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 circle has a circumference of 8π cm. Work out the exact area of the circle in terms of π.
(a)64π
(b)16π
(c)4π
(d)8π
2.By completing the square, find the turning point of the curve y = x² − 10x + 30.
y = x² − 10x + 30
(a)x = 10, y = −70
(b)x = 5, y = −5
(c)x = 5, y = 5
(d)x = −5, y = 5
3.Work out the value of x when 4/x = 2/5.
(a)10
(b)2.5
(c)20
(d)8
4.A photograph is 10 cm wide and 15 cm tall. It is enlarged to make a similar poster that is 40 cm wide. The poster costs £0.80 per centimetre of its height to print, based on its full height. Work out the cost of printing the poster.
(a)£3
(b)£15.20
(c)£12
(d)£48
5.A leisure centre has 150 members. 80 of the members are male and the rest are female. Every member uses either the pool or the gym, but not both. 66 members use the pool, and 35 of those pool users are male. Work out how many female members use the gym.
(a)84
(b)39
(c)45
(d)31
6.A charity shop in Bath holds 2,000 books. Volunteer A checks a random sample of 50 books and finds 35 paperbacks. Volunteer B checks a different random sample of 50 books and finds 31 paperbacks. Work out the estimate each sample gives for the whole stock, and write down what the shop should do next.
(a)1,400 and 1,240, so combine the samples for one estimate
(b)1,400 and 1,240, so keep 1,400 as the larger estimate
(c)1,400 and 1,240, so one volunteer must have miscounted
(d)1,750 and 1,550, so the larger estimate must be right
7.Four locations each record a temperature one winter morning. Which of these temperatures is the coldest?
(a)−4.5 °C
(b)−3.8 °C
(c)−4.05 °C
(d)2 °C
8.The diagram shows the graph of a function. Which equation could it represent?
(a) $y = x^{3} + 4 x$
(b) $y = x^{3} - 4 x$
(c) $y = - x^{3} + 4 x$
(d) $y = x^{2} - 4 x$
9.A car travels for 3 hours at an average speed of 80 km/h and then for 1 hour at an average speed of 40 km/h. Work out the average speed for the whole journey.
(a)70 km/h
(b)80 km/h
(c)60 km/h
(d)280 km/h
10.Point A has coordinates (2, 5). Point A is translated to point B using the column vector with top number 6 and bottom number −3. Write down the coordinates of point B.
(a)(8, 2)
(b)(−1, 11)
(c)(−4, 8)
(d)(8, 8)
11.A school surveys 60 pupils. 32 say they walk to school, 24 say they cycle to school, and 12 say they do both, on different days. The rest travel only by car. One of the 60 pupils is chosen at random. Work out the probability that this pupil travels only by car.
(a)4/15
(b)4/5
(c)1/5
(d)7/15
12.Amelia estimates 48 × 21 by working out 50 × 20 = 1,000. Work out whether her estimate is an under-estimate or an over-estimate, and by how much.
(a)An over-estimate, by 19
(b)Neither — the estimate is exactly right
(c)An under-estimate, by 8
(d)An over-estimate, by 8
13.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
14.The tangent to a curve at the point where x = 4 has equation y = 3x − 2. Work out the instantaneous rate of change of y with respect to x at x = 4.
y = 3x − 2
(a)−2
(b)4
(c)3
(d)10
15.A garden flower bed is in the shape of a trapezium. Its two parallel edges are 3.5 m and 6.5 m long, and the perpendicular distance between them is 4 m. Bedding plants cost £2.50 per square metre to cover the bed. Work out the total cost of the bedding plants.
(a)£100
(b)£65
(c)£35
(d)£50
16.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
17.y is inversely proportional to x². When x = 2, y = 8. Construct the equation connecting x and y, then work out the value of y when x = 4.
(a)2
(b)512
(c)4
(d)8
18.Triangle T has a vertex A at (4, 6). It is enlarged by a scale factor of −1/2, centre (2, 2). Work out the coordinates of the image of point A.
(a)(3, 4)
(b)(−2, −3)
(c)(1, 0)
(d)(−2, −6)
19.Solve x² + 7x = 0.
(a)x = 0 or x = 7
(b)x = 0 or x = −14
(c)x = 0 or x = −7
(d)x = −7
20.The line y = 2x + 7 and the circle x² + y² = 4 are given. By finding the discriminant of the resulting quadratic, without solving it fully, work out how many points the line and the circle intersect at.
y = 2x + 7
(a)0 — the line does not intersect the circle
(b)It cannot be found without solving the quadratic.
(c)1 — the line is a tangent to the circle
(d)2 — the line crosses the circle at two points

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.