hours. Write the length of the cookery class as a fraction of the length of the double lesson. Give your answer in its simplest form.
- 19.In a class, 1/3 of the pupils are girls. There are 12 girls in the class. Work out how many pupils are in the class.
- 20.Tap A fills a swimming pool in 6 hours. Tap B pours water twice as fast as tap A. The time taken to fill the pool is inversely proportional to the rate of flow. Work out how long tap B takes to fill the pool.
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.