Sample paper · GCSE Higher · grades 4–9

GCSE Higher sample Paper 2 (calculator)

The real Paper 2 is 1.5 hour 30 minutes and 80 marks, 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 a calculator allowed. AO1 / AO2 / AO3 at this tier: 40% / 30% / 30%.

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GCSE Higher sample Paper 2 (calculator)

Maths · GCSE Higher · Paper 2 · Calculator · 20 questions

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1.A rectangular patio measures 90 cm by 120 cm. Ben wants to cover it exactly with identical square tiles, as large as possible, with no tiles cut. Work out the side length of the largest square tile he can use.
(a)30 cm
(b)360 cm
(c)15 cm
(d)10 cm
2.A company's cost, in £, for producing x items is shown on a graph. The tangent to the curve at x = 50 passes through (30, 400) and (70, 800). Interpret the gradient of this tangent in the context of the company's costs.
(a)The cost decreases by about £10 per extra item
(b)The cost increases by about £400 per extra item
(c)The cost increases by about £0.10 per extra item
(d)The cost increases by about £10 per extra item
3.A train journey takes 2 hours 15 minutes. A bus journey to the same place takes 3 hours 45 minutes. Write the time for the train journey as a fraction of the time for the bus journey, giving your answer in its simplest form.
(a)2/5
(b)5/3
(c)3/8
(d)3/5
4.A shop stacks tins in a display block. The front elevation of the block is 4 tins wide and 3 tins high. The side elevation shows the block is 2 tins deep. Every position in the block is filled. How many tins are used in total?
(a)24
(b)6
(c)12
(d)9
5.A frequency tree records the results of 160 patients who took a new medicine. It splits them into those who reported side effects and those who did not. 15% of the patients reported side effects. Work out how many of the 160 patients did not report side effects.
(a)24
(b)145
(c)112
(d)136
6.In a histogram of the times, t minutes, taken by some people to complete a task, the class 15 ≤ t < 30 contains 24 people. Work out the frequency density for this class.
(a)1.6
(b)360
(c)0.625
(d)0.8
7.Work out ((−3) + 5) × (−4) − (−6) ÷ 2
(a)−11
(b)−1
(c)−5
(d)11
8.The equation x² − 5x − 2 = 0 can be solved using the iterative formula xₙ₊₁ = √(5xₙ + 2). The starting value is x₀ = 2, so x₁ is the value after the formula has been used once. Work out x₃ correct to 3 decimal places.
(a)4.897
(b)4.396
(c)5.146
(d)3.464
9.A laptop costs £800 when new. Its value decreases by 25% of its value at the start of each year. Work out how much value the laptop loses in the second year.
(a)£150
(b)£450
(c)£350
(d)£200
10.A trapezium has an area of 45 cm², a perpendicular height of 5 cm, and one parallel side of length 10 cm. Work out the length of the other parallel side.
(a)18 cm
(b)28 cm
(c)8 cm
(d)4 cm
11.A fair six-sided dice is rolled 90 times. Work out how many more times you would expect it to land on a number less than 4 than on a 6.
(a)45
(b)36
(c)30
(d)15
12.Work out how many factors 100 has.
(a)8
(b)4
(c)9
(d)10
13.Work out the coordinates of the reflection of (6, −3) in the y-axis.
(a)(−6, −3)
(b)(6, −3)
(c)(−6, 3)
(d)(6, 3)
14.A 1.5 kg bag of pasta costs £2.85 and a 2.4 kg bag of the same pasta costs £4.32. Work out which bag gives better value for money.
(a)The 1.5 kg bag, since it costs £1.19 per kg compared with £2.88 per kg for the 2.4 kg bag.
(b)The 2.4 kg bag, since it costs £1.80 per kg compared with £1.90 per kg for the 1.5 kg bag.
(c)The 1.5 kg bag, since it costs £1.80 per kg compared with £1.90 per kg for the 2.4 kg bag.
(d)The 1.5 kg bag, since £2.85 is less than £4.32.
15.A parallelogram has an area of 54 cm² and a base of 9 cm. Work out its perpendicular height.
(a)12 cm
(b)486 cm
(c)6 cm
(d)45 cm
16.The graph of y = f(x) has roots at x = −1 and x = 4, and crosses the y-axis at (0, −8). Which statement about the graph of y = f(x − 3) is correct?
(a)x = 2, x = 7; y-intercept cannot be found here
(b)x = 2, x = 7; y-intercept stays at (0, −8)
(c)x = −4, x = 1; y-intercept stays at (0, −8)
(d)x = −4, x = 1; y-intercept cannot be found here
17.£1 is worth 1.25 US dollars. Write the ratio of pounds to dollars in its simplest form, using whole numbers.
(a)1:1
(b)5:4
(c)1:5
(d)4:5
18.A solid has two parallel, congruent polygon faces joined by flat rectangles, and its cross-section is the same shape all the way along its length. Which solid is it?
(a)A cylinder
(b)A pyramid
(c)A cone
(d)A prism
19.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
20.A population of bacteria doubles every 3 hours. It starts at 800. Work out the population after 9 hours.
(a)409,600
(b)8
(c)6,400
(d)3,200

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.