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.The width, the length and the height of a box are in the ratio 3:4:5. The length of the box is 16 cm. Work out the height of the box.
(a)20 cm
(b)80 cm
(c)4 cm
(d)12 cm
2.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
3.The top of a clock tower is 25 m above level ground. Oliver stands on the ground 25 m from the foot of the tower. Work out the angle of elevation of the top of the tower from the point where Oliver stands.
(a)50°
(b)1°
(c)45°
(d)90°
4.The sum of the interior angles of a polygon is 1980°. Work out the number of sides of the polygon.
(a)11
(b)13
(c)22
(d)15
5.Solve the inequality 3x − 1 ≤ 11.
(a)x ≥ 4
(b)x ≤ 4
(c)x ≤ 12
(d)x ≤ 10/3
6.Solve 4x + 3 = 19
(a)3.75
(b)5.5
(c)4
(d)4.75
7.Solve (3x + 2)/5 = (x + 4)/3
(a)x = 3.5
(b)x = 4.5
(c)x = 10
(d)x = 1
8.Solve the inequality 9 − 2x ≥ 1.
(a)x ≤ 5
(b)x ≥ 4
(c)x ≤ 4
(d)x ≤ −4
9.In a school choir the ratio of boys to girls is 3:4. When 6 more boys join the choir, the ratio of boys to girls becomes 1:1. Work out how many girls are in the choir.
(a)18
(b)24
(c)42
(d)30
10.Two identical ladders lean against the same vertical wall from opposite sides, each making an angle of 58.2° with the ground. The two ladders and the ground form a triangle. Work out the size of the angle between the two ladders at the top, where they meet.
(a)121.8
(b)58.2
(c)116.4
(d)63.6
11.Solve 2x + 1 = 9
(a)x = 8
(b)x = 16
(c)x = 4
(d)x = 5
12.The solution set of x ≥ −1 is drawn on a number line. Which description of that number line is correct?
(a)An open circle at −1 with the arrow pointing right
(b)An open circle at −1 with the arrow pointing left
(c)A solid circle at −1 with the arrow pointing right
(d)A solid circle at −1 with the arrow pointing left
13.A ladder of length 7 m leans against a vertical wall. The foot of the ladder is 3 m from the base of the wall. Work out how high up the wall the ladder reaches. Give your answer correct to 1 decimal place.
(a)4.0 m
(b)6.4 m
(c)6.3 m
(d)10.0 m
14.A straight line has gradient −3 and passes through the point (0, 1). Work out the value of y when x = 2.
(a)7
(b)−5
(c)5
(d)−7
15.Harry counted the coins he found on each of six days: 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 30. Write down the outlier.
(a)30
(b)8.5
(c)11
(d)5
16.A ribbon of length 90 cm is cut into two pieces in the ratio 4:5. Work out the length of the shorter piece.
(a)50 cm
(b)10 cm
(c)40 cm
(d)45 cm
17.Work out the equation of the straight line that passes through (−2, 3) and (4, −9).
(a)y = −2x − 1
(b)y = −2x + 1
(c)y = −(1/2)x + 2
(d)y = 2x + 7
18.A rectangular garden has length (x + 7) m and width (x − 7) m. Work out an expression for the area of the garden, giving your answer in its simplest form.
(a)2x
(b)x² + 49
(c)x² − 14x − 49
(d)x² − 49
19.A plumber charges a £35 call-out fee plus £20 for each hour worked, h. On a certain job the total charge was £115. Work out how many hours the plumber worked.
(a)4
(b)7.5
(c)5.75
(d)2.71
20.A jug of squash is made by mixing water and syrup in the ratio 6:1. Nia wants to make 8.4 litres of squash. Work out how much syrup she needs, in litres.
(a)0.84
(b)1.4
(c)1.2
(d)7.2

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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