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.The decimal 0.111... has the digit 1 repeating for ever. Write 0.1 recurring as a fraction in its simplest form.
(a)1/10
(b)1/9
(c)1/11
(d)11/100
2.A cyclist's distance-time graph shows the following: she travels 12 km in the first 30 minutes at a steady speed, then rests for 30 minutes, then travels a further 8 km in the next 15 minutes. Work out her average speed, in km/h, for the whole journey.
(a)28 km/h
(b)24 km/h
(c)16 km/h
(d)20 km/h
3.A printer prints pages at a constant rate. It prints 45 pages in 6 minutes. Work out how many pages it prints in 10 minutes.
(a)70 pages
(b)55 pages
(c)27 pages
(d)75 pages
4.A furniture catalogue drawing uses a scale of 1 cm to 1.5 m. A sofa in the drawing is measured as 7 cm long. What is the real length of the sofa, in metres?
(a)8.5
(b)10.5
(c)3.5
(d)14
5.A fair coin is flipped again and again. After the first 10 flips there have been 7 heads. After 1000 flips there have been 528 heads. Which statement best describes what these results show?
(a)The counts of heads and tails are levelling out
(b)The relative frequency is settling near 0.5
(c)The next flip is more likely to be a tail
(d)The coin is biased, as 528 is more than 500
6.A histogram shows the times, t minutes, taken by 120 visitors to complete an escape room. The bar for 0 ≤ t < 10 has a frequency density of 5 visitors per minute, the bar for 10 ≤ t < 20 has a frequency density of 2 visitors per minute, the bar for 20 ≤ t < 40 has a frequency density of 1.5 visitors per minute, and the bar for 40 ≤ t < 60 has a frequency density of 1 visitor per minute. Work out which class contains the median time.
(a)The class with times from 0 up to 10
(b)The class with times from 20 up to 40
(c)The class with times from 10 up to 20
(d)The class with times from 40 up to 60
7.The decimal 0.272727... repeats the block 27 for ever. Write 0.27 recurring as a fraction in its simplest form.
(a)3/10
(b)27/100
(c)3/11
(d)2/9
8.A model rocket's height is given by h = −5t² + 20t, where h is in metres and t is in seconds. A student says the graph of h against t is n-shaped. Which statement gives the correct verdict on the SHAPE and the reason that settles it from the equation?
(a)Yes — the t² coefficient is negative, giving an n-shape.
(b)No — it is U-shaped, since height starts by increasing.
(c)No — the shape comes from the story, not the coefficient.
(d)Yes, but only because the rocket eventually lands.
9.A population of fish in a lake is modelled by the recurrence P_{n+1} = 1.1P_n − 30, where P_n is the population after n years, 30 fish are removed by fishing each year, and P_0 = 400. After how many complete years does the population first exceed 460?
(a)4 years
(b)5 years
(c)1 year
(d)6 years
10.Triangle ABC has AB = 9 cm, BC = 6 cm and angle A = 35°. Triangle DEF has DE = 9 cm, EF = 6 cm and angle D = 35°. Which of the following correctly identifies the condition shown here?
(a)SSA - not sufficient to prove congruence
(b)ASA - two angles and the included side equal
(c)SAS - two sides and the included angle equal
(d)AAS - two angles and a non-included side equal
11.Two ordinary fair dice are rolled and the two scores are added together. Work out the probability that the total is a prime number.
(a)13/36
(b)19/36
(c)7/18
(d)5/12
12.Work out the value of 6² − 4³.
(a)100
(b)28
(c)−28
(d)0
13.By completing the square, find the turning point of the curve y = x² − 4x + 9.
y = x² − 4x + 9
(a)x = 4, y = −7
(b)x = 2, y = −5
(c)x = 2, y = 5
(d)x = −2, y = 5
14.A jug of squash is made by mixing water and syrup in the ratio 6:1. Nia wants to make 8.4 litres of squash. Work out how much syrup she needs, in litres.
(a)0.84
(b)1.4
(c)1.2
(d)7.2
15.In triangle ABC, AB = 7 cm, AC = 6 cm and angle ABC = 40°. Two different lengths of BC are possible. Given that BC is the longer of them, work out the length of BC. Give your answer to 1 decimal place.
(a)9.3 cm
(b)3.6 cm
(c)1.4 cm
(d)4.5 cm
16.Line L has equation y = 3x − 2. Work out the gradient of a line perpendicular to L.
y = 3x − 2
(a)−1/3
(b)1/3
(c)3
(d)−3
17.Two mathematically similar picture frames have perimeters 30 cm and 45 cm. The area of the smaller frame is 40 cm². Work out the area of the larger frame.
(a)2.25 cm²
(b)60 cm²
(c)90 cm²
(d)135 cm²
18.Triangle ABC and triangle DEF are similar. The area of triangle ABC is 36 cm² and the area of triangle DEF is 100 cm². Work out the ratio of the lengths of triangle ABC to the lengths of triangle DEF, in its simplest form.
(a)3 : 5
(b)5 : 3
(c)25 : 9
(d)9 : 25
19.Write down the coordinates of the point where the line y = 2x + 4 crosses the y-axis.
y = 2x + 4
(a)(4, 0)
(b)(−2, 0)
(c)(0, 2)
(d)(0, 4)
20.A colony of bacteria doubles in number every hour. At 9am there are 5 bacteria in the colony. Work out how many bacteria there will be at 12 noon.
(a)40
(b)11
(c)20
(d)80

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.