Geometry and measures worksheet — GCSE Higher

1.Triangle ABC and triangle DEF are similar. The area of triangle ABC is 36 cm² and the area of triangle DEF is 100 cm². Work out the ratio of the lengths of triangle ABC to the lengths of triangle DEF, in its simplest form.

2.A tent has the cross-section of a right-angled triangle. The sloping side of the cross-section is 10 m long, and it makes an angle of 60° with the horizontal ground. Using the exact value of cos 60°, work out the horizontal distance covered by the sloping side.

3.A, B, C and D are points on a circle with centre O, placed in that order around the circle so that ABCD is a cyclic quadrilateral. B lies on the major arc AC and D lies on the minor arc AC. Angle AOC = 104°. Work out the size of angle ADC.

4.A ferris wheel's circular frame has centre O. A support strut runs from O to a point A on the rim, and a second strut runs from O to point B on the rim, with angle AOB = 76°. A cabin is mounted at point C on the major arc AB, and D is a separate point on the minor arc AB. Work out the difference between angle ACB and angle ADB.

5.From an external point P, two tangents PA and PB touch a circle with centre O at A and B. Angle AOB = 112°. Work out the size of angle APB.

6.From an external point P, two tangents PA and PB touch a circle with centre O at A and B. Angle APB = 40°. Work out the size of angle AOB.

7.A gardener wants to buy edging trim to go all the way around a circular flower bed with a diameter of 8 m. Work out the length of edging trim needed, using π = 3.14. Give your answer to the nearest metre.

8.A triangular plot of land has sides AB = 13 m and AC = 10 m, with angle BAC = 72° between them. Work out the perimeter of the plot. Give your answer to 1 decimal place.

9.A regular pentagon has centre O. Each vertex is 8 cm from O, and each of the 5 triangles formed by joining O to the vertices is isosceles with an angle of 72° at O. Work out the area of the pentagon. Give your answer to 1 decimal place.

10.In triangle ABC and triangle DEF, the angle at A equals the angle at D, and AB ÷ DE = AC ÷ DF. Write down what this proves about the two triangles.

11.Point P has coordinates (2, 1). Transformation A reflects a point in the x-axis. Transformation B translates a point by the vector (0, 4). Work out the coordinates of the image of P when A is applied first, followed by B.

12.A ramp is built from two straight metal supports that rest on the flat ground and meet each other at the top, forming a triangle with the ground. One support meets the ground at 34°. The angle between the two supports where they meet is 71°. Work out the angle between the second support and the ground.

13.A cone is cut by a flat plane parallel to its circular base, partway up between the base and the apex. What shape is the cross-section?

14.Two spheres are similar solids. Their radii are in the ratio 3 : 4. Write down the ratio of their surface areas.

15.In triangle ABC the angle at A is 90° and BC = 10 cm. For the angle at B, sin B = 3/5. Work out the length of AC.