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%.

Non-calculatorGCSE Higher

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GCSE Higher sample Paper 1 (non-calculator)

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

MathsUKwww.geekhero.co.uk

1.Work out (2/3)² + (1/2)². Give your answer as a fraction.
(a)7/3
(b)49/36
(c)25/36
(d)5/13
2.The tangent to a curve at the point (6, 1) has gradient −3. Work out the y-coordinate of the point where this tangent crosses the y-axis.
(a)−2
(b)19
(c)−17
(d)18
3.A shop's profit, P pounds, is in direct proportion to the number of items sold, n. When 15 items are sold, the profit is £45. Write down the ratio n : P in its simplest form for this shop.
(a)1 : 45
(b)3 : 1
(c)1 : 3
(d)15 : 3
4.A triangle has vertices A(1, 1), B(5, 1) and C(5, 4). Work out the lengths of AB, BC and CA, and write down whether triangle ABC is right-angled.
(a)No, since AB, BC and CA are not all equal
(b)Yes, since 4² + 5² = 3²
(c)No, since 3 + 4 ≠ 5
(d)Yes, since 3² + 4² = 5²
5.A bag contains 4 red counters and 6 blue counters. A counter is taken at random, its colour noted, and it is put back in the bag before a second counter is taken at random. Work out the probability that the two counters are different colours. Give your answer as a fraction in its simplest form.
(a)12/25
(b)6/25
(c)13/25
(d)8/15
6.An estate agent in Leeds lists the prices of the five houses sold on one street last year: £170,000, £150,000, £580,000, £140,000 and £160,000. A newspaper wants to print one figure for a typical price on this street. Work out the mean and the median, and write down which figure the newspaper should print.
(a)The mean, £240,000, as a median ignores three of the prices
(b)The median, £580,000, the middle value of the list given
(c)The median, £160,000, as one very high price lifts the mean
(d)The mean, £155,000, found after the top price is dropped
7.Work out the value of $1 6^{3/4}$ .
(a)12
(b)2
(c)64
(d)8
8.Line P has equation y = −2x + 5 and line Q has equation 2y = x + 6. Are lines P and Q perpendicular to each other?
y = -2x + 5y = x + 6
(a)Yes — the gradients multiply to −2 × 1/2 = −1.
(b)No — the product is −1, but perpendicular needs 1.
(c)No — Q's gradient is 2, and −2 × 2 = −4, not −1.
(d)Yes — both equations have a negative x-term.
9.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
10.Which of these statements about the area formula Area = 1/2ab sin C is correct?
(a)AB, BC and angle ABC: Area = 1/2 × AB × BC × sin(BAC)
(b)Three sides, no angle: Area still = 1/2 AB×AC×sin(BAC)
(c)AB, AC and angle BAC: Area = 1/2 × AB × AC × sin(BAC)
(d)AB, AC and angle ABC: Area = 1/2 × AB × AC × sin(ABC)
11.A charity tombola has 30 tickets, 6 of which win a prize. Priya buys a ticket at random and does not return it. Her friend Tom then buys a second ticket at random from the remaining tickets. Work out the probability that both Priya and Tom win a prize.
(a)1/29
(b)11/59
(c)1/25
(d)1/30
12.Work out 1 − 1/2 − 1/4 − 1/8 − 1/16. Give your answer as a fraction.
(a)1/16
(b)1/8
(c)15/16
(d)3/16
13.A car's speed-time graph shows the following: its speed increases steadily from 0 m/s to 20 m/s over the first 10 seconds, then stays constant at 20 m/s for the next 15 seconds. Work out the total distance travelled in the first 25 seconds.
(a)500 m
(b)300 m
(c)200 m
(d)400 m
14.An oven is preheating. Its temperature, T °C, is plotted against time, t minutes, on a straight-line graph. The line passes through the points (2, 60) and (6, 140). Work out the gradient of the line.
(a)−20
(b)30
(c)40
(d)20
15.p is the column vector with top number 2 and bottom number 3. q is the column vector with top number −1 and bottom number 4. Work out 2p + q, giving your answer as a column vector in the form (top, bottom).
(a)(5, 2)
(b)(3, 10)
(c)(0, 11)
(d)(1, 7)
16.A square tile has an area of 144 cm². Work out the side length of the tile.
(a)12 cm or −12 cm
(b)72 cm
(c)12 cm
(d)36 cm
17.A shop buys a bike for £150 and sells it, making a profit of £45. Write the selling price as a fraction of the cost price, giving your answer in its simplest form.
(a)13/23
(b)3/10
(c)10/13
(d)13/10
18.The point A(3, 2) is translated by the vector (−5, 4) to give point B. Work out the coordinates of B.
(a)(−2, 6)
(b)(−2, −2)
(c)(7, −3)
(d)(8, 6)
19.A photo printing service has two adverts for its price. Advert A: cost in pounds = 3(2n + 4) for n photos. Advert B: cost in pounds = 6n + 12. A customer says the two adverts always charge the same amount. Is the customer correct?
(a)They always charge the same, since 3(2n + 4) = 6n + 12.
(b)It depends on the value of n, so it cannot be decided.
(c)Advert A is cheaper, since 3(2n + 4) = 6n + 4.
(d)Advert A is cheaper, since 3(2n + 4) = 2n + 7.
20.By completing the square, find the turning point of the curve y = 2x² − 8x + 3.
y = 2x² − 8x + 3
(a)x = 4, y = −29
(b)x = 2, y = −5
(c)x = −2, y = −5
(d)x = 2, y = 5

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.