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 2 3/4 − 1 5/6. Give your answer as a fraction in its simplest form.
(a)13/12
(b)55/12
(c)1/12
(d)11/12
2.A rectangular garden has width w metres and length (w + 3) metres. A gardener writes its perimeter as 2w + 3. Which statement corrects the gardener's mistake?
(a)It is 2(w + (w + 3)) = 4w + 6, not 2w + 3.
(b)It is 3w + 6, since the length doubles but not the width.
(c)It is w + (w + 3) = 2w + 3, matching the gardener.
(d)It is 4(w + 3) = 4w + 12, treating it as a square.
3.Before a charity campaign, donations were £6400 per month. Donations grew by 8% in the first year after the campaign, and then fell by 3% in the second year as interest faded. Work out the amount donated per month at the end of the second year, to the nearest pound.
(a)£6912
(b)£7104
(c)£6720
(d)£6705
4.Point Q has coordinates (3, 5). It is translated by the vector (1, −2), and the image is then enlarged by scale factor 3, centre the origin. Work out the coordinates of the final image of Q.
(a)(9, 15)
(b)(12, 9)
(c)(6, 21)
(d)(10, 13)
5.A spinner lands on one of four colours: amber, black, cyan or damson. The probability it lands on amber is 0.18, on black is 0.22 and on cyan is 0.24. Work out the probability that it lands on amber or damson.
(a)0.54
(b)0.36
(c)0.82
(d)0.64
6.The masses, m grams, of 100 apples are grouped like this: 100 ≤ m < 120, 10 apples; 120 ≤ m < 140, 30 apples; 140 ≤ m < 160, 40 apples; 160 ≤ m < 200, 20 apples. Estimate the median mass.
(a)155 g
(b)140 g
(c)145 g
(d)150 g
7.Work out ∛(−27) + ∛8
(a)5
(b)−5
(c)−1
(d)−6
8.A distance-time graph is a straight line from (0, 0) to (4, 100), where time is in hours and distance is in kilometres. Work out the gradient of the line.
(a)25
(b)400
(c)0.04
(d)100
9.Two hikers' journeys are shown on separate distance-time graphs. Hiker A's graph has gradient 4.5 km/h. Hiker B's graph has gradient 3.2 km/h. Work out how much faster Hiker A walks than Hiker B, in km/h.
(a)1.3
(b)−1.3
(c)7.7
(d)14.4
10.Triangle T has a vertex at (2, 1). It is enlarged by a scale factor of 3, centre (0, 0). Work out the coordinates of the image of this vertex.
(a)(6, 1)
(b)(2, 3)
(c)(5, 4)
(d)(6, 3)
11.Two pupils each flip the same coin to estimate the probability of heads. Leah flips it 40 times and gets 24 heads. Ben flips it 60 times and gets 33 heads. By combining both pupils' results, work out the relative frequency of heads, giving your answer as a fraction in its simplest form.
(a)3/5
(b)57/100
(c)11/20
(d)23/40
12.Write 0.36 as a fraction in its simplest form.
(a)36/10
(b)9/25
(c)9/50
(d)3/10
13.By completing the square, find the turning point of the curve y = x² − 10x + 30.
y = x² − 10x + 30
(a)x = 10, y = −70
(b)x = 5, y = −5
(c)x = 5, y = 5
(d)x = −5, y = 5
14.A recipe for 6 muffins needs 150 g of flour. Aisha wants to make 15 muffins using the same recipe. Work out how much flour she needs.
(a)375 g
(b)60 g
(c)150 g
(d)300 g
15.Triangle ABC has AB = 6 cm, BC = 8 cm and angle B = 90°. Triangle XYZ has XY = 6 cm, YZ = 8 cm and angle Y = 90°. Which congruence statement correctly shows the matching vertices?
(a)ABC ≅ ZXY
(b)ABC ≅ ZYX
(c)ABC ≅ XYZ
(d)ABC ≅ YXZ
16.A ramp rises 3 m over a horizontal distance of 12 m. Work out the gradient of the ramp.
(a)0.25
(b)4
(c)9
(d)36
17.A cyclist rides 30 km in 1 hour 30 minutes. Work out the average speed of the cyclist in km/h.
(a)15 km/h
(b)30 km/h
(c)45 km/h
(d)20 km/h
18.A mast stands vertically on level ground and its top is 60 m above the ground. Amelia and Noah stand on the ground on the same side of the mast, in line with its foot. The angle of elevation of the top of the mast is 30° from where Amelia stands and 60° from where Noah stands. Work out the distance between Amelia and Noah. Give your answer to 1 decimal place.
(a)69.3 m
(b)138.6 m
(c)103.9 m
(d)34.6 m
19.To solve 6x − 4 = 2x + 20, Yusuf's first step is to subtract 2x from both sides. Work out what equation this gives.
(a)4x = 20
(b)4x − 4 = 20
(c)4x − 4 = 2x + 20
(d)8x − 4 = 20
20.The discriminant of a quadratic equation is greater than zero. Which statement about the solutions of that equation is correct?
(a)It has two whole-number solutions
(b)It has one repeated real solution
(c)It has two different real solutions
(d)It has no real solutions at all

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.