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.Rationalise the denominator of 10/(4 − √6), giving your answer in its simplest form.
(a)4 + √6
(b)4
(c)4 − √6
(d)4 + 10√6
2.The perimeter, P, of a rectangle with length l and width w is calculated using P = 2l + 2w. What kind of mathematical statement is P = 2l + 2w?
(a)an equation
(b)an identity
(c)a formula
(d)an expression
3.3 builders put up a fence in 12 days. All the builders work at the same rate, so the number of days is inversely proportional to the number of builders. Work out how long 9 builders take to put up the same fence.
(a)4 days
(b)9 days
(c)6 days
(d)36 days
4.Triangle ABC has AB = 6 cm and BC = 9 cm, with angle A = 40°. Triangle DEF has DE = 6 cm and EF = 9 cm, with angle D = 40°. Meera says these facts prove the triangles are congruent by SAS. Is Meera correct?
(a)Yes — two sides and one angle match
(b)No — the angle given is not the included angle
(c)No — SSS needs three equal sides, not two
(d)Yes — SAS allows any equal angle, not just the included one
5.A bag contains 5 yellow marbles and 3 blue marbles. Noah takes a marble at random, notes its colour and puts it back in the bag. He then takes a second marble at random. Work out the probability that the first marble is yellow and the second marble is blue.
(a)15/16
(b)9/64
(c)5/8
(d)15/64
6.A histogram is drawn for the masses, m grams, of 200 letters. The bar for 0 ≤ m < 50 has a frequency density of 1.2 per gram and the bar for 50 ≤ m < 100 has a frequency density of 1.8 per gram. All the remaining letters lie in the class 100 ≤ m < 200. Work out the frequency density of the bar for 100 ≤ m < 200.
(a)1.4 per gram
(b)2 per gram
(c)0.5 per gram
(d)0.25 per gram
7.Write 12 as a product of its prime factors.
(a)2² × 3
(b)2 × 3²
(c)2 × 3
(d)2 × 6
8.Make x the subject of the formula y = 2x − 9.
y = 2x − 9
(a)x = (y + 9) / 2
(b)x = (y − 9) / 2
(c)x = 2(y + 9)
(d)x = y / 2 + 9
9.A map has a scale of 1:25000. A road on the map is 6 cm long. Work out the real-life length of the road, giving your answer in kilometres.
(a)1500 km
(b)1.5 km
(c)15 km
(d)0.15 km
10.The diagram shows a cuboid. Work out the area of its front elevation, in square centimetres.
(a)12 cm²
(b)20 cm²
(c)24 cm²
(d)18 cm²
11.180 gardeners at an allotment were asked whether they grow vegetables organically. 100 of the gardeners are on the north plots. 64 of the north-plot gardeners grow organically. 30 of the south-plot gardeners do not grow organically. Work out how many south-plot gardeners grow organically.
(a)64
(b)50
(c)80
(d)30
12.Work out (−2)³ + (−3)² − (−4)
(a)5
(b)−13
(c)−3
(d)21
13.The point (5, −12) lies on the circle x² + y² = 169, which has centre (0, 0). Work out the equation of the tangent to the circle at (5, −12), giving your answer in the form y = mx + c.
(a)y = −(12/5)x
(b)y = (5/12)x − 25/12
(c)y = (5/12)x − 169/12
(d)y = −(5/12)x − 119/12
14.A laptop bag has a mass of 2.4 kg. A school bag has a mass of 3.6 kg. Write the mass of the laptop bag as a fraction of the mass of the school bag, giving your answer in its simplest form.
(a)2/3
(b)2/5
(c)1/3
(d)3/2
15.A ladder rests against a wall, making an angle of 60° with the ground. The ladder is 2 m long. Using the exact value of sin 60°, work out how high up the wall the ladder reaches, giving your answer in centimetres.
(a)200√3 cm
(b)√3 cm
(c)100√3 cm
(d)50√3 cm
16.A rule multiplies the input by a fixed number and then adds a fixed number. An input of 1 gives an output of 5, and an input of 3 gives an output of 11. Work out the rule, writing the input as x and the output as y.
(a)y = 3x − 2
(b)y = x + 4
(c)y = 3x + 2
(d)y = 2x + 3
17.A model car is built at a scale of 1 : 20 compared with the real car. Work out the factor by which the surface area to be painted on the real car is bigger than the surface area of the model.
(a)8000
(b)40
(c)20
(d)400
18.A cable supporting a flagpole is anchored to the ground 5 m from the base of the pole. The cable makes an angle of 60° with the ground. Using the exact value of tan 60°, work out the exact height of the flagpole.
(a)10√3 m
(b)5/√3 m
(c)5√3 m
(d)5√3/2 m
19.A water tank empties according to y = −5x + 200, where y is the number of litres left after x minutes. Work out the coordinates of the point where this graph crosses the x-axis.
y = -5x + 200
(a)(40, 0)
(b)(0, 40)
(c)(0, 200)
(d)(200, 0)
20.The equation x² = 5x − 3 is to be solved using iteration. Work out which of these iterative formulas comes from a correct rearrangement of the equation.
(a)xₙ₊₁ = 5(xₙ² + 3)
(b)xₙ₊₁ = (xₙ² + 3) ÷ 5
(c)xₙ₊₁ = (xₙ + 3) ÷ 5
(d)xₙ₊₁ = (xₙ² − 3) ÷ 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.