Could YOU get into Eton? Test yourself on these tricky questions from the King’s Scholarship paper

Think you could get into Eton? MailOnline is challenging you to answer these tricky questions from the King’s Scholarship Examination.

Every year, Eton College awards a mere 14 scholarships to the most outstanding and able candidates for places at the prestigious school that has educated Britain’s high society from royals to politicians and celebrities. 

Princes William and  Harry, Eddie Redmayne, Tom Hiddleston are all former old boys of the elite Windsor boarding school. It is also the alma mater of Boris Johnson, David Cameron and 18 former British Prime Ministers. 

The examination has been specifically designed to be demanding – so we’re giving you just 20 minutes to answer these 13 questions (Answers at the bottom).

The heir and the spare at Eton: The King’s two sons while at the elite Windsor public school 

Every year, Eton College in Windsor awards a mere 14 scholarships to the most outstanding and able candidates that attend the prestigious school. Pictured above: The playing fields at Eton 

Eton College is a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI under the name Kynge’s College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore, making it the 18th-oldest school in the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference

Past papers show that there are a wide range of questions, which have been created to challenge the entrant, and request he proves his ability.

For the exam, every candidate must take several compulsory papers – English, Creative Writing, Mathematics A, Science, and General I – and at least three of the optional papers in French, Latin, Greek, Mathematics B, General II and History-Geography-Divinity..

Eton College is one of only five remaining single-sex boys’ public schools in the United Kingdom. 

Other former pupils of the elite £46,296 per year Berkshire school include George Orwell, Ian Fleming, Hugh Laurie and Damian Lewis.

As well as these famous faces, the school has educated twenty British Prime Ministers and has historic associations with Britain’s political and social elites.

Eton College is one of only five remaining single-sex boys’ public schools in the United Kingdom. Former pupils of the elite Berkshire school include 20 British Prime Ministers  

English statesman Sir Anthony Eden (1897 – 1977, centre) at Eton College public school. He served as Prime Minister of the Conservative Party from 1955 until his resignation in 1957

English 

1. Look carefully at the images in Sources 1 – 4. Choose which ONE statue you consider the most inspiring and which ONE you consider to be the least so, explain your reasoning by close reference to the two images you have selected.

2. Write a 10 line poem, in any metrical form, celebrating the beauty of the sea. 

History, Divinity, Geography 

1. If you had to write a book about the history of a particular commodity such as cod or milk, what commodity (other than cod or milk) would you choose and why? 

2. To what extent is Britain’s weather becoming more extreme? 

Latin

1. Make the following nouns plural: 

Maths A

1. Find the value of the below image, giving your answers as reduced, mixed fractions:

2. Richard invests £7,000 in an account that gives 1.2% interest per year. He invests a second amount in a different account that offers 1.5%. Overall after one year he receives 1.25%. How much did he invest in the second account?

Maths B

1. A marathon was due to start at midday, but Mr Tortoise was allowed to start at 7am as he can only walk, which he does at a constant speed of 3mph. At midday, Mr Hare sets off running at a constant speed of 10 ½ mph. 

At what time does he overtake Mr Tortoise? 

2. I am buying musical instruments. A ukulele and a xylophone together cost £120 more than a violin. A violin and a xylophone together cost £180 more than a ukulele.

How much does a xylophone cost?

Science  – Data

1. Give the word equation for photosynthesis.

Science – Theory

1. Michael Johnson’s world-record time over 400 m is 43.2 s. 

What is Michael Johnson’s world-record average speed over 400 m? Include the correct unit with your answer.

General Paper II 

1. Professor Brabazon’s subject is media studies. This has been defined as the field of study that deals with the content, history and effects of various media; in particular, the “mass media.” 

We do not currently teach this subject at Eton. Should we?

2. “The impact of social media upon individuals and society has been profoundly negative.” 

Discuss this.

Answers

English

1. No definite answer can be given 

History, Divinity, Geography

1. No definite answer can be given

2. No definite answer can be given

Latin 

• portuum 
• moras 
• corpora, corpuses, corpusses or (proscribed) corpi 

Maths A 

1. a. 28 1/2

   b. 18 2/3

   c. 599 5/36 

2. £1,400

Maths B

1. 2pm

2. £150

Science – Data

1. The word equation for photosynthesis is as follows: Carbon dioxide + water + (light energy) → glucose + oxygen gas

Science – Theory

1. 9.259 m/s

General Paper II

1. No definite answer can be given

2. No definite answer can be given