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.Rationalise the denominator of 10/(4 − √6), giving your answer in its simplest form.
(a)4 + √6
(b)4
(c)4 − √6
(d)4 + 10√6
2.The point (20, 21) lies on the circle x² + y² = 841, which has centre O(0, 0). The tangent to the circle at (20, 21) crosses the x-axis at P and the y-axis at Q. Work out the area of triangle OPQ, correct to 1 decimal place.
(a)842.0
(b)2.0
(c)1684.0
(d)580.7
3.A baker uses 450 g of flour and 300 g of butter in a batch of pastry. Write the mass of butter as a fraction of the total mass of flour and butter, in its simplest form.
(a)3/2
(b)2/5
(c)2/3
(d)3/5
4.A cone is cut by a flat plane parallel to its circular base, partway up between the base and the apex. What shape is the cross-section?
(a)A smaller circle
(b)A triangle
(c)The same size circle as the base
(d)An ellipse
5.At a fun run, each runner finishes, retires or is disqualified, and cannot do more than one of these. The probability that a runner finishes is 68.5% and the probability that a runner retires is 24.75%. Work out the probability, as a percentage, that a runner is disqualified.
(a)6.75%
(b)93.25%
(c)75.25%
(d)31.50%
6.A histogram is drawn for the masses, m grams, of 200 letters. The bar for 0 ≤ m < 50 has a frequency density of 1.2 per gram and the bar for 50 ≤ m < 100 has a frequency density of 1.8 per gram. All the remaining letters lie in the class 100 ≤ m < 200. Work out the frequency density of the bar for 100 ≤ m < 200.
(a)1.4 per gram
(b)2 per gram
(c)0.5 per gram
(d)0.25 per gram
7.A circle has a circumference of 8π cm. Work out the exact area of the circle in terms of π.
(a)64π
(b)16π
(c)4π
(d)8π
8.A machine bought for £2,400 loses 12% of its value every year. After how many complete years does its value first fall below £1,500?
(a)1 year
(b)3 years
(c)4 years
(d)5 years
9.A metal alloy is made from copper and tin in the ratio 9:1. Write the mass of tin as a fraction of the mass of copper, in its simplest form.
(a)1/9
(b)1/10
(c)9/10
(d)9/1
10.The perimeter of a square is 20 cm. Work out the area of the square.
(a)5 cm
(b)25 cm²
(c)100 cm²
(d)400 cm²
11.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
12.A company's turnover is 5.6 × 10⁷ pounds, spread evenly across 3.5 × 10² shops. Work out the average turnover per shop, in standard form.
(a)2.1 × 10⁵
(b)1.6 × 10⁹
(c)1.6 × 10¹⁴
(d)1.6 × 10⁵
13.A circle has centre (0, 0) and passes through the point (12, 35). Work out the equation of the circle.
(a)x² + y² = 1225
(b)x² + y² = 1369
(c)x² + y² = 144
(d)x² + y² = 2209
14.A process is modelled by the recurrence P_{n+1} = 0.6P_n + 40. As n increases, P_n approaches a long-run value L, which satisfies L = 0.6L + 40. Solve this equation to find L.
(a)66.7
(b)40
(c)−100
(d)100
15.A shape is translated by the vector $(- 7 4)$ and then by the vector $(3 - 9)$ . Write down the single column vector that has the same effect as those two translations together.
(a) $(- 4 - 5)$
(b) $(- 10 13)$
(c) $(- 4 - 13)$
(d) $(- 10 - 5)$
16.Solve 2x² = 18.
(a)x = 9 or x = −9
(b)x = 4 or x = −4
(c)x = 6 or x = −6
(d)x = 3 or x = −3
17.Leah puts £4000 into a savings account paying 3% compound interest each year. At the end of 2 years she takes out all of the money and spends £1500 of it on a laptop. Work out how much of the money she has left.
(a)£2620.00
(b)£2740.00
(c)£2743.60
(d)£4243.60
18.A builder props a straight plank against a vertical wall to reach a window ledge. The foot of the plank is 2.1 m from the base of the wall, and the plank is 3.5 m long. Work out how high up the wall the plank reaches.
(a)4.2 m
(b)2.8 m
(c)1.4 m
(d)7.84 m
19.The graph of y = f(x) has a maximum turning point at (5, 8). Which of these correctly gives the corresponding turning point on the graph of y = −f(x + 1), and its type?
(a)(4, −8), a minimum point
(b)(4, 8), a minimum point
(c)(6, −8), a minimum point
(d)(4, −8), a maximum point
20.A garden path runs along the line 4x + y = 12. A drainage pipe must be laid perpendicular to the path, passing through the point (3, 1) where a sprinkler sits. Work out the equation of the pipe's line, giving your answer in the form y = mx + c.
(a)y = (1/4)x + 1/4
(b)y = −(1/4)x + 1/4
(c)y = (1/4)x − 1/4
(d)y = −4x + 13

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.