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.An allotment is divided into two plots in the ratio 2:3. The larger plot has an area of 18 m². Work out the fraction of the total area taken up by the smaller plot.
(a)2/5
(b)3/5
(c)2/3
(d)1/2
2.A pattern is made from tiles. Pattern 1 uses 4 tiles, pattern 2 uses 7 tiles, pattern 3 uses 10 tiles and pattern 4 uses 13 tiles, with each pattern using 3 more tiles than the one before. Work out an expression, in terms of n, for the number of tiles used in pattern n.
(a)3n − 2
(b)3n + 1
(c)3n + 4
(d)n + 3
3.A recipe for 8 people needs 320 g of rice. Sanjay scales the recipe down to serve 5 people, then wants to scale his new amount back up to serve 8 people again. Work out the multiplier he should use to scale his amount for 5 people back up to the amount for 8 people.
(a)8/5
(b)3/5
(c)25/64
(d)5/8
4.A student is asked to rearrange the cosine rule a² = b² + c² − 2bc cos A to make cos A the subject. They write: cos A = (a² − b² − c²) / (2bc). Is the student's rearrangement correct?
(a)Yes — the sign does not matter for cos A.
(b)No — should divide by −2bc, not +2bc; sign is wrong.
(c)No — the denominator should be bc, not 2bc.
(d)Yes — the rearrangement is correct as written.
5.Spinner A has 4 equal sections, numbered 1, 2, 3 and 4. Spinner B has 5 equal sections, numbered 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. Both spinners are spun once, and the two numbers are multiplied together. Work out the probability that the product is 12.
(a)1/10
(b)1/8
(c)1/5
(d)1/20
6.A scatter graph shows the height, x cm, and the mass, y kg, of 20 pupils in Year 10. The heights on the graph run from 150 cm to 180 cm, and the line of best fit is y = 0.9x − 85. Nadia puts x = 90 into this equation to estimate the mass of a two-year-old child who is 90 cm tall. Is her estimate reliable? Give a reason for your answer.
y = 0.9x − 85
(a)Yes, the line passes through all 20 of the points
(b)Yes, the equation works for any value put into it
(c)No, 90 cm is far outside the heights on the graph
(d)No, a line of best fit cannot be used to predict at all
7.Write 200 as a product of its prime factors, using index notation.
(a)2 × 5³
(b)2³ × 5
(c)2² × 5³
(d)2³ × 5²
8.Work out the equation of the straight line through the points (−2, 1) and (0, 7).
(a)y = −3x + 7
(b)y = 3x + 1
(c)y = 3x + 7
(d)y = (1/3)x + 7
9.£5000 is invested in an account paying 4% compound interest each year. Work out the total interest earned after 3 years.
(a)£600.00
(b)£408.00
(c)£624.32
(d)£5624.32
10.A treasure map has a scale of 1 cm to 4 m. A path from the start to a rock is drawn as two straight sections, measuring 3 cm and 2.5 cm. Work out the total real distance from the start to the rock, in metres.
(a)44
(b)22
(c)10
(d)5.5
11.A café offers 3 types of sandwich, cheese, ham and egg, and 4 types of drink, tea, coffee, juice and water. A customer chooses one sandwich and one drink at random. Work out the probability that the customer chooses egg and water.
(a)1/7
(b)1/3
(c)1/4
(d)1/12
12.Without using a calculator, estimate the value of √70 × ∛65, giving your answer to 1 significant figure.
(a)10
(b)30
(c)40
(d)50
13.A printer starts a job with 480 sheets of paper loaded and prints at a steady rate. The number of sheets left, S, after t minutes is given by S = 480 − 24t. Work out how many minutes it takes for the paper to run out completely.
(a)20
(b)456
(c)0.05
(d)480
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 children's slide is built as a right-angled triangle: the vertical ladder side is 2.4 m, the horizontal base along the ground is 3.2 m, and the sloping slide is the third side. Work out the exact length of the sloping slide.
(a)5.6 m
(b)16 m
(c)3.87 m
(d)4 m
16.The nth term of a sequence is 2n² + 1. Work out the 4th term of the sequence.
(a)33
(b)65
(c)32
(d)17
17.A cyclist rides 30 km in 1 hour 30 minutes. Work out the average speed of the cyclist in km/h.
(a)15 km/h
(b)30 km/h
(c)45 km/h
(d)20 km/h
18.A chord divides a circle into two segments of different sizes. Write down the name given to the smaller of the two segments.
(a)Major segment
(b)Minor segment
(c)Semicircle
(d)Minor arc
19.f(x) = 2x² + 1 and g(x) = x − 1. Work out fg(x), giving your answer in expanded form.
y = 2x² + 1
(a)2x² − 4x + 2
(b)2x² − 1
(c)2x²
(d)2x² − 4x + 3
20.A number, n, is tripled and then 4.5 is added. The result is 22.5. Form an equation and solve it to find n.
(a)12
(b)6
(c)7.5
(d)9

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.