Number worksheet — GCSE Higher

1.The density of a metal is calculated using density = mass ÷ volume. A sample has a mass of 156 g, correct to the nearest gram, and a volume of 12 cm³, correct to the nearest cm³. Work out the minimum possible density, in g/cm³.

2.A spreadsheet shows that 812 − 397 = 315. Work out an estimate for 812 − 397, by rounding each number to the nearest 100, to check whether the spreadsheet's answer is reasonable.

3.A rectangular garden has a length of 12.4 m and a width of 7.5 m, each measured correct to 1 decimal place. Calculate the upper bound for the area of the garden.

4.A café is planning its lunch menu. It will offer one soup from 3 choices and one sandwich from 4 choices, but the mushroom soup, one of the 3 soups, will only be served with the cheese sandwich, one of the 4 sandwiches, on a normal day. Work out how many different soup-and-sandwich combinations are available on a normal day.

5.The radius of a circular pond is given as 3.2 m, correct to 1 decimal place. Calculate the upper bound for the area of the pond, giving your answer correct to 3 significant figures.

6.Four students each estimate √70 without a calculator. Ben says: '8² = 64 and 9² = 81, and 70 is about a third of the way from 64 to 81, so √70 ≈ 8.3.' Chloe says: '8.5² = 72.25, which is close to 70 but a little too big, so I'll bring it down slightly to √70 ≈ 8.4.' Dan says: '9² = 81 is closer to 70 than 8² = 64 is, so √70 ≈ 8.9.' Ella says: '8² = 64 and 9² = 81, so I'll just take the midpoint of 8 and 9: √70 ≈ 8.5.' Given that √70 = 8.3666... to 4 decimal places, whose estimate is closest?

7.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.

8.Robert is converting 0.999... (with the 9s recurring forever) into a fraction. He lets x = 0.999... . Multiplying by 10 gives 10x = 9.999... . Subtracting x from 10x gives 9x = 9, so x = 1. Which statement correctly explains this result?

9.A jacket normally costs £65. In a sale it is reduced by 20%, and the shop then takes a further £5 off at the till. Work out the final price.

10.Simplify 5⁻² × 5⁴, giving your answer as a single power of 5.

11.A pizza is cut into 12 equal slices. Ben eats 5 slices and Mia eats 3 slices. What fraction of the pizza is left, giving your answer in its simplest form?

12.Work out 5⁰ + 5¹ + 5²

13.A car manufacturer offers a car in 6 colours and 4 trim levels. Two colour-and-trim combinations are not available: red with sport trim, and white with sport trim. Work out how many different colour-and-trim combinations are available.

14.In a class, 1/3 of the pupils are girls. There are 12 girls in the class. Work out how many pupils are in the class.

15.At a bus station one bus leaves every 6 minutes and another leaves every 9 minutes. The two buses leave together at the start of the day. Work out how long it is until they next leave together.