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.For any two whole numbers, the product of the numbers is equal to the product of their highest common factor and their lowest common multiple. The highest common factor of 6 and 8 is 2, and 6 × 8 = 48. Work out the lowest common multiple of 6 and 8.
(a)24
(b)12
(c)48
(d)96
2.The point (5, −12) lies on the circle x² + y² = 169, which has centre (0, 0). Work out the equation of the tangent to the circle at (5, −12), giving your answer in the form y = mx + c.
(a)y = −(12/5)x
(b)y = (5/12)x − 25/12
(c)y = (5/12)x − 169/12
(d)y = −(5/12)x − 119/12
3.40% of a number is 12 more than 25% of the same number. Work out the number.
(a)48
(b)80
(c)15
(d)30
4.ABCD is an isosceles trapezium. The sides AB and DC are parallel, and the two sloping sides AD and BC are equal in length. Angle D is 112°. Work out the size of angle B.
(a)112°
(b)68°
(c)248°
(d)90°
5.A bag contains 4 red counters and 6 blue counters. A counter is taken at random, its colour noted, and it is put back in the bag before a second counter is taken at random. Work out the probability that the two counters are different colours. Give your answer as a fraction in its simplest form.
(a)12/25
(b)6/25
(c)13/25
(d)8/15
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.
(a)12.5
(b)192
(c)72
(d)2.4
7.The number 72 can be written as 2³ × 3², and the number 108 can be written as 2² × 3³. Work out the highest common factor of 72 and 108.
(a)36
(b)6
(c)108
(d)216
8.The equation x² − 6x + k = 0 has exactly one solution. Work out the value of k.
(a)k = −9
(b)k = 9
(c)k = 3
(d)k = 36
9.A map has a scale of 1:25000. A road on the map is 6 cm long. Work out the real-life length of the road, giving your answer in kilometres.
(a)1500 km
(b)1.5 km
(c)15 km
(d)0.15 km
10.A landscaper marks out two triangular flower beds using stakes and a tape measure. Bed 1 has two edges of 5 m and 7 m, meeting at a corner with a marked angle of 60° between them. Bed 2 has edges of 5 m and 7 m, meeting at a corner also marked at 60° between them. The landscaper wants to check the two beds will be exactly the same size and shape using only these three measurements. Which condition proves the two beds are congruent?
(a)ASA
(b)SAS
(c)RHS
(d)SSS
11.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
12.A charity raises money from a raffle and a cake sale in the ratio 5 : 3. Altogether the charity raises £320. Work out how much money the cake sale raised.
(a)£40
(b)£192
(c)£200
(d)£120
13.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
14.A straight line passes through the points (1, 20) and (5, 8). Work out the gradient of the line.
(a)−1/3
(b)−3
(c)−12
(d)3
15.Work out the distance between the points (−3, 4) and (5, −2).
(a)14
(b)100
(c)50
(d)10
16.Which expression is equivalent to 6x − (2x − 5)?
(a)8x + 5
(b)8x − 5
(c)4x − 5
(d)4x + 5
17.Two taxi firms show their charges on straight-line graphs, with the cost in pounds on the vertical axis and the distance in miles on the horizontal axis. Firm A's line passes through (0, 4) and (5, 14). Firm B's line passes through (0, 6) and (5, 21). Work out which firm charges more per mile.
(a)Firm A — £3 per mile against Firm B's £2 per mile
(b)Firm A — £0.50 per mile against Firm B's £0.33 per mile
(c)Firm B — £3 per mile against Firm A's £2 per mile
(d)Neither — both lines start with a positive fixed charge
18.In triangle ABC, angle ABC = 58°, angle ACB = 47° and BC = 14 cm. Work out the area of triangle ABC. Give your answer to 1 decimal place.
(a)83.1 cm²
(b)81.6 cm²
(c)62.9 cm²
(d)71.7 cm²
19.Solve the inequality 2(x − 1) ≤ 8.
(a)x ≤ 4
(b)x ≤ 5
(c)x < 5
(d)x ≤ 3
20.Make x the subject of the formula y = 3(x + 2).
(a)x = (y − 2)/3
(b)x = y/3 − 2
(c)x = 3y − 2
(d)x = y/3 + 2

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.