| Component | Max | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 100 | 21 | 33 | 48 | 66 |
SL Paper 1
Standard procedures were secure, but many students could not see how parts of a question connected or which quantities to equate, and trigonometric integration was weak.
Found difficult
- linear regression
- trigonometric equations
- tangents and normals
- transformations of functions
- quadratic equations
- linking parts of a question
- integration by substitution
Well prepared
- equations of lines
- outliers and IQR
- composite functions
- transformations of functions
- quadratic functions
- arithmetic and geometric sequences
| Q | Topic | How it went | Where marks were lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | gradient and perpendicular lines | Answered well | Nothing specific reported.Tip: Even if an earlier line equation is wrong, carry on: follow-through marks reward correct later method. |
| 2 | definite integral with an unknown parameter | Mixed | substituted the limits into the integrand without integrating firstTip: Always integrate the function before substituting the limits in a definite integral. |
| 3 | outlier fence and regression lines through the mean point | Most struggled | gave 15 instead of 16 as the smallest value that is not an outlier; used the wrong regression line for the prediction; did not realise both regression lines pass through the mean pointTip: Remember that both regression lines meet at the point of means, so solving them simultaneously gives the means. |
| 4 | composite function and a trigonometric equation | Mixed | applied double angle identities instead of rewriting the equation in terms of tanTip: When sine and cosine of the same angle appear in a ratio, consider dividing to get tan. |
| 5 | product rule and gradient of a tangent | Mixed | substituted x = 1 into the tangent equation, finding a y-value instead of the gradientTip: The gradient of a tangent is the coefficient of x in its equation, not a value obtained by substitution. |
| 6 | transformations of a trigonometric function | Most struggled | incomplete descriptions of a transformation; evaluated sin(-3pi/2) as -1 instead of 1Tip: Describe each transformation by type, size and direction, and sketch the graph to guide your reasoning. |
| 7 | discriminant, quadratic graph and concavity | Answered well | gave the discriminant as an expression instead of a number; answered (b)(i) in the space for (b)(ii)Tip: Read exactly what each part asks, and draw straight lines with a ruler. |
| 8 | arithmetic and geometric sequences with logarithms | Mixed | got lost in the algebra of the equation from the sum formulaTip: Factor out and cancel common logarithmic factors to reduce the equation to a simple quadratic. |
| 9 | binomial expansion and trigonometric identities | Most struggled | dropped the negative sign of a in the expansion; did unnecessary long expansions instead of reusing part (i)Tip: Use the result of an earlier part, even if you could not prove it, to answer the next part. |
What to practise
- Practise questions that test conceptual understanding, not just substitution into formulae.
- Use past exam questions throughout the course to see how topics combine and how command terms work.
- Train students to draw straight lines with a ruler and cross out abandoned attempts.
SL Paper 2
Financial maths, discrete distributions and asymptotes went well, but sector areas, 3D geometry, kinematics, Venn diagram probability and function transformations were weak, often due to poor calculator use.
Found difficult
- compound interest
- arcs and sectors
- 3D distance
- volume and surface area of solids
- kinematics
- optimisation
- Venn diagrams
- conditional probability
- transformations of functions
- calculator use
- standard deviation from a frequency table
Well prepared
- compound interest
- quadratic equations
- discrete probability distributions
- kinematics
- sine and cosine rules
- asymptotes
- normal distribution
- binomial distribution
| Q | Topic | How it went | Where marks were lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | compound interest | Mixed | entered r as 0.0274 instead of 2.74; wrong k for compounding periods per year; re-rounded answers to 3 s.f. after giving 2 d.p.; used logarithms instead of taking a tenth rootTip: Use the GDC finance solver and write down the values you entered for each field. |
| 2 | median and standard deviation from a frequency table | Mixed | confused median with mean, giving a non-integer frequency; ignored frequencies or used two-variable statistics; gave the sample instead of the population standard deviationTip: Enter data and frequencies as one-variable statistics with a frequency list on the GDC. |
| 3 | area of a segment and solving for an angle | Most struggled | did not subtract the triangle from the sector to get the segment; subtracted only one segment from the rectangle; could not solve the final equation on the GDCTip: A segment's area is the sector area minus the triangle area, using half ab sin C. |
| 4 | discrete distribution with a quadratic in k and expected value | Mixed | assumed only one root from the graph; could not justify rejecting k = 0.2 using a probability valueTip: Check each solution against the context: any value giving a negative probability must be rejected. |
| 5 | kinematics: at rest, acceleration, distance | Most struggled | set t = 0 instead of v = 0 for rest; ignored the domain; substituted the wrong t when finding acceleration; omitted the absolute value in the distance integralTip: Distance travelled is the integral of |v|; use the GDC for derivatives and integrals at a point. |
| 6 | independent events on a Venn diagram and conditional probability | Most struggled | took P(A and not B) as P(A); assumed nothing lies outside both events; treated A and B as complementaryTip: Label each Venn region carefully, then use P(A and B) = P(A)P(B) for independence. |
| 7 | 3D distance, pyramid volume and cuboid surface area optimisation | Most struggled | ignored z-coordinates in the distance; calculator set to radians; omitted the one-third in the pyramid volume; counted eight faces for a cuboidTip: Build the surface area expression from the volume constraint, then minimise it with the GDC. |
| 8 | asymptotes, inverse function and reflections | Most struggled | swapped the two asymptotes; found the derivative instead of the inverse; negated both numerator and denominator when reflectingTip: Reflection in the y-axis is f(-x) and in the x-axis is -f(x); apply them algebraically. |
| 9 | normal and binomial probabilities with combined events | Mixed | considered only one type of muffin; used a probability where a z-value was needed; no tree diagram for combined eventsTip: Draw a tree diagram to list all routes to an outcome before computing conditional probability. |
What to practise
- Know the syllabus, command terms and formula booklet well enough to use formulae with different variable names.
- Use the GDC as the default efficient tool and to check analytical work.
- Check that answers are sensible in context, such as integer counts and valid probabilities.
- Avoid premature rounding and set the calculator to the correct angle mode before trigonometry.
- Give more practice in algebra, proof and justification at the level of the course.
Internal assessment
What moderators raised about the exploration this session, criterion by criterion.
- A. aim delayed by pages of background; it should appear early
- A. long unformatted data tables inflate the length; condense them
- B. graphs, especially zoomed screenshots, lacking axis labels and scales
- B. computer notation and missing approximation signs
- C. interest in the context mistaken for engagement with the mathematics
- D. reflection left to the end instead of throughout; limitations of models rarely discussed
- E. regression models produced by software without justifying the function choice
- E. formulae applied mechanically with no conceptual explanation
About this summary
After every session the IB sends schools a subject report: how candidates did on each paper and question, and what teachers should work on. This page is my reading of the Maths AA SL report for May 2022 TZ1, in my own words. No text from the report or from the exam questions is reproduced, and it is not endorsed by the International Baccalaureate.
Session codes: TZ is the time zone variant of the papers. Other variants of the same session:
Frequently asked questions
Which questions were hardest in Maths AA SL May 2022 TZ1?
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The questions most candidates struggled with were on outlier fence and regression lines through the mean point, transformations of a trigonometric function, binomial expansion and trigonometric identities and area of a segment and solving for an angle. The tables above list every question discussed in the report, paper by paper.
What did candidates find difficult in May 2022 TZ1?
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Across the papers the examiners listed linear regression, trigonometric equations, tangents and normals, transformations of functions, quadratic equations, linking parts of a question, integration by substitution and compound interest, among others.
What were the grade boundaries for Maths AA SL May 2022 TZ1?
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Maths AA SL: a 7 from 66 out of 100 overall in May 2022 TZ1. The component boundaries are in the table on this page.
Is this the official IB subject report?
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No. It is my summary of the report the IB issues to schools after each session, rewritten in my own words with a teacher's reading of it. No text from the report or from exam questions is reproduced. Your school's IB coordinator can access the original.