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.Work out 100 − 4 × 5²
(a)0
(b)2400
(c)60
(d)−300
2.Using the table of values of f(x) (x = 0, 1, 2, 3 gives f(x) = 5, 8, 4, 1), work out the value of −f(x) when x = 1.
(a)−8
(b)7
(c)8
(d)−5
3.A laptop priced at £520 is first increased by 15%, and then the new price is decreased by 20%. Work out the final price of the laptop.
(a)£598
(b)£494
(c)£478.40
(d)£416
4.In triangle ABC, AB = x cm, AC = (x + 3) cm, BC = 7 cm and angle BAC = 60°. Work out the value of x.
(a)5
(b)37
(c)−8
(d)8
5.The probability that a seed fails to germinate is 1/5. Three seeds are planted independently. Work out the probability that at least one of the three seeds germinates.
(a)12/125
(b)4/5
(c)64/125
(d)124/125
6.Priya travels to work by one of two routes and records her journey times, in minutes, over several weeks. Route 1 has a median of 34 minutes and an interquartile range of 22 minutes. Route 2 has a median of 41 minutes and an interquartile range of 6 minutes. Priya wants the more reliable route for getting to an important meeting on time. Which route should she choose, and why?
(a)Route 2, because its median is lower
(b)Route 1, because its interquartile range is smaller
(c)Route 2, because its interquartile range is smaller
(d)Route 1, because its median is lower
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.A company's cost, in £, for producing x items is shown on a graph. The tangent to the curve at x = 50 passes through (30, 400) and (70, 800). Interpret the gradient of this tangent in the context of the company's costs.
(a)The cost decreases by about £10 per extra item
(b)The cost increases by about £400 per extra item
(c)The cost increases by about £0.10 per extra item
(d)The cost increases by about £10 per extra item
9.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
10.An ice cream is made from a cone of radius 3 cm and height 10 cm, topped with a hemisphere of the same radius sitting exactly on top of the cone. Work out the total volume of the ice cream. Use π = 3.14. Give your answer to the nearest whole number. Volume of a cone = 1/3 × πr²h. Volume of a sphere = 4/3 × πr³.
(a)151 cm³
(b)94 cm³
(c)339 cm³
(d)207 cm³
11.Two games are offered at a school fair, and every one of the 40 pupils in a class plays each game once. In Game A, the probability of winning a prize is 0.2 and the prize is worth £5. In Game B, the probability of winning a prize is 0.1 and the prize is worth £12. Work out which game gives a higher expected total value of prizes for the class, and by how much.
(a)Game B, by £8
(b)Game B, by £48
(c)Game A, by £8
(d)Game A, by £40
12.A quarter-circle has a radius of 6 cm. Work out the exact perimeter of the quarter-circle, giving your answer in terms of π.
(a)(12 + 12π) cm
(b)3π cm
(c)(12 + 3π) cm
(d)(6 + 3π) cm
13.By completing the square, find the turning point of the curve y = x² + 8x − 3.
y = x² + 8x − 3
(a)x = −8, y = −67
(b)x = −4, y = 19
(c)x = 4, y = −19
(d)x = −4, y = −19
14.Two quantities x and y are in direct proportion. When x = 8, the value of y is 20. Work out the value of y when x = 14.
(a)26
(b)5.6
(c)28
(d)35
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.The solution set of an inequality is described as: x is less than −3, or x is greater than or equal to 1. Write this solution set using set notation.
(a){x : x < −3} ∪ {x : x ≥ 1}
(b){x : −3 < x ≤ 1}
(c){x : x > −3} ∪ {x : x ≤ 1}
(d){x : x ≤ −3} ∪ {x : x > 1}
17.A cyclist rides at a steady speed of 20 mph. Given that 1 mile ≈ 1.6 km, work out the cyclist's speed in km/h.
(a)21.6 km/h
(b)20 km/h
(c)32 km/h
(d)12.5 km/h
18.A triangular sail for a small boat has a base of 2.4 m and a height of 1.75 m. Sailcloth costs £12.50 per m². Work out the total cost of the sailcloth needed for the sail.
(a)£30.00
(b)£26.25
(c)£25.00
(d)£52.50
19.f(x) = x + 2 and g(x) = x². Work out the value of x for which fg(x) = gf(x).
y = x + 2
(a)1.5
(b)0
(c)−0.5
(d)no solution
20.Work out the value of 3a − 2b when a = 5 and b = 4
(a)52
(b)−7
(c)23
(d)7

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.