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.To estimate the cost of buying 38.7 m of rope at £21.40 per metre, both numbers are first rounded to 1 significant figure. Work out the estimate.
(a)£819
(b)£840
(c)£60
(d)£800
2.The formula y = x² + 1 gives y in terms of x. Work out the value of y when x = −2.
y = x² + 1
(a)−3
(b)1
(c)5
(d)4
3.Line P passes through the origin and the point (3, 21). Line Q passes through the origin and the point (5, 45). Both lines represent the distance, in metres, run by an athlete against the time, in seconds. Work out the gradient of the steeper line.
(a)16 m/s
(b)9 m/s
(c)7 m/s
(d)12 m/s
4.A solid has 10 vertices and 15 edges. Using the formula F + V − E = 2, work out how many faces it has.
(a)7
(b)3
(c)5
(d)27
5.In a class of 30 pupils, 18 study French, 14 study German and 7 study both French and German. A pupil who studies French is picked at random. Work out the probability that this pupil also studies German.
(a)1/2
(b)7/25
(c)7/30
(d)7/18
6.A teacher records the number of pets owned by each of 25 pupils in a class; each pupil owns 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 pets. The teacher wants to show how many pupils own each number of pets. Write down the most suitable type of chart for this data, and give a reason for your answer.
(a)A vertical line chart (discrete numerical data)
(b)A scatter graph (compares two variables)
(c)A pie chart (shows proportions of the whole)
(d)A bar chart (for data in named categories)
7.A garden path is measured by Jon as 12 m, correct to the nearest metre, and by Mia as 12.6 m, correct to the nearest 0.1 m. Which statement about the two measurements is correct?
(a)They cannot both be describing the same path
(b)Jon's measurement must be wrong
(c)Mia's measurement must be wrong
(d)They must both be describing the same path
8.In a shop a shirt costs £x and a pair of trousers costs £(2x + 30). Together the two items cost at least £150. Work out the lowest possible price of the shirt.
(a)£50
(b)£120
(c)£60
(d)£40
9.The total cost, in pounds, of manufacturing a batch of components is plotted against the number of components produced. A tangent to this graph at a particular point has gradient 3.60. What does the value 3.60 represent?
(a)3.60% of the cost per component
(b)£3.60 total cost
(c)3.60 components per pound
(d)£3.60 per component
10.Two triangles are similar. The sides of the first triangle are 3 cm, 4 cm and 5 cm. The shortest side of the second triangle is 9 cm. Work out the scale factor from the first triangle to the second.
(a)1/3
(b)3
(c)6
(d)1.8
11.A school buys pens from two suppliers and has 1000 pens in stock. Supplier X provided 70% of the pens and supplier Y provided the other 30%. 2% of supplier X's pens are faulty and 8% of supplier Y's pens are faulty. A pen picked at random from the stock is found to be faulty. Work out the probability that it came from supplier Y. Give your answer as a fraction.
(a)3/125
(b)12/19
(c)4/5
(d)3/10
12.p = 24 and q = 6, each correct to the nearest integer. Work out the greatest degree of accuracy to which p ÷ q can be guaranteed correct.
(a)the nearest whole number
(b)it cannot be given to any degree of accuracy
(c)the nearest 0.1
(d)the nearest 10
13.Yusuf has £40 saved and adds £6 each week. His sister Aisha has £10 saved and adds £11 each week. After how many weeks will they have saved the same amount?
(a)1.76
(b)0
(c)10
(d)6
14.y is directly proportional to √x. When x = 4, y = 8. Construct the equation connecting x and y, then work out the value of y when x = 9.
(a)18
(b)12
(c)36
(d)3
15.A shape is translated by the vector $(- 7 4)$ and then by the vector $(3 - 9)$ . Write down the single column vector that has the same effect as those two translations together.
(a) $(- 4 - 5)$
(b) $(- 10 13)$
(c) $(- 4 - 13)$
(d) $(- 10 - 5)$
16.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
17.Two mathematically similar cylinders have heights in the ratio 3 : 4. Write the ratio of their volumes in its simplest form.
(a)9 : 16
(b)27 : 4
(c)27 : 64
(d)3 : 4
18.Two straight paths cross at a junction in a park. One of the angles between them, measured with a protractor, is 76°. What is the size of the angle immediately next to it on a straight line?
(a)14
(b)104
(c)76
(d)90
19.Work out the gradient of the straight line with equation 3y = 12 − 6x.
(a)2
(b)4
(c)−2
(d)−6
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.