20 exact-answer questions with no calculator: surds, indices, exact trigonometric values, algebraic manipulation and fractions.

🧮 Paper 1 non-calculator warm-up — Higher

Maths · GCSE Higher · 20 questions · ~25 min

MathsUKwww.geekhero.co.uk

On Higher, Paper 1 asks for answers in exact form — a surd left as a surd, sin 60° left as √3/2, a fraction left as a fraction — and a rounded decimal scores nothing. This sheet drills exactly that. Twenty questions across simplifying surds and rationalising denominators, the index laws including fractional and negative indices, exact values of sin, cos and tan at the standard angles, expanding and factorising, and arithmetic with fractions and mixed numbers. Give yourself twenty-five minutes and no calculator, and write every answer in its exact form even when a decimal feels more natural. If you find yourself reaching for the calculator out of habit, that is the habit this sheet exists to break.

1.A set of kitchen scales displays the mass of a bag of sugar as 0.63 recurring kilograms, meaning 0.636363... kg with the block '63' repeating forever. Convert this mass to a fraction of a kilogram, then work out the mass in grams, giving your answer to the nearest gram.
(a)700 g
(b)626 g
(c)630 g
(d)636 g
2.Solve x² − 6x = 0.
(a)x = 0
(b)x = 3
(c)x = 6
(d)x = 0 or x = 6
3.The graph of y = x² − 2x − 8 takes these values: when x = −2, y = 0; when x = −1, y = −5; when x = 0, y = −8; when x = 3, y = −5; when x = 4, y = 0. Use these values to write down the two solutions of x² − 2x − 8 = 0.
y = x² − 2x − 8
(a)x = −2
(b)x = −1 or x = 3
(c)x = −2 or x = 4
(d)x = 0 or x = −8
4.Work out the exact value of cos 0° − sin 30°.
(a)1/2
(b)−1/2
(c)3/2
(d)1
5.Factorise x² − 3x − 10.
(a)(x − 10)(x + 1)
(b)(x − 5)(x + 2)
(c)(x + 5)(x − 2)
(d)(x − 5)(x − 2)
6.The recurring decimal 0.454545... can be written as 0.45 recurring, where both digits repeat forever. Let x = 0.45 recurring. Work out x as a fraction in its simplest form.
(a)1/2
(b)9/20
(c)5/11
(d)4/9
7.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
8.A square tile has an area of 72 cm². Work out the exact perimeter of the tile, giving your answer in the form k√2 cm.
(a)144√2
(b)24√2
(c)6√2
(d)12√2
9.The equation x² − 4x + k = 0 has two different real solutions. Work out the range of values of k.
(a)k < 16
(b)k ≤ 4
(c)k > 4
(d)k < 4
10.Solve 2x² = 18.
(a)x = 9 or x = −9
(b)x = 4 or x = −4
(c)x = 6 or x = −6
(d)x = 3 or x = −3
11.Rationalise the denominator of 10/(4 − √6), giving your answer in its simplest form.
(a)4 + √6
(b)4
(c)4 − √6
(d)4 + 10√6
12.Work out the value of 2⁻²
(a)4
(b)−4
(c)1/4
(d)−1/4
13.A rectangular photo has length (x + 3) cm and width x cm. Its area is 40 cm². Work out the value of x.
(a)x = −8
(b)x = 5
(c)x = 5 or x = −8
(d)x = 4
14.Write 5/6 as a decimal, showing clearly which digit recurs.
(a)0.85555...
(b)0.83333...
(c)0.083333...
(d)0.83
15.Triangle DEF has a right angle at E. Angle DFE = 60° and EF = 9 cm. Work out the exact length of DE.
(a)18 cm
(b)3√3 cm
(c)9√3/2 cm
(d)9√3 cm
16.Write these three numbers in order of size, starting with the smallest: 0.7, 3/4, 0.72
(a)3/4, 0.72, 0.7
(b)3/4, 0.7, 0.72
(c)0.7, 0.72, 3/4
(d)0.72, 3/4, 0.7
17.Simplify (y³)⁴, giving your answer as a single power of y.
(a)y¹²
(b)12y
(c)y⁷
(d)y⁸¹
18.When a number is added to its square the result is 30. Work out the possible values of the number.
(a)6 and −5
(b)5 and −6
(c)5 and 6
(d)5 only
19.A student is asked to simplify (6x³ − 15x²)/(4x² − 10x) fully. Four attempts are shown below. Which one is correct?
(a)3x/2
(b)−3x/2
(c)3x²/2
(d)3/2
20.Simplify x⁷ × x⁴, giving your answer as a single power of x.
(a)x¹¹
(b)11x
(c)x³
(d)x²⁸

What is on this worksheet?

The sheet holds 20 questions drawn from the MathsUK bank — the content areas covered: Number, Algebra, Geometry and measures (statements N7, N8, N10, A4, A18, G21). It is pitched at GCSE Higher and takes about 25 minutes to work through in full. It is built for independent practice, with full answers at the end for self-marking.

How to use the sheet well

Print it or open it on screen — both work. Printing is A4; the screen view fits phones and tablets.
Do all 20 questions before checking — about 25 minutes is the guide, but there is no time pressure.
Check the answers — press “Show answers” or print the answer page separately.
Redo the questions you got wrong — twice as effective as doing 20 fresh ones.
“New questions” — builds a fresh sheet on the same statements, so you can practise again without repeats.

Why this sheet helps

MathsUK worksheets use questions graded by difficulty and a fair spread of correct-answer positions (the answer is not always (a)) — so the student really has to think about each question rather than guess a pattern. Every question is tagged to a DfE content statement and checked before it enters the bank. The answers come with a step-by-step explanation, not just a value — so a wrong answer becomes a lesson.

Similar worksheets worth a look

✏️ Paper 1 non-calculator warm-up — Foundation · 20 questions · ~25 min
📈 Quadratics: factorise, complete the square, formula · 24 questions · ~45 min
⚗️ Ratio and proportion mastery — Higher · 24 questions · ~45 min
⭕ Circle theorems practice · 18 questions · ~40 min