Sample paper · GCSE Higher · grades 4–9

GCSE Higher sample Paper 1 (non-calculator)

The real Paper 1 is 1.5 hour 30 minutes and 80 marks, non-calculator, and all three papers carry equal weight. This sample is 20 original questions in the same content proportions as the Higher qualification — number 15%, algebra 30%, ratio, proportion and rates of change 20%, geometry and measures 20%, probability 7.5%, statistics 7.5% — with no calculator-only items. AO1 / AO2 / AO3 at this tier: 40% / 30% / 30%.

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GCSE Higher sample Paper 1 (non-calculator)

Maths · GCSE Higher · Paper 1 · Non-calculator · 20 questions

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1.An allotment plot is divided into vegetables and flowers in the ratio 9 : 4. A third of the vegetable section is used for potatoes. What fraction of the whole plot is potatoes?
(a)3/13
(b)4/39
(c)1/3
(d)9/13
2.Solve the simultaneous equations y = 3 − x and x² + y² = 9, giving both pairs of solutions.
(a)x = 0, y = 3 and x = 6, y = −3
(b)x = 0, y = 3 and x = −3, y = 6
(c)x = 0, y = 3 and x = 3, y = 0
(d)x = 0, y = 3
3.On a straight-line graph the volume of water, V litres, in a tank is plotted on the vertical axis and the time, t minutes, on the horizontal axis. The line passes through (2, 50) and (6, 130). Work out the gradient of the line and give its units.
(a)20 litres per minute
(b)20 minutes for each litre
(c)0.05 litres per minute
(d)25 litres per minute
4.In triangle ABC the angle at A is 90° and BC = 10 cm. For the angle at B, sin B = 3/5. Work out the length of AC.
(a)3 cm
(b)6 cm
(c)8 cm
(d)30 cm
5.A basketball player takes two free throws, and the throws are independent. The probability of scoring on each throw is 0.6, and the probability of missing is 0.4. Work out the probability that she scores exactly one of the two throws.
(a)0.48
(b)0.84
(c)0.24
(d)0.36
6.In a histogram of the times, t minutes, taken by some people to complete a task, the class 15 ≤ t < 30 contains 24 people. Work out the frequency density for this class.
(a)1.6
(b)360
(c)0.625
(d)0.8
7.A café meal deal is one sandwich, one snack and one drink. There are 4 different sandwiches, 3 different snacks and 2 different drinks to choose from. Work out how many different meal deals are possible.
(a)27
(b)12
(c)9
(d)24
8.The diagram shows two curves drawn on the same grid. Curve A is the graph of $y = x^{2}$ . Which equation could represent curve B?
(a) $y = (x - 3)^{2}$
(b) $y = x^{2} - 3$
(c) $y = x^{2} + 3 x$
(d) $y = x^{2} + 3$
9.A map's scale is given as '1 cm represents 2 km'. Write this scale in the form 1 : n.
(a)1:2
(b)1:200000
(c)1:2000
(d)1:20000
10.ABCD is a cyclic quadrilateral, with its vertices in that order around the circle. Angle DAB = 108°. Work out the size of angle BCD.
(a)90°
(b)252°
(c)72°
(d)108°
11.A garden centre recorded 240 plant sales using a frequency tree. The first stage splits the sales into three types: shrubs, bedding plants and trees. 96 sales were shrubs, 114 were bedding plants and the rest were trees. Work out the probability that a sale chosen at random from these 240 was a tree.
(a)2/5
(b)1/8
(c)19/40
(d)3/40
12.A choir has sopranos, altos and tenors in the ratio 6 : 4 : 5. What fraction of the choir is not tenors?
(a)2/3
(b)4/9
(c)2/5
(d)1/3
13.A geometric sequence has first term 3 and common ratio √3. Work out the position of the first term of the sequence that exceeds 30.
(a)5th term
(b)4th term
(c)7th term
(d)6th term
14.The value of a delivery van, in £, is plotted against its age, in years, since it was bought. At age 2 years, the gradient of the tangent to the graph is −950. What does this tell you about the van at age 2 years?
(a)Falling at 950% per year
(b)Rising at £950 per year
(c)Falling at £950 per year
(d)Falls by £950 over the next year
15.A rectangle has vertices A(1, 1), B(4, 1), C(4, 5) and D(1, 5). Work out the perimeter of the rectangle.
(a)18 units
(b)7 units
(c)14 units
(d)12 units
16.Solve 2x² = 18.
(a)x = 9 or x = −9
(b)x = 4 or x = −4
(c)x = 6 or x = −6
(d)x = 3 or x = −3
17.After a 20% discount, a jacket costs £48. Work out the original price of the jacket.
(a)£40
(b)£60
(c)£57.60
(d)£38.40
18.Postcard P is similar to postcard Q. The 6 cm side of P corresponds to the 15 cm side of Q, and the 8 cm side of P corresponds to a matching side of Q. Work out the length of that matching side of Q.
(a)3.2 cm
(b)16 cm
(c)17 cm
(d)20 cm
19.The formula for the perimeter of a rectangle is P = 2(l + w). One rectangle has l = 9 cm and w = 4 cm. A second rectangle has l = 6 cm and w = 5 cm. Work out how many cm greater the perimeter of the first rectangle is than the perimeter of the second.
(a)4
(b)26
(c)6
(d)2
20.A bath is filled with water; the graph of volume (litres) against time (minutes) is a curve, since the flow rate changes. The tangent to the curve at t = 10 minutes passes through the points (8, 130) and (12, 190), and the volume in the bath at t = 10 minutes is 160 litres. Use the gradient of this tangent to estimate the volume in the bath 5 minutes after t = 10 minutes.
(a)190 litres
(b)235 litres
(c)85 litres
(d)75 litres

How the 20 questions are shared out

Number — 3 questions (15% of the qualification)
Algebra — 6 questions (30% of the qualification)
Ratio, proportion and rates of change — 4 questions (20% of the qualification)
Geometry and measures — 4 questions (20% of the qualification)
Probability — 2 questions (7.5% of the qualification)
Statistics — 1 question (7.5% of the qualification)

Where an area has fewer printable questions than its share, the shortfall is filled from the other areas. These are original questions, not past papers.