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.Work out 36 ÷ (2 × 3)
- 2.A rectangular photo has length (x + 3) cm and width x cm. Its area is 40 cm². Work out the value of x.
- 3.Two numbers a and b are in the ratio a : b = 3 : 4. Given that a = 15, work out the value of b.
- 4.Four angles meet at a point. Three of them measure 82°, 105° and 96°. Work out the size of the fourth angle.
- 5.A bag contains 5 red counters and 5 green counters. Three counters are taken out one at a time and are not put back. Work out the probability that all three counters are red.
- 6.Write down the statement that correctly describes the difference between correlation and causation.
- 7.A number, y, is equal to 8.2 when rounded to 1 decimal place. Write down the error interval for y.
- 8.Which expression is equivalent to 5x − (x + 3)?
- 9.Cheng is paid an hourly rate that is proportional to the number of hours she works. She earns £52.50 for 7 hours. Work out how much she earns for 11 hours, assuming the same rate.
- 10.A rectangular gate is braced with a diagonal strut. The gate is 1.2 m wide and 0.9 m tall. Work out the exact length of the diagonal strut.
- 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 100 − 4 × 5²
- 13.A sequence has the position-to-term rule n² + 1, where n is the position number. Work out how much bigger the 5th term is than the 4th term.
- 14.A coach journey of 240 km takes 3 hours. For this fixed distance the average speed needed is inversely proportional to the time taken. Work out the average speed needed to complete the same journey in 2 hours.
- 15.A parallelogram has an area of 84 cm² and a base of 12 cm. Work out the perpendicular height of the parallelogram.
- 16.Two lighthouses flash at the start of the same minute. The first lighthouse flashes every 8 minutes and the second flashes every 12 minutes. Work out how many minutes it will be until they next flash together.
- 17.Write down the expression that means the same as m × m × m × n.
- 18.The same jumper is sold at two shops. Shop A charges £40 and Shop B charges £50. Write down the price at Shop A as a percentage of the price at Shop B.
- 19.3/5 of a 5/6 litre bottle of juice is poured out. Work out the exact volume poured out, in litres.
- 20.A science technician mixes 400 g of a salt solution of concentration 5% with 100 g of a salt solution of concentration 25%. Work out the concentration of the mixture.
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.