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

VersionsA only A + B A + B + Csame questions, different order

AnswersQuestions only With answer key Key only

New sheet

GCSE Higher sample Paper 1 (non-calculator)

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

MathsUKwww.geekhero.co.uk

1.In a music collection, the ratio of pop albums to rock albums is 5 : 3. Work out the number of rock albums as a fraction of the number of pop albums.
(a)3/5
(b)3/8
(c)5/3
(d)5/8
2.Solve 7x − 5 = 3x + 11
(a)−4
(b)1.5
(c)0.6
(d)4
3.A metal alloy is made from copper and tin in the ratio 9:1. Write the mass of tin as a fraction of the mass of copper, in its simplest form.
(a)1/9
(b)1/10
(c)9/10
(d)9/1
4.A transversal crosses a pair of parallel lines. At one line, the angle is (5x + 4)°. The corresponding angle at the other line is (3x + 24)°. Work out the value of x.
(a)19
(b)10
(c)20
(d)14
5.At a sports club, the numbers of members who play tennis and badminton are: 50 members play tennis, 40 members play badminton, and 18 members play both tennis and badminton. A member who plays tennis is chosen at random. Work out the probability that this member also plays badminton.
(a)9/25
(b)9/20
(c)1/4
(d)1/5
6.Two classes at a school in Coventry sit the same maths test, out of 20 marks. Class A has a mean mark of 14 and a range of 6. Class B has a mean mark of 14 and a range of 14. Write a sentence comparing the two classes, using the mean and the range.
(a)Equal means; Class A is more consistent, smaller range.
(b)Class B did better on average — its range is bigger.
(c)Class A did better on average — its range is smaller.
(d)The classes can't be compared, since the means are equal.
7.A necklace is made from red beads and gold beads in the ratio 7 : 3. What fraction of the beads are gold?
(a)3/7
(b)7/3
(c)7/10
(d)3/10
8.A number, n, is doubled and then 7 is subtracted. The result is 15. Form an equation and solve it to find n.
(a)11
(b)4
(c)7.5
(d)22
9.A recipe for 8 muffins needs 200 g of sugar. Sam wants to make 20 muffins for a bake sale, and he already has 350 g of sugar. Work out how many more grams of sugar he needs to buy.
(a)150 g
(b)850 g
(c)0 g
(d)500 g
10.Triangle A has vertices (2, 1), (5, 1) and (2, 4). It is translated by the vector (−3, 2) and the image is then reflected in the x-axis. Work out the coordinates of the image of (5, 1).
(a)(2, 1)
(b)(2, 3)
(c)(2, −3)
(d)(5, −1)
11.A fair six-sided dice is rolled 150 times. The table shows how many times each number came up: 1 came up 22 times, 2 came up 27 times, 3 came up 24 times, 4 came up 34 times, 5 came up 21 times and 6 came up 22 times. The theoretical probability of each number is 1/6. Which number is most over-represented compared with its theoretical probability?
(a)3
(b)4
(c)2
(d)6
12.A bag of flour is labelled 1.5 kg, correct to the nearest 0.1 kg. The true mass of the flour is m kg. Which inequality gives all the possible values of m?
(a)1.4 ≤ m < 1.6
(b)1.45 ≤ m < 1.55
(c)1.45 < m ≤ 1.55
(d)1.45 ≤ m ≤ 1.55
13.f(x) = (x + 1)/2. Find f⁻¹(x).
(a)2x − 1
(b)(x − 1)/2
(c)x/2 − 1
(d)2x + 1
14.The price of a jacket increases by 50% and then decreases by 50%. Describe the overall change from the original price.
(a)no change
(b)an increase of 25%
(c)a decrease of 25%
(d)a decrease of 50%
15.A circular table mat has diameter 20 cm. Yasmin has a 70 cm length of ribbon and sews it around the edge of the mat with no overlap. Using π = 3.14, work out how much ribbon is left over after going around the mat once.
(a)7.2 cm
(b)50 cm
(c)20 cm
(d)62.8 cm
16.Factorise x² − 3x − 10.
(a)(x − 10)(x + 1)
(b)(x − 5)(x + 2)
(c)(x + 5)(x − 2)
(d)(x − 5)(x − 2)
17.A car travels at a constant speed. It travels 150 miles in 3 hours. At the same speed, work out how far it travels in 5 hours.
(a)90 miles
(b)200 miles
(c)250 miles
(d)300 miles
18.Triangle E has vertices (1, 2), (4, 2) and (1, 5). It is rotated 90° anticlockwise about the origin, and the image is then reflected in the line y = x. Work out the coordinates of the image of (4, 2).
y = x
(a)(−2, 4)
(b)(4, 2)
(c)(−4, 2)
(d)(4, −2)
19.The area of a triangle is given by the formula A = bh/2, where b is the base and h is the height. Make h the subject of the formula.
(a)h = b/(2A)
(b)h = 2A/b
(c)h = A/(2b)
(d)h = 2Ab
20.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.

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.