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 quantity surveyor calculates a length as 24.6851 m. Round this length to 2 decimal places.
(a)24.7
(b)24.685
(c)24.68
(d)24.69
2.The curve y = 2x² − 12x + 7 has a minimum point. By completing the square, find the value of x at which the minimum occurs.
y = 2x² − 12x + 7
(a)6
(b)−3
(c)−12
(d)3
3.A map has a scale of 1 : 40 000. A cycle path measures 7.5 cm on the map. Work out the real length of the cycle path, in kilometres.
(a)30 km
(b)3 km
(c)0.3 km
(d)3000 km
4.A television cable runs in a straight line from the edge of a flat roof 20 m above the ground to a bracket on a wall 5 m above the ground. The horizontal distance between the roof edge and the bracket is 15 m. Work out the length of the cable. Give your answer to 1 decimal place.
(a)25.0 m
(b)30.0 m
(c)15.0 m
(d)21.2 m
5.A box contains counters that are silver, bronze or copper only. The probability that a counter taken at random is silver is 1/2 and the probability that it is bronze is 1/8. The box contains 64 counters in total. Work out the number of copper counters.
(a)8
(b)40
(c)24
(d)32
6.A stacked bar for one day at a café in Norwich shows total drink sales of 50 drinks, split into three parts: 22 were tea, 15 were coffee and the rest were hot chocolate. Work out the number of hot chocolates sold.
(a)35
(b)13
(c)28
(d)37
7.Which statement about the number 91 is correct?
(a)91 is not prime, because 91 = 7 × 13.
(b)91 is prime, because it is not divisible by 2, 3 or 5.
(c)91 is not prime, because it is divisible by 3.
(d)91 is prime, because it is an odd number ending in 1.
8.Ben writes n + 4 ≤ 9. Which statement describes what Ben has written? Give a reason for your answer.
(a)An equation, because solving it gives the value of n
(b)An identity, because it is true for many values of n
(c)A formula, because it works out n from 9
(d)An inequality, because ≤ compares the two sides
9.y is inversely proportional to x. When x = 5, y = 8. Work out the value of y when x = 10.
(a)4
(b)0.8
(c)16
(d)3
10.A cube has edges of length 5 cm. Work out the length of the diagonal that runs from one corner of the cube to the opposite corner. Give your answer as a surd in its simplest form.
(a)5√2 cm
(b)75 cm
(c)5√3 cm
(d)15 cm
11.A student is estimating the probability that a spinner lands on red. In her first 85 spins it landed on red 34 times. She then spins it 165 more times, and in those it lands on red 58 times. Work out the best estimate of the probability of red from all 250 spins. Give your answer as a decimal, correct to 3 decimal places.
(a)0.368
(b)0.352
(c)0.400
(d)0.376
12.Work out (6 × 10⁷) + (3 × 10⁶). Give your answer in standard form.
(a)9 × 10¹³
(b)9 × 10⁶
(c)6.3 × 10⁷
(d)9 × 10⁷
13.A Fibonacci-type sequence is defined by aₙ = aₙ₋₁ + aₙ₋₂ for n ≥ 3. Given that a₁ = 5 and a₃ = 17, work out a₂.
(a)22
(b)11
(c)−12
(d)12
14.A charity fun run raises money through entry fees and donations. Entry fees raise £1,260, which is 60% of the total amount raised. Work out how much money was raised through donations.
(a)£504
(b)£1,890
(c)£840
(d)£2,100
15.A triangular field ABC is to be fenced all the way round. AB = 45 m, AC = 38 m and angle BAC = 110°. Fencing costs £6.50 per metre. Work out the total cost of the fencing. Give your answer to the nearest penny.
(a)£851.18
(b)£151.11
(c)£442.70
(d)£982.20
16.Two expressions are 4(x + 3) and 4x + 3. A student checks whether they are equivalent by substituting x = 2. Which statement correctly interprets the result?
(a)4(x + 3) = 20 and 4x + 3 = 11 when x = 2, so the two expressions are not equivalent, because the bracket means the 3 must be added before multiplying by 4.
(b)4(x + 3) = 11 and 4x + 3 = 11 when x = 2, since the bracket has no effect on the multiplication, so the two expressions are equivalent.
(c)4(x + 3) = 20 and 4x + 3 = 11 when x = 2, but the two expressions are equivalent because both involve the same terms, 4x and 3.
(d)4(x + 3) = 20 and 4x + 3 = 11 when x = 2, so the two expressions are not equivalent, but they would become equal for some larger value of x.
17.Two mathematically similar cylinders have volumes 64 cm³ and 216 cm³. Work out the ratio of the height of the smaller cylinder to the height of the larger cylinder, in simplest form.
(a)2 : 3
(b)3 : 2
(c)64 : 216
(d)8 : 27
18.A student says the reverse of the translation vector $(- 9 4)$ is $(9 4)$ . Write down the correct reverse translation vector.
(a) $(- 9 - 4)$
(b) $(- 9 4)$
(c) $(9 - 4)$
(d) $(9 4)$
19.Work out the coordinates of the point where the graph of y = 2x − 6 crosses the x-axis.
y = 2x − 6
(a)(−3, 0)
(b)(6, 0)
(c)(0, −6)
(d)(3, 0)
20.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

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.