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
GCSE Higher sample Paper 1 (non-calculator)
MathsUKwww.geekhero.co.uk
- 1.A digital timer truncates every time to 1 decimal place. It shows a swimmer's time for one length as 12.3 seconds. Using t for the swimmer's actual time in seconds, write down the error interval for t.
- 2.Work out the value of (x − 4)/2 + 3 when x = 10
- 3.Two quantities are connected by the formula y = 0.8x. Write down the ratio y : x in its simplest form.y = 0.8x
- 4.Point P is translated by the vector (5, −2), and the image is then rotated 90° clockwise about the origin to give the point (3, 9). Work out the coordinates of P.
- 5.The universal set is {1, 2, 3, ..., 15}. A = {multiples of 3}. Work out n(A′), the number of elements not in A.
- 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.
- 7.Light travels at 3 × 10⁸ metres per second. Work out how far light travels in 2 × 10⁻⁶ seconds. Give your answer in standard form.
- 8.The simultaneous equations 2x + 3y = 12 and x − y = 1 are given. Work out the value of y.
- 9.The table shows values of x and y. x: 3, 5, 8. y: 12, 20, 32. Which statement correctly describes the relationship between x and y?
- 10.A water tank is a cube with edges of length 2 m. Work out how many cubic centimetres the tank holds when it is full.
- 11.A market research company found that, out of 120 shoppers surveyed, 42 preferred paper bags to plastic bags. A supermarket expects 900 shoppers this week. Using this relative frequency, work out how many of the 900 shoppers would be expected to prefer paper bags.
- 12.Work out 5⁰ + 5¹ + 5²
- 13.Work out the coordinates of the midpoint of the line segment joining (−3, 5) and (7, 9).
- 14.In a fruit drink, cranberry juice and apple juice are mixed in the ratio 3:7. Write the amount of apple juice as a fraction of the amount of cranberry juice, in its simplest form.
- 15.A parallelogram has an area of 54 cm² and a base of 9 cm. Work out its perpendicular height.
- 16.A table of values is being drawn for the graph of y = x³. Work out the value of y when x = −2.y = x
- 17.A company's turnover this year is £180,000. Last year's turnover was £120,000. Write down this year's turnover as a percentage of last year's turnover.
- 18.A shape is reflected in the line y = −x. Which of these points is invariant under this reflection?y = −x
- 19.A graph has equation y = x² − 6x + 5. A student says its turning point has x-coordinate 6, because that's the coefficient of x. Which statement corrects the student's mistake?y = x² − 6x + 5
- 20.A point has coordinates (x, y), where x + y = 0 and x is not 0. In which two quadrants could this point lie?
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.