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

MathsUKwww.geekhero.co.uk

1.A country has an area of 25,000,000 hectares. Write this area in standard form.
(a)2.5 × 10⁷
(b)2.5 × 10⁸
(c)25 × 10⁶
(d)2.5 × 10⁻⁷
2.The graph of y = f(x) has x-intercepts at x = −1 and x = 4. Which statement correctly describes the x-intercepts of y = f(2 − x)?
(a)Translate +2 in x only (no reflection); roots 1, 6
(b)Solved 2 − x = k as x = k − 2; roots −3, 2
(c)No overall change; roots −1, 4
(d)Reflect in the y-axis, +2 in x; roots 3, −2
3.The rent on a flat increases by 10% one year and by a further 10% the following year. Work out the overall percentage increase over the two years.
(a)121%
(b)11%
(c)21%
(d)20%
4.A bead starts at position (2, −1) on a grid, in centimetres. It is moved by the column vector u, with top number 3 and bottom number 5, and then moved by the column vector v, with top number −7 and bottom number 2. Work out the coordinates of the bead's final position.
(a)(−5, 1)
(b)(5, 4)
(c)(−4, 7)
(d)(−2, 6)
5.The probability that Kofi passes his driving test on any attempt is 0.6, and each attempt is independent of the others. Work out the probability that he fails both his first two attempts.
(a)0.16
(b)0.36
(c)0.24
(d)0.4
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.Two lighthouses flash at the start of the same minute. The first lighthouse flashes every 8 minutes and the second flashes every 12 minutes. Work out how many minutes it will be until they next flash together.
(a)4
(b)24
(c)96
(d)20
8.A quadratic curve has a root at x = −2 and its turning point has x-coordinate 3. Work out the curve's other root, using the symmetry of the graph.
(a)x = −8
(b)x = 1
(c)x = 8
(d)x = 5
9.A tangent to a curve at the point where x = 3 passes through the points (1, 2) and (5, 14). A candidate says: "The gradient of the tangent at x = 3 is 3, because 14 − 2 = 12 and 12 ÷ 4 = 3." Which statement is correct?
(a)The gradient is 3; the candidate's method is right.
(b)The gradient is −3; the subtraction was done the wrong way round.
(c)The gradient is 16; the two changes were added instead of divided.
(d)The gradient is 1/3; the division was done the wrong way round.
10.A zip-wire is fixed at an angle of 60° to the horizontal ground. The zip-wire is 12 m long. Using the exact value of cos 60°, work out the exact horizontal distance it covers.
(a)24 m
(b)4√3 m
(c)6√3 m
(d)6 m
11.A biased six-sided dice is rolled once. The probability that it lands on 6 is 0.25. The other five scores are all equally likely. Work out the probability that it lands on 3.
(a)0.167
(b)0.150
(c)0.125
(d)0.750
12.At a bus station one bus leaves every 6 minutes and another leaves every 9 minutes. The two buses leave together at the start of the day. Work out how long it is until they next leave together.
(a)18 minutes
(b)54 minutes
(c)3 minutes
(d)15 minutes
13.A lift has a weight limit: it must carry no more than 630 kg. Let w be the total weight, in kg, carried by the lift. Which inequality describes this?
(a)w < 630
(b)w ≥ 630
(c)w > 630
(d)w ≤ 630
14.In a school choir the ratio of boys to girls is 3:4. When 6 more boys join the choir, the ratio of boys to girls becomes 1:1. Work out how many girls are in the choir.
(a)18
(b)24
(c)42
(d)30
15.A right-angled triangle has two sides of length 5 cm and 12 cm, and the angle between those two sides is 90°. Work out the length of the hypotenuse.
(a)7 cm
(b)17 cm
(c)13 cm
(d)60 cm
16.A walker's distance-time graph is described as follows: she walks 3 km in the first 15 minutes at a steady speed, rests for 10 minutes, then walks a further 3 km in the next 20 minutes, also at a steady speed. Work out her speed, in km/h, during the first 15 minutes.
(a)12 km/h
(b)9 km/h
(c)8 km/h
(d)0.2 km/h
17.y is directly proportional to x. When x = 8, y = 20. Work out the value of y when x = 12.
(a)14.5
(b)4.8
(c)30
(d)24
18.A tile manufacturer cuts a hexagonal tile so that all six sides measure exactly 4 cm, but a check shows only two pairs of the six interior angles are equal to each other, not all six angles. The customer's order specifies regular hexagonal tiles. Based on the check, is this tile a regular hexagon?
(a)No — hexagons can't be regular
(b)Yes — six equal sides means regular
(c)Yes — all sides are equal
(d)No — angles must be equal too
19.Which of these is a factor of 15x + 20?
(a)5
(b)3
(c)4
(d)10
20.f(x) = 2x − 1. Work out ff(x).
y = 2x − 1
(a)4x² − 4x + 1
(b)4x − 2
(c)4x − 3
(d)4x − 1

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.