Exam Instructions and Setup

Before you even start answering questions, make sure you're properly prepared for this 90-minute non-calculator paper. You'll need specific equipment: a ruler, protractor, pair of compasses, pen, HB pencil, eraser, and the enclosed formulae sheet.

The key rule here is showing all your working - even if your final answer is wrong, you can still pick up marks for correct method. Remember that diagrams aren't drawn to scale unless stated otherwise, so don't rely on measuring them.

Top Tip: Use the marks in brackets as your time guide - if a question is worth 4 marks, spend roughly 4-5 minutes on it!

Basic Number Skills (Questions 1-4)

These opening questions test your fundamental number skills - converting decimals to fractions, working with powers, and applying order of operations (BODMAS). Question 1 asks you to write 0.3 as a fraction (think about place value), whilst question 2 wants 3².

Question 3 tests BODMAS with 20 ÷ (3+2) - remember brackets come first! Question 4 requires you to find a factor of 60 between 8 and 14, so you'll need to recall what factors actually are.

These are your confidence-building starter questions worth 1 mark each, so nail them quickly and move on.

Algebra and Real-World Problems (Questions 5-6)

Question 5 jumps into basic algebra by asking you to simplify 3 × w × 5 × l. Think about how you can rearrange and combine the numbers and letters separately.

The theme park problem in question 6 is a proper multi-step real-world calculation. Fay's spending £23 on petrol, plus tickets (£33 for 1 adult, £24.50 for each of 2 children), plus meals (£15 for 1 adult, £10 for each of 2 children). Calculate the total cost, then subtract from her £200 budget.

Money Tip: List each cost clearly: petrol, adult ticket, 2 children's tickets, adult meal, 2 children's meals, then add them all up!

Probability and Solving Equations (Questions 7-8)

Question 7 introduces probability concepts using a list of 8 letters. The mode is simply the most frequently occurring letter. For probability, count how many times each letter appears out of the total 8 letters.

Moving into equation solving, question 8 gives you two different types. Part (a) is straightforward: m - 3 = 4, so add 3 to both sides. Part (b) involves collecting like terms first: 3n + n = 24 becomes 4n = 24, then divide both sides by 4.

These equation-solving skills are absolutely crucial for your GCSE, so make sure your method is crystal clear.

Angle Relationships (Question 9)

This question tests your knowledge of angle properties in geometric figures. You'll need to identify the value of angle y and, crucially, explain your reasoning using proper mathematical language.

Look for relationships like angles on a straight line (sum to 180°), angles around a point (sum to 360°), or vertically opposite angles (which are equal). The diagram will give you enough information to work out y.

Geometry Rule: Always state your angle rule clearly - examiners love to see proper mathematical reasoning, not just the right answer!

Problem Solving with Money (Question 10)

This two-part money problem tests your division skills and logical reasoning. First, work out how many £4 jars Michael can buy with £23 - remember he can only buy whole jars, so round down if necessary.

For part (b), calculate how many jars he could buy at half price (£2 each), then check if it's exactly double his original amount. This tests whether you understand the difference between "double" and "as many as possible with the money available".

Michael's assumption might seem logical, but the maths will tell you if he's actually correct!

Transformations (Question 11)

This question covers two key transformation skills: enlargements and reflections. For triangle B being an enlargement of triangle A, measure corresponding sides to find the scale factor, then locate the centre of enlargement by drawing lines through corresponding vertices.

The reflection part requires you to draw the mirror line between parallelograms C and D. Each point on C should be the same distance from the mirror line as its corresponding point on D. Once drawn, write the equation of this line using the form x = ... or y = ...

Transformation Tip: Use tracing paper if available - it makes checking reflections and rotations much easier!

Fractions and Percentages in Context (Question 12)

Elena's sports centre visit combines fractions, percentages, and time calculations. Work out each activity systematically: badminton (50 minutes given), swimming $1/6 of 120 minutes$, gym (20% of 120 minutes), then subtract all these from 120 to find café time.

For part (b), figure out what time Elena actually reached the café. She arrived at 1:30 pm and spent time on other activities first, so add up those times and see if she made her 3 pm meeting.

This question tests your ability to work with mixed number formats and apply them to real situations.

Reading Composite Bar Charts (Question 13)

Composite bar charts show multiple categories stacked on top of each other. Each bar represents a total, with different sections for men, women, and children. Read values carefully by looking at where each section starts and ends.

For part (a), find where the "men" section ends in year 2000. Part (b) requires you to find the height of just the "children" section in 2010. Part (c) asks for a ratio calculation - find the number of children compared to the total of men and women combined in 2020.

Chart Reading: Always check what each section represents and read values from the correct axis!

Speed, Distance, Time and Scale (Question 14)

This final question combines speed calculations with map scales. For Jenny's journey, use the formula: distance = speed × time. With 54 mph for 1½ hours, multiply these together.

The map scale 1:25000 means 1 cm on the map represents 25000 cm in real life. Convert the 6 cm map distance to real centimetres first, then convert to kilometres $remember: 100000 cm = 1 km$.

These unit conversions and scale calculations often trip students up, so work through each step methodically and double-check your units.