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%.
CalculatorGCSE Higher
GCSE Higher sample Paper 2 (calculator)
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- 1.Work out −(−3)⁴ + (−3)³
- 2.y = 5 − 2x. Work out the value of x when y = 11.
- 3.The density of a type of wood is 0.8 g/cm³. Work out the mass of a piece of this wood with a volume of 150 cm³.
- 4.A circular pizza base has a radius of 12 cm. Work out the area of the pizza base. Use π = 3.14.
- 5.Two ordinary fair dice are rolled. Work out the probability that both dice show the same score.
- 6.In a histogram of the masses, m grams, of some pebbles, the bar for the class 50 ≤ m < 80 has a frequency density of 2.4 per gram. Work out the number of pebbles in this class.
- 7.In standard form, 2,000 is written as 2 × 10ⁿ. Write down the value of n.
- 8.By completing the square, find the turning point of the curve y = 3x² + 12x + 7.y = 3x² + 12x + 7
- 9.y is directly proportional to x. When x = 4, y = 10. Work out the value of y when x = 6.
- 10.A pinhole camera is set up at a pitch-side stand, with its aperture at the point O = (2, 1) on a grid. Light from the corner F of a triangular flag, at the point (4, 2), passes through the aperture and forms an inverted image on the film behind it. The projection is an enlargement of scale factor −1.5 centred at O. Work out the coordinates of the image of corner F.
- 11.In a year group of 60 pupils, 25 play football, 18 play tennis and 8 play both football and tennis. A pupil who plays football or tennis or both is picked at random. Work out the probability that this pupil plays both sports.
- 12.A red blood cell has a diameter of about 7 × 10⁻⁶ metres. A virus has a diameter about 100 times smaller. Work out the diameter of the virus. Give your answer in standard form.
- 13.The equation x² − 6x + k = 0 has exactly one solution. Work out the value of k.
- 14.The price of a jacket increases by 50% and then decreases by 50%. Describe the overall change from the original price.
- 15.The angle between north and a cycle path is 40°, but it is measured anticlockwise from north. What is the three-figure bearing of the cycle path?
- 16.Line P has equation y = −2x + 5 and line Q has equation 2y = x + 6. Are lines P and Q perpendicular to each other?y = -2x + 5y = x + 6
- 17.A curve has equation y = 2x² + 5. Work out an estimate for the gradient of the curve at x = 3, using a chord between the points where x = 2 and x = 4.y = 2x² + 5
- 18.Triangles PQS and RQS share the common side QS. PQ equals RQ, and PS equals RS. Which condition proves that triangle PQS is congruent to triangle RQS?
- 19.A taxi fare in pounds is given by F = 2.50 + 1.20m, where m is the number of miles travelled. Sam takes a taxi for a journey of 6 miles. Work out the fare.
- 20.Solve the simultaneous equations 4x + 3y = 25 and 4x − y = 1. Work out the value of y.
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.