GCSE results: Have a go at past exam questions designed for 15 to 16-year-olds

The thought of sitting in a room pen and paper in hand under timed conditions may seem like a distant memory for many of us. As might understanding algebra or figuring out the length of a hypotenuse.

But that's what many have had to do recently as GCSE results have been released to pupils dictating what their next steps in life will be. While some may now choose to enter sixth form as an eventual route to university, many others will take up different pathways such as apprenticeships.

Overall, top grades have fallen this year but remain above pre-pandemic levels and England has seen the steepest drop in the UK.

But before you question how well teenagers you know have performed, have a go at these questions below and see if you could do it for yourself.

Maths

Here are a couple of questions from the higher tier GCSE Maths exam (non-calculator):

1)

2)

Lily’s age is 2 years and 4 months. Hugo’s age is 1 year and 8 months.

Write Lily’s age in months as a fraction of Hugo’s age in months. Give your fraction in its simplest form.

3)

f(x) = cx + df(4) = 7f(10) = 22

Work out the values of c and d.

English

These are some questions from a sample English Language paper where students read 'Life of Pi'. Using the following extract, they had to answer this question

4)

Inside the ship, there were noises. Deep structural groans. I stumbled and fell. No harm done. I got up. With the help of the handrails I went down the stairwell four steps at a time. I had gone down just one level when I saw water. Lots of water. It was blocking my way. It was surging from below like a riotous crowd, raging, frothing and boiling. Stairs vanished into watery darkness. I couldn't believe my eyes. What was this water doing here? Where had it come from? I stood nailed to the spot, frightened and incredulous and ignorant of what I should do next. Down there was where my family was. I ran up the stairs. I got to the main deck. The weather wasn't entertaining any more. I was very afraid. Now it was plain and obvious: the ship was listing badly. And it wasn't level the other way either. There was a noticeable incline going from bow to stern. I looked overboard. The water didn't look to be eighty feet away. The ship was sinking. My mind could hardly conceive it. It was as unbelievable as the moon catching fire.

List four things from this part of the text about the ship.

Sciences

5)

6)

Find those tough? Now it's time to see how well you did

Answers

1) The answer here is the last equation in the list of four

2) The answer here is 7/5 OR 1 2/5

3) Available answers here are as follows:

4) Available answers here (for one mark each) are:

• There were noises inside the ship
• There are stairs with a handrail
• There is water at the bottom of the stairwell
• The water is ‘surging from below’
• It is dark at the bottom of the stairs
• The narrator’s family are somewhere inside the ship

5)

(cell) wallor (large/permanent) vacuole

6)