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.Work out 36 ÷ (2 × 3)
(a)216
(b)54
(c)6
(d)18
2.A rectangular photo has length (x + 3) cm and width x cm. Its area is 40 cm². Work out the value of x.
(a)x = −8
(b)x = 5
(c)x = 5 or x = −8
(d)x = 4
3.The width, the length and the height of a box are in the ratio 3:4:5. The length of the box is 16 cm. Work out the height of the box.
(a)20 cm
(b)80 cm
(c)4 cm
(d)12 cm
4.In triangle ABC, AB = 15 cm, angle BAC = 38° and the area of the triangle is 61 cm². Work out the length of BC. Give your answer to 1 decimal place.
(a)13.2 cm
(b)9.3 cm
(c)10.6 cm
(d)26.7 cm
5.The probability that a component is faulty is 1/10. Two components are tested independently. Work out the probability that at least one of the two components is faulty.
(a)1/5
(b)1/10
(c)1/100
(d)19/100
6.A recruitment agency in Manchester compares the weekly pay, in pounds, of seven employees at two branches. Branch A: £480, £495, £500, £505, £510, £515, £1,200. Branch B: £480, £490, £500, £510, £520, £530, £540. An advert for the agency claims 'Branch A pays more on average.' Decide whether this claim is fairly supported, using an appropriate average, and choose the correct conclusion.
(a)Yes — highest wage £1,200 at A vs £540 at B.
(b)Yes — mean £600.71 at A vs £510 at B.
(c)No — median £505 at A vs £510 at B.
(d)Yes — median £515 at A vs £510 at B.
7.Work out ((−3) + 5) × (−4) − (−6) ÷ 2
(a)−11
(b)−1
(c)−5
(d)11
8.The solution set of a quadratic inequality is {x : x ≤ −3} ∪ {x : x ≥ 5}. Which of these inequalities has this solution set?
(a)x² − 8x + 15 ≥ 0
(b)x² + 2x − 15 ≥ 0
(c)x² − 2x − 15 ≥ 0
(d)x² − 2x − 15 ≤ 0
9.A worker is paid £13.20 per hour. Work out this rate of pay in pence per minute.
(a)22p
(b)79200p
(c)2.2p
(d)1320p
10.In triangle ABC and triangle DEF, the angle at A and the angle at D are both 40°, and the angle at B and the angle at E are both 70°. No side lengths are given. Write down whether the two triangles must be similar, with the reason.
(a)No, because the triangles may be different sizes
(b)Yes, by the SSS condition
(c)No, because no side lengths are given
(d)Yes, by the AA condition
11.A charity raffle has three types of ticket: winning, near-miss and losing, and every ticket is exactly one of these. The probability that a ticket is winning is 1/8 and the probability that it is a near-miss is 1/4. Work out the probability that a ticket is losing.
(a)5/8
(b)3/8
(c)3/4
(d)7/8
12.A restaurant offers a lunch deal of one starter from 5 options, one main from 6 options and one dessert from 3 options. Work out how many different lunch deals are possible.
(a)18
(b)30
(c)90
(d)14
13.Look at the statement 2x + 5 = 17. Considering whether it is an expression, an equation, a formula, or an identity, which classification is correct?
(a)A formula, relating two quantities
(b)An identity, true for all values of x
(c)An expression, with x terms and numbers
(d)An equation, true for one value of x
14.Map A has a scale of 1 : 25000 and Map B has a scale of 1 : 50000, both showing the same area. A real distance of 10 km is measured on each map. On which map does this distance appear as the longer length, and how long is it on that map, in centimetres?
(a)Map B, where the distance is 20 cm
(b)Map B, where the distance is 40 cm
(c)Map A, where the distance is 40 cm
(d)Map A, where the distance is 20 cm
15.A ramp is built from two straight metal supports that rest on the flat ground and meet each other at the top, forming a triangle with the ground. One support meets the ground at 34°. The angle between the two supports where they meet is 71°. Work out the angle between the second support and the ground.
(a)75°
(b)105°
(c)37°
(d)146°
16.The area under a speed-time graph between t = 0 and t = 6 seconds is estimated using three strips of equal width, using the speeds, in m/s, at t = 0, 2, 4 and 6: 0, 5, 9 and 12. Using the trapezium rule with these three trapezia, estimate the distance travelled.
(a)28 m
(b)80 m
(c)52 m
(d)40 m
17.A photo is enlarged so that its new width is 1.4 times its original width. Write the multiplier that would scale the new width back down to the original width, as a fraction in its simplest form.
(a)3/5
(b)5/7
(c)5/2
(d)7/5
18.An enlargement with scale factor 5 maps the point (4, 1) to the point (12, 9). Which of these points is invariant (does not move) under this enlargement?
(a)(−2, −2)
(b)(−2, 1)
(c)(8, 5)
(d)(2, −1)
19.The table shows the speed, in m/s, of a car at times, in seconds, all 2 seconds apart: 0 at t = 0, 3 at t = 2, 8 at t = 4, 15 at t = 6, 24 at t = 8. A student uses the trapezium rule with these five readings to estimate the distance the car travels. By finding the second differences of the speed values, decide whether this trapezium estimate is an overestimate or an underestimate of the true distance.
(a)Underestimate — second differences are constant.
(b)Overestimate — the speed values are increasing.
(c)Underestimate — the curve bends upward (convex).
(d)Overestimate — the curve bends upward (convex).
20.A circle has centre (0, 0) and radius 9. Work out the equation of the circle.
(a)x² + y² = 18
(b)x² + y² = 81
(c)x² − y² = 81
(d)x² + y² = 9

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.