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.n is a whole number and 2 ≤ n < 6. Write down all the possible values of n.
(a)2, 3, 4, 5
(b)3, 4, 5
(c)1, 2, 3, 4, 5
(d)2, 3, 4, 5, 6
2.The graph of y = 60 × (0.5)ˣ is sketched for x ≥ 0. Which statement correctly describes what happens to the curve as x increases?
(a)It gets closer to zero but never actually reaches it.
(b)It decreases steadily and reaches zero when x = 60.
(c)It levels off at y = 0.5 as x increases.
(d)It decreases at first, then becomes negative for large x.
3.The height of water in a tank, h metres, t minutes after a tap is opened is modelled by h = 0.02t² + 0.5. Estimate the instantaneous rate of change of the height at t = 10, using the gradient of the chord joining t = 9 and t = 11.
(a)0.22 m/min
(b)2.50 m/min
(c)0.80 m/min
(d)0.40 m/min
4.A, B and C are points on a circle with centre O. B is on the major arc AC. Angle AOC = 116°. Work out the size of angle ABC.
(a)232°
(b)58°
(c)64°
(d)122°
5.The probability that Kofi passes his driving test on any attempt is 0.6, and each attempt is independent of the others. Work out the probability that he fails both his first two attempts.
(a)0.16
(b)0.36
(c)0.24
(d)0.4
6.A box plot for the amount of pocket money, in pounds, saved by 30 students in a month is based on a lower quartile of £18 and an upper quartile of £42. A value above upper quartile + 1.5 × interquartile range is considered an outlier. Amara saved £80 in the month. Determine whether Amara's saving is an outlier.
(a)No — £80 is below the boundary, £132, adding the quartiles to get the IQR
(b)Yes — £80 is above £66, using the IQR once only
(c)Yes — £80 is above the boundary, £78
(d)Yes — £80 is above the upper quartile, £42
7.Write these three numbers in order, starting with the smallest: 3/5, 0.55, 58%
(a)0.55, 58%, 3/5
(b)58%, 0.55, 3/5
(c)3/5, 0.55, 58%
(d)3/5, 58%, 0.55
8.A box holds n pencils. A shop has 6 full boxes and 4 loose pencils. All of these pencils are shared equally between 2 classes. Write down the expression for the number of pencils each class receives.
(a)2(6n + 4)
(b)6(n + 4)/2
(c)(6n + 4)/2
(d)6n + 4/2
9.A cyclist rides 30 km in 1 hour 30 minutes. Work out the average speed of the cyclist in km/h.
(a)15 km/h
(b)30 km/h
(c)45 km/h
(d)20 km/h
10.Line 1 passes through (0, 1) and (2, 5). Line 2 passes through (3, 2) and (5, 6). Work out the gradient of each line. Then write down whether the two lines are parallel.
(a)Parallel, since both gradients are 2
(b)Not parallel, since the gradients are 2 and 4
(c)Parallel, since both lines pass through positive coordinates
(d)Not parallel, since the two lines cross the y-axis at different points
11.A frequency tree records 320 calls to a helpline. The calls first split into calls about billing and calls about technical support. Of the technical support calls, the probability that a call was resolved on the first contact is 0.75. If 180 technical support calls were resolved on the first contact, work out how many calls were about billing.
(a)185
(b)140
(c)80
(d)240
12.The diameter of an artificial silk fibre is 4 × 10⁻⁶ metres. One nanometre is 10⁻⁹ metres. Work out the diameter of the fibre in nanometres.
(a)4,000 nanometres
(b)4 nanometres
(c)400 nanometres
(d)0.004 nanometres
13.Write down the expression that means the same as (x + 7) ÷ 4.
(a)4(x + 7)
(b)4/(x + 7)
(c)(x + 7)/4
(d)(x + 7) − 4
14.Write £3.60 : £2.40 as a ratio in its simplest form.
(a)360 : 240
(b)36 : 24
(c)2 : 3
(d)3 : 2
15.A scale drawing of a rectangular lawn uses a scale of 1 : 125. On the drawing, the lawn measures 4 cm by 2.4 cm. Work out the perimeter of the real lawn, in metres.
(a)1600
(b)500
(c)8
(d)16
16.The formula for the volume of a cuboid is V = lwh, where l is the length, w is the width and h is the height. Make h the subject of the formula.
(a)h = Vlw
(b)h = V − lw
(c)h = V / (lw)
(d)h = lw / V
17.The density of a type of solid plastic is 0.9 g/cm³. Work out the mass of 0.5 m³ of the plastic, in kilograms.
(a)0.45 kg
(b)450.00 kg
(c)4.50 kg
(d)450000.00 kg
18.A solid has two parallel, congruent polygon faces joined by flat rectangles, and its cross-section is the same shape all the way along its length. Which solid is it?
(a)A cylinder
(b)A pyramid
(c)A cone
(d)A prism
19.A rule turns each input x into an output y. The inputs are x = −1, 0, 1, 2 and the matching outputs are y = 5, 3, 1, −1. Work out the rule.
(a)y = −2x + 3
(b)y = 2x + 3
(c)y = −2x − 3
(d)y = −x + 4
20.A scout leader is 44 years old and one of the scouts is 16 years old. Work out how many years it will be until the leader is exactly twice as old as the scout.
(a)6 years
(b)12 years
(c)14 years
(d)28 years

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.