20 questions on the grade 4-5 content both tiers share — a fair test of whether a Higher entry is the right call.

⚖️ Foundation to Higher crossover check

Maths · GCSE Foundation · 20 questions · ~35 min

MathsUKwww.geekhero.co.uk

The tier decision is made by the school, but it is made on evidence, and this sheet is designed to produce some. Every question on it sits in the crossover band — the grade 4 to 5 content that appears on both the Foundation and the Higher papers: multiplying out and factorising, solving linear equations and inequalities, straight-line graphs and gradients, ratio and proportion, Pythagoras' theorem, angle reasoning, and averages from a frequency table. A student who works through this comfortably has the foundation a Higher entry needs. A student who is guessing on half of it will almost certainly come away with a better grade from a Foundation paper they can attempt in full. Useful for a parents' evening conversation, and for a department deciding entries.

1.Solve 5(x + 3) = 40
(a)x = 8
(b)x = 11
(c)x = 7.4
(d)x = 5
2.A cycle route is 84 km long. Freya sets off along it at a steady 14 km/h. Write down the function for the distance y, in kilometres, that is still to be cycled after x hours.
(a)y = 84 + 14x
(b)y = 84 − 14x
(c)y = 14 − 84x
(d)y = 14x − 84
3.The mean of three numbers is 50. A fourth number, 100, is added to the set. Work out the mean of the four numbers.
(a)62.5
(b)75
(c)37.5
(d)50
4.2.4 kg of cheese costs £36. Work out the cost of 1.5 kg of the same cheese.
(a)£15
(b)£57.60
(c)£22.50
(d)£54
5.Factorise x² − 3x − 10.
(a)(x − 10)(x + 1)
(b)(x − 5)(x + 2)
(c)(x + 5)(x − 2)
(d)(x − 5)(x − 2)
6.Priya invests £750 in a savings account that pays simple interest. After 3 years, the account contains £840. Work out the annual rate of simple interest.
(a)12%
(b)4%
(c)112%
(d)0.04%
7.Three angles lie on a straight line. They measure 38°, 95° and x°. Work out the value of x.
(a)133
(b)47
(c)227
(d)142
8.Two angles are supplementary. One of them is twice the size of the other. Work out the size of the smaller angle.
(a)30
(b)120
(c)90
(d)60
9.Solve 3(2x − 1) = 27
(a)4
(b)5
(c)4.5
(d)4 2/3
10.Five pupils spent these numbers of minutes on their homework: 50, 65, 55, 90, 60. Work out the median time.
(a)64 minutes
(b)40 minutes
(c)60 minutes
(d)70 minutes
11.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.
(a)3800 marks
(b)78 marks
(c)76 marks
(d)77 marks
12.Four books have 120, 200, 160 and 80 pages. Work out the mean number of pages.
(a)120
(b)560
(c)140
(d)280
13.A straight line passes through the points (−1, 2) and (3, 14). Work out the equation of the line.
(a)y = 6x − 4
(b)y = x/3 + 13
(c)y = 3x + 5
(d)y = 3x + 23
14.A regular hexagon is divided into six identical triangles by joining its centre to each of the six vertices. Work out the size of the angle of one of these triangles at the centre of the hexagon.
(a)30°
(b)45°
(c)120°
(d)60°
15.At an animal shelter, the ratio of cats to dogs is 2:5. There are 18 more dogs than cats. Work out the number of cats.
(a)6
(b)12
(c)9
(d)30
16.The mean of the four numbers 10, 15, 20 and x is 18. Work out the value of x.
(a)27
(b)72
(c)45
(d)18
17.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.
(a)121%
(b)11%
(c)21%
(d)20%
18.Work out the median of these six numbers: 13, 21, 22, 36, 37, 47
(a)22
(b)36
(c)34
(d)29
19.To solve 6x − 4 = 2x + 20, Yusuf's first step is to subtract 2x from both sides. Work out what equation this gives.
(a)4x = 20
(b)4x − 4 = 20
(c)4x − 4 = 2x + 20
(d)8x − 4 = 20
20.Priya has a budget of £50 for a school trip. The coach costs £14 and each student ticket costs £4. Using the inequality 14 + 4s ≤ 50, work out the greatest number of student tickets, s, she can buy.
(a)16
(b)9
(c)8
(d)12

What is on this worksheet?

The sheet holds 20 questions drawn from the MathsUK bank — the content areas covered: Algebra, Ratio, proportion and rates of change, Geometry and measures, Statistics (statements A4, A17, A22, A9, R5, R9, G20, G3, S4). It is pitched at GCSE Foundation and takes about 35 minutes to work through in full. It works as a class handout, a homework, or a warm-up before a test.

How to use the sheet well

Print it or open it on screen — both work. Printing is A4; the screen view fits phones and tablets.
Do all 20 questions before checking — about 35 minutes is the guide, but there is no time pressure.
Check the answers — press “Show answers” or print the answer page separately.
Redo the questions you got wrong — twice as effective as doing 20 fresh ones.
“New questions” — builds a fresh sheet on the same statements, so you can practise again without repeats.

Why this sheet helps

MathsUK worksheets use questions graded by difficulty and a fair spread of correct-answer positions (the answer is not always (a)) — so the student really has to think about each question rather than guess a pattern. Every question is tagged to a DfE content statement and checked before it enters the bank. The answers come with a step-by-step explanation, not just a value — so a wrong answer becomes a lesson.

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