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.Work out (2 × 10³) × (3 × 10⁴). Give your answer in standard form.
(a)6 × 10¹
(b)6 × 10¹²
(c)5 × 10⁷
(d)6 × 10⁷
2.Work out the gradient of the straight line that passes through the points (−1, 5) and (3, −7).
(a)−6
(b)−3
(c)−1/3
(d)3
3.The ratio of the number of pages Mia has read to the number of pages Leo has read is 7 : 4. Mia has read 84 pages. Work out how many pages they have read altogether.
(a)147
(b)231
(c)48
(d)132
4.In triangle OAB, OA = a and OB = b. P is the point on OA such that OP = (1/3)a, and Q is the point on OB such that OQ = (1/3)b. Express the vector PQ in terms of a and b.
(a)(1/3)a − (1/3)b
(b)b − a
(c)(1/3)b − (1/3)a
(d)(2/3)b − (2/3)a
5.A call centre finds that 40% of its calls are about billing. 35% of the calls about billing are dealt with in under five minutes. The centre takes 500 calls on Monday. Work out how many of Monday's calls you would expect to be about billing and dealt with in under five minutes.
(a)70
(b)200
(c)375
(d)175
6.A scatter graph shows the midday temperature, x °C, and the number of ice creams sold at a seaside kiosk, y. The line of best fit is y = 3x − 20. Give a reason why the y-intercept of this line of best fit is not a sensible estimate of the number of ice creams sold.
y = 3x − 20
(a)x = 0 gives y = −20: a negative number sold
(b)x = 0 gives y = 3, so 3 ice creams still sell
(c)Sales rise without limit as temperature rises
(d)y = −20 means 20 ice creams were given away
7.Simplify 5⁻² × 5⁴, giving your answer as a single power of 5.
(a)5⁻⁶
(b)5²
(c)5⁻⁸
(d)5⁶
8.A circle has centre (0, 0) and equation x² + y² = 100. Work out which one of these points lies on the circle.
(a)(6, 8)
(b)(10, 10)
(c)(5, 5)
(d)(3, 4)
9.The density of a liquid is 0.92 g/cm³. Work out the density of the liquid in kg/m³.
(a)9.2 kg/m³
(b)92 kg/m³
(c)920 kg/m³
(d)0.00092 kg/m³
10.Triangle T has a vertex at (8, 4). It is enlarged by a scale factor of 1/2, centre (2, 4). Work out the coordinates of the image of this vertex.
(a)(5, 4)
(b)(14, 4)
(c)(8, 2)
(d)(4, 2)
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.√700 lies between which two consecutive integers?
(a)35 and 36
(b)7 and 8
(c)25 and 26
(d)26 and 27
13.A number, n, is doubled and then 7 is subtracted. The result is 15. Form an equation and solve it to find n.
(a)11
(b)4
(c)7.5
(d)22
14.A charity collects donations from adults and children in the ratio 5:2. Altogether, £238 is collected. Work out how much more the adults donate than the children.
(a)£102
(b)£68
(c)£136
(d)£170
15.A map has a scale of 1 : 25000. A distance between two points measures 2 cm on the map. What is the real distance, in kilometres?
(a)50
(b)5
(c)0.5
(d)0.05
16.A car's speed, in m/s, during a journey is: 0 at t = 0 s, 8 at t = 4 s, and 8 (constant) from t = 4 s to t = 10 s, increasing at a constant rate between t = 0 and t = 4. Estimate the total distance the car travels, using the areas of a triangle and a rectangle.
(a)48 m
(b)40 m
(c)64 m
(d)80 m
17.A concert hall has 54 seats in total, of which 24 are reserved and the rest are free. Write the number of free seats as a fraction of the number of reserved seats. Give your answer in its simplest form.
(a)4/5
(b)5/6
(c)5/9
(d)5/4
18.Two metal window frames are checked before installation. Frame A has edges of 40 cm and 65 cm, with a marked angle of 35° at the far end of the 65 cm edge, away from where the two given edges meet. Frame B has matching edges of 40 cm and 65 cm, with a matching 35° angle in the same position. The fitter wants to know if these measurements alone guarantee the two frames are congruent. What should the fitter be told?
(a)No — the angle is not between the two sides
(b)Yes — SSS, since three measurements are given
(c)Yes — SAS, since two sides and an angle match
(d)No — because only two sides were measured
19.A cup of tea cools after being made. Its temperature-time graph is a curve. Three tangents are drawn on the graph: at t = 2 minutes the tangent has gradient −8; at t = 10 minutes the tangent has gradient −3; at t = 20 minutes the tangent has gradient −0.5. Which of these statements about the tea's cooling is correct?
(a)Fastest at t = 20 min — largest gradient.
(b)Cools at the same rate throughout.
(c)Fastest at t = 2 min — steepest gradient.
(d)Fastest at t = 10 min — the middle reading.
20.A parcel delivery company's cost graph shows the following: the cost is a flat £5 for parcels weighing up to 2 kg, and then rises by £2 for each additional kg above 2 kg. Use the graph to work out the weight of a parcel that costs £17.
(a)8.5 kg
(b)8 kg
(c)6 kg
(d)7.5 kg

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.