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.£60 is shared between Amir, Bo and Chen in the ratio 1:2:3. Work out the fraction of the £60 that Amir and Bo receive together.
(a)1/2
(b)1/6
(c)5/6
(d)1
2.The table shows the height, in metres, of a firework rocket at various times, in seconds, during its flight: 40 at t = 2, 54 at t = 3, and 60 at t = 4. Use the chord between t = 2 and t = 4 to estimate the gradient of the height-time graph at t = 3, stating the correct units.
(a)14 m/s
(b)10 m
(c)10 m/s
(d)0.1 s/m
3.A scale drawing of a garden uses a scale of 1 : 20. Write down a formula for the real length, L metres, in terms of the length on the drawing, d centimetres, given that 1 metre = 100 centimetres.
(a)L = d/20
(b)L = 20d
(c)L = d/5
(d)L = 5d
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 factory finds that the probability a randomly chosen light bulb is defective is 0.035. In a batch of 4,000 bulbs, work out how many bulbs you would expect to work correctly.
(a)3,860
(b)4,000
(c)386
(d)140
6.The mean of three numbers is 50. A fourth number, 100, is added to the set. Work out the mean of the four numbers.
(a)62.5
(b)75
(c)37.5
(d)50
7.n is a whole number and 2 ≤ n < 6. Write down all the possible values of n.
(a)2, 3, 4, 5
(b)3, 4, 5
(c)1, 2, 3, 4, 5
(d)2, 3, 4, 5, 6
8.The curve y = x² − 3x. Use the chord between x = 1 and x = 4 to estimate the gradient of the curve at x = 2.5.
y = x² − 3x
(a)2/3
(b)1/2
(c)2
(d)6
9.A cordial drink is made by mixing cordial concentrate and water in the ratio 1 : 6. Freya says that a 700 ml jug of this drink contains 100 ml of concentrate. Is she correct? Give a reason for your answer.
(a)No — half of 700 ml (350 ml) should be concentrate
(b)No — 600 ml is concentrate, 100 ml is water
(c)Yes — 700 ÷ 7 = 100 ml for the 1 part of concentrate
(d)No — divide 700 by 6, not 7: about 117 ml
10.m is the column vector with top number 3 and bottom number −4. Which of these column vectors is a scalar multiple of m?
(a)(−6, −8)
(b)(6, −8)
(c)(6, −4)
(d)(9, −8)
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.
(a)42
(b)350
(c)585
(d)315
12.Write 0.35 as a fraction in its lowest terms.
(a)7/25
(b)35/10
(c)3/10
(d)7/20
13.A proof sets out to show that the sum of the squares of two consecutive odd numbers, written as 2n + 1 and 2n + 3, is always 2 more than a multiple of 8. Four attempts to expand (2n + 1)² + (2n + 3)² and reach a conclusion are shown below. Which attempt correctly proves this claim?
(a)(2n + 1)² + (2n + 3)² = (4n² + 4n + 1) + (4n² + 9) = 8n² + 4n + 10 = 4(2n² + n + 2) + 2, so the sum is always 2 more than a multiple of 4.
(b)(2n + 1)² + (2n + 3)² = (4n² + 4n + 1) + (4n² + 12n + 9) = 8n² + 16n + 10 = 2(4n² + 8n + 5), and 4n² + 8n + 5 is an integer, so the sum is always even, which means it is a multiple of 8.
(c)(2n + 1)² + (2n + 3)² = (4n² + 4n + 1) + (4n² + 12n + 9) = 8n² + 16n + 10 = 8(n² + 2n + 1) + 2, and n² + 2n + 1 is an integer, so the sum is always 2 more than a multiple of 8.
(d)(2n + 1)² + (2n + 3)² = (4n² + 4n + 1) + (4n² + 12n + 9) = 8n² + 16n + 10 = 8(n² + 2n) + 10, so the sum is always 10 more than a multiple of 8.
14.300 g of a salt solution of concentration 10% is poured into 200 g of a salt solution of concentration 25%. Work out the concentration of salt in the mixture.
(a)17.5%
(b)26.7%
(c)16%
(d)19%
15.A rectangular gate is braced with a diagonal strut. The gate is 1.2 m wide and 0.9 m tall. Work out the exact length of the diagonal strut.
(a)2.1 m
(b)0.3 m
(c)2.25 m
(d)1.5 m
16.Factorise 6x² − 7x − 3.
(a)(x − 3)(6x + 1)
(b)(3x + 1)(2x − 3)
(c)(6x − 1)(x + 3)
(d)(3x − 1)(2x + 3)
17.A salt solution has a concentration of 10%. The solution contains 50 g of salt. Work out the total mass of the solution.
(a)450 g
(b)5 g
(c)500 g
(d)5000 g
18.Work out the exact value of (sin 30°)² + (cos 30°)².
(a)1/4
(b)3/4
(c)−1/2
(d)1
19.Factorise x² − 64.
(a)(x − 4)(x + 16)
(b)(x − 8)(x − 8)
(c)(x + 8)(x + 8)
(d)(x − 8)(x + 8)
20.The diagram shows a distance–time graph for a cyclist travelling at a constant speed, for the first 6 minutes of a journey. Distance is in kilometres and time is in minutes. Work out how far the cyclist would travel in 20 minutes at the same speed.
(a)20 km
(b)10 km
(c)40 km
(d)3 km

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.