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.Which of these statements about −0.7 and −0.25 is true?
(a)−0.7 = −0.25
(b)−0.7 < −0.25
(c)−0.7 ≥ −0.25
(d)−0.7 > −0.25
2.The first term of an arithmetic sequence is 5, and each term after that increases by 6. Work out the 8th term of the sequence.
(a)53
(b)41
(c)48
(d)47
3.The table shows values of x and y. x: 3, 5, 8. y: 12, 20, 32. Which statement correctly describes the relationship between x and y?
(a)y is always 4 times x.
(b)y is always double x, plus 6.
(c)y is always x plus 9.
(d)x is always 4 times y.
4.A regular hexagon has sides of length 8 cm. By splitting the hexagon into 6 identical triangles that meet at its centre, work out the area of the hexagon. Give your answer to 1 decimal place.
(a)192.0 cm²
(b)166.3 cm²
(c)138.6 cm²
(d)27.7 cm²
5.A market stall sells umbrellas. Over the last 250 days, it rained on 70 of them. Using this as an estimate of the probability of rain, work out how many rainy days would be expected in the next 365 days.
(a)70
(b)48
(c)102
(d)110
6.A town council wants to find out about the eating habits of the people who live in the town. It asks only the members of a local sports club. Give a reason why this sample is biased.
(a)The club has more members than the council needs
(b)The members were picked at random, so some will not reply
(c)Club members probably eat differently from most people
(d)Everyone asked lives in the town, so all are covered
7.A pair of trainers is priced at £80 online. The shop takes 25% off the price and then adds £10 for next-day delivery. Work out the total cost.
(a)£65
(b)£67.50
(c)£60
(d)£70
8.Write down the expression that means the same as 'subtract 5 from n, then divide the result by 2'.
(a)(n − 5)/2
(b)n/2 − 5
(c)2(n − 5)
(d)(5 − n)/2
9.A metal alloy is made from copper and tin in the ratio 7:3. Work out the mass of tin in 250 g of the alloy.
(a)125 g
(b)75 g
(c)25 g
(d)175 g
10.A carpenter cuts two triangular metal brackets for a shelf. Bracket P has sides of 12 cm, 16 cm and 20 cm. Bracket Q has sides of 16 cm, 20 cm and 12 cm, listed in a different order. Before fitting them as a matching pair, the carpenter wants to check they are exactly the same shape and size. Which of the following correctly justifies this?
(a)Yes - SSS, the three side lengths all match
(b)Yes - SAS, two sides and an angle match
(c)Cannot be determined without the angles
(d)No - the sides are listed in a different order
11.240 people were asked whether they had been to the cinema in the last month. 100 of the people are under 30 years old and 140 are aged 30 or over. 65 of the under 30s and 35 of those aged 30 or over had been to the cinema. One of the people aged 30 or over is picked at random. Work out the probability that this person had been to the cinema.
(a)7/48
(b)1/4
(c)3/4
(d)7/20
12.A space probe is 7.5 × 10⁸ km from Earth. Write this distance as an ordinary number.
(a)600
(b)750,000,000
(c)7,500,000,000
(d)0.000000075
13.Solve the inequality 5 − x ≤ 2.
(a)x ≤ −3
(b)x ≥ −3
(c)x ≥ 3
(d)x ≤ 3
14.A sculptor makes two mathematically similar statues. The smaller statue is 20 cm tall and 80 ml of varnish covers its surface. The larger statue is 50 cm tall. Work out how much varnish is needed to cover the surface of the larger statue.
(a)200 ml
(b)1250 ml
(c)32 ml
(d)500 ml
15.A cuboid-shaped shipping crate has a length of 12 m, a width of 5 m, and a volume of 360 m³. Work out the height of the crate, in metres.
(a)30 m
(b)6 m
(c)300 m
(d)72 m
16.A zip-line runs from a platform 25 m high to a landing point 5 m high, over a horizontal distance of 40 m. Work out the gradient of the zip-line.
(a)2
(b)−0.5
(c)0.5
(d)−0.8
17.A map has a scale of 1 : 50 000. Two villages are 4 cm apart on the map. Work out the real distance between the villages, in kilometres.
(a)2 km
(b)20 km
(c)200 km
(d)0.2 km
18.Work out the exact value of tan 30° + tan 30°.
(a)2√3/3
(b)√3/3
(c)√3
(d)2√3
19.A graph has equation y = −2x² + 5. Which statement about its shape is correct?
y = -2x² + 5
(a)It is U-shaped, since x² is always positive.
(b)It is a straight line, because of the constant term +5.
(c)It repeatedly rises and falls, like a wave shape.
(d)It is n-shaped, since the x² coefficient is negative.
20.A ball's height, h metres, t seconds after being thrown follows h = (t − 1)(9 − t). Given that the ball is at ground level at t = 1 and t = 9, work out at what time t the ball reaches its maximum height, using symmetry.
(a)t = 4
(b)t = 8
(c)t = 10
(d)t = 5

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.