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.Work out −4.5 + 2.8.
(a)1.7
(b)−7.3
(c)−2.3
(d)−1.7
2.The point A(−6, 8) lies on the circle x² + y² = 100, whose centre is the origin O. The tangent to the circle at A crosses the y-axis at the point B. Work out the length of OB.
(a)12.5
(b)8
(c)10
(d)3.5
3.A road sign 3 m tall casts a shadow 5 m long. At the same time, a nearby lamppost casts a shadow 10 m long. Work out the height of the lamppost.
(a)1.50 m
(b)16.67 m
(c)6.00 m
(d)8.00 m
4.A shopkeeper builds a display from two cuboid boxes, shown in the diagram. She wants to cover the front of the display with coloured paper. Work out the total area of the front elevation, in square centimetres.
(a)4700 cm²
(b)2000 cm²
(c)7200 cm²
(d)2700 cm²
5.A library recorded loans for 250 books over a week, using a frequency tree. The first branch splits the books into 160 fiction and 90 non-fiction. Of the fiction books, 112 were returned on time and the rest were returned late. All the non-fiction books were returned on time. Work out the probability that a book, chosen at random from the 250, was returned late. Give your answer as a fraction in its simplest form.
(a)56/125
(b)24/125
(c)3/10
(d)9/25
6.Write down the statement that correctly describes the difference between correlation and causation.
(a)Causation is a link; correlation is one causing the other
(b)They mean the same, so a correlation proves causation
(c)A scatter graph can show causation but not correlation
(d)Correlation is a link; causation is one causing the other
7.Write these fractions in order, starting with the smallest: 2/3, 3/5, 5/6, 1/2
(a)1/2, 3/5, 2/3, 5/6
(b)5/6, 2/3, 3/5, 1/2
(c)1/2, 3/5, 5/6, 2/3
(d)1/2, 2/3, 3/5, 5/6
8.Solve the simultaneous equations y = 2x − 1 and y = x² − x − 1, giving both pairs of solutions.
y = 2x − 1y = x²
(a)x = 0, y = −1 and x = −3, y = −7
(b)x = 0, y = −1
(c)x = −2, y = −5 and x = 1, y = 1
(d)x = 0, y = −1 and x = 3, y = 5
9.Two quantities y and z are each in direct proportion to x, and are given by y = 3x and z = 7x. Work out the difference between the value of y and the value of z when x = 4.
y = 3x
(a)40
(b)16
(c)28
(d)4
10.Triangle DEF has a right angle at E. Angle DFE = 60° and EF = 9 cm. Work out the exact length of DE.
(a)18 cm
(b)3√3 cm
(c)9√3/2 cm
(d)9√3 cm
11.Two ordinary fair dice are rolled and the two scores are added together. Work out the probability that the total is a prime number.
(a)13/36
(b)19/36
(c)7/18
(d)5/12
12.Hannah works out 3.1 × 19.6 on her calculator and writes down 6.076. Work out an estimate for 3.1 × 19.6, by rounding each number to 1 significant figure.
(a)6
(b)62
(c)600
(d)60
13.A square patio of side length n slabs is surrounded by a single border of square paving slabs of the same size. For a patio with side length n, the total number of slabs used for the patio and its border together is 9 when n = 1, 16 when n = 2, 25 when n = 3, and 36 when n = 4. Work out an expression, in terms of n, for the total number of slabs.
(a)n² + 4n + 4
(b)n² + 4n
(c)2n² + 4n + 4
(d)n² + 4
14.An amount of money is shared in the ratio 1:2:3. The largest share is £90 more than the smallest share. Work out the total amount that was shared.
(a)£180
(b)£540
(c)£135
(d)£270
15.In parallelogram PQRS, angle P = 65°. Which reason correctly explains why angle R = 65°?
(a)opposite angles of a parallelogram are equal
(b)co-interior angles add up to 180°
(c)alternate angles are equal
(d)angles on a straight line add up to 180°
16.On Monday, a runner covers 15 km in 2.5 hours. On Tuesday, she covers 12 km in 1.5 hours. Using the formula speed = distance ÷ time, work out on which day she ran faster, and by how much.
(a)Tuesday, by 2 km/h
(b)Tuesday, by 8 km/h
(c)Tuesday, by 3 km/h
(d)Monday, by 2 km/h
17.Write 2 m : 150 cm : 50 cm as a ratio of whole numbers in its simplest form.
(a)4:3:1
(b)4:3:2
(c)2:150:50
(d)3:4:1
18.In geometry, which of the following best describes a 'plane'?
(a)A flat surface extending infinitely in two directions
(b)A straight line extending in one direction
(c)A single, fixed position with no size
(d)A flat, bounded face on a 3D shape
19.The diagram shows the graph of a quadratic function. Which equation could it represent?
(a) $y = x^{2} - x - 6$
(b) $y = x^{2} - x - 2$
(c) $y = x^{2} + 2 x - 3$
(d) $y = x^{2} - 2 x - 3$
20.The curve y = −x² + 6x − 5 has a maximum point. Use completing the square to find its coordinates.
y = −x² + 6x − 5
(a)x = 3, y = −4
(b)x = 3, y = 4
(c)x = 6, y = 31
(d)x = −3, y = 4

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.