| Component | Max | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 100 | 33 | 47 | 63 | 76 |
| Internal assessment | 20 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 18 |
| Paper 1 | 80 | 26 | 36 | 49 | 59 |
| Paper 2 | 80 | 25 | 36 | 49 | 59 |
SL Paper 1
Standard techniques were secure, but logarithm laws, unfamiliar patterns, integrating sin 2x, normals and the second derivative test caused problems, and messy presentation hurt many scripts.
Found difficult
- pattern spotting
- number of solutions from a graph
- integrating trigonometric functions
- tangents and normals
- second derivative test
- laws of logarithms
Well prepared
- arithmetic and geometric sequences
- differentiation
- basic probability
- summary statistics
- stationary and inflection points
- trigonometric equations
| Q | Topic | How it went | Where marks were lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | arithmetic sequence general term | Answered well | Nothing specific reported. |
| 2 | mean from a frequency table and effect of scaling data | Mixed | divided by 6 instead of 16; guessed p and q from one equation; recalculated the new mean instead of scalingTip: Two unknowns need two equations; multiplying data by a constant multiplies the mean too. |
| 3 | laws of logarithms and change of base | Most struggled | forgot that log 1 = 0; could not apply change of baseTip: Learn the log laws and change of base; rewriting in index form can also help. |
| 4 | sector area and perimeter equations | Mixed | could not eliminate theta; fraction arithmetic errorsTip: Rearrange one equation for theta and substitute it into the other. |
| 5 | double angle equation and area between curves | Mixed | integrated sin 2x incorrectlyTip: The integral of sin 2x is -cos(2x)/2; differentiate your answer to check. |
| 6 | sum of a series and finding a pattern | Most struggled | did not simplify and compare the first few sumsTip: Work out the first few cases numerically and look for a pattern before generalising. |
| 7 | stationary points and the second derivative test | Mixed | used a sign diagram when the second derivative test was required; fraction errors; found unneeded y-coordinatesTip: Follow the method the question specifies; for the second derivative test, evaluate f'' at the point. |
| 8 | sketching a rational function and counting solutions | Mixed | did not label features; drew only one branch; solved algebraically and assumed a cubic has three real rootsTip: Use the sketch to count intersections instead of solving the equation. |
| 9 | conditional probability, distribution table and a sequence of draws | Mixed | did not give the probability as asked; answered n = 4 instead of n = 5Tip: Reread the final question sentence to make sure your answer matches what is asked. |
What to practise
- Use inquiry-based tasks to build confidence with patterns and unfamiliar problems.
- Teach all topics and link them; use past exam questions early.
- Read instructions and command terms carefully.
- Present work legibly and in order, finishing with the answer; cross out only replaced work.
SL Paper 2
Box plots, compound interest, cone volume and GDC graph features were secure, but accuracy, statistical interpretation, normal distribution problems, kinematics on the GDC, function domains and the ambiguous case were weak.
Found difficult
- accuracy and rounding
- interpreting statistics in context
- right-angled trigonometry
- normal distribution
- kinematics
- linear regression
- mathematical notation and vocabulary
- domain and range
- exponential equations
- unit conversion
- sinusoidal models
- ambiguous case of the sine rule
Well prepared
- box plots
- compound interest
- volume and surface area of solids
- correlation coefficient
- inverse functions
- transformations of functions
- sine and cosine rules
- area of a triangle
- calculator use
| Q | Topic | How it went | Where marks were lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | reading box plots and comparing distributions | Mixed | no direct comparison of medians or IQRs; vague terminology; overgeneralised from a sample of 10Tip: Compare a measure of centre and a measure of spread, and interpret each in context. |
| 2 | depreciation with compound interest | Mixed | used n = 10 instead of 9; premature rounding; answered n = 19Tip: Count the compounding periods carefully and consider using the finance solver. |
| 3 | trigonometry for a cone and its volume | Mixed | used sine rule in a right-angled triangle; ignored the person's heightTip: In a right-angled triangle, use simple trig ratios, and check which lengths are actually given. |
| 4 | normal distribution probability and finding k | Most struggled | did not sketch the curve; gave 0.067 to 2 s.f.; used the pdf instead of the cdf; could not get k from the critical valueTip: Sketch and shade the normal curve, then translate the question into a probability statement. |
| 5 | velocity-time graph: direction change, intervals and displacement | Mixed | took the local maximum as change of direction; integrated by hand instead of on the GDC; confused displacement with distanceTip: Direction changes where v crosses zero; use the GDC for definite integrals. |
| 6 | correlation, regression and extrapolation | Mixed | r given as 0.9; premature rounding; lacked statistical language such as extrapolationTip: Learn the vocabulary for regression limitations, such as extrapolation beyond the data range. |
| 7 | inverse exponential function, transformations and domain | Most struggled | found points instead of a segment length; horizontal instead of vertical translation; could not state the new domain; applied logs to individual termsTip: Logarithms apply to whole sides of an equation, never term by term across a sum. |
| 8 | sinusoidal tide model and parameters | Most struggled | premature rounding; solved analytically instead of on the GDC; subtracted clock times as decimals; no sketch shown for the intersectionTip: Convert clock times to minutes or hours properly, and sketch the GDC graph showing intersections. |
| 9 | ambiguous case of the sine rule and area equations | Most struggled | found only one angle from the sine rule; placed the fence incorrectly; incomplete substitution into equationsTip: When the sine rule gives an angle, always check whether its supplement also gives a valid triangle. |
What to practise
- Use precise mathematical and statistical vocabulary when interpreting results.
- Draw annotated diagrams or restate context in symbols before calculating.
- Build GDC fluency: solving equations, graphing composites and derivatives, evaluating derivatives and integrals.
Internal assessment
What moderators raised about the exploration this session, criterion by criterion.
- A. work not pitched at a classmate; mathematics beyond the course not explained
- B. avoidable notation slips such as computer notation, missing subscripts and undefined variables
- C. some schools still reward effort or interest in the context rather than engagement with the mathematics
- D. generic reflection that does not drive the next steps; inconsistencies in own results unnoticed
- E. pages of calculations instead of explaining the meaning of the methods
- E. models chosen by software without justifying the function or its behaviour outside the data
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 2024 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 2024 TZ1?
+
The questions most candidates struggled with were on laws of logarithms and change of base, sum of a series and finding a pattern, normal distribution probability and finding k and inverse exponential function, transformations and domain. The tables above list every question discussed in the report, paper by paper.
What did candidates find difficult in May 2024 TZ1?
+
Across the papers the examiners listed pattern spotting, number of solutions from a graph, integrating trigonometric functions, tangents and normals, second derivative test, laws of logarithms, accuracy and rounding and interpreting statistics in context, among others.
What were the grade boundaries for Maths AA SL May 2024 TZ1?
+
Maths AA SL: a 7 from 76 out of 100 overall in May 2024 TZ1. The component boundaries are in the table on this page.
Is this the official IB subject report?
+
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.