| Component | Max | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 100 | 25 | 38 | 52 | 65 |
| Internal assessment | 20 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 18 |
| Paper 1 | 80 | 19 | 29 | 40 | 50 |
| Paper 2 | 80 | 15 | 26 | 36 | 47 |
SL Paper 1
Many routine parts were done well, but fraction arithmetic, bracket errors, working backwards in show-that parts and the final trigonometry-in-context question held students back.
Found difficult
- compound interest
- independent and mutually exclusive events
- median of a sequence
- kinematics
- inequalities
- trigonometry in context
Well prepared
- laws of logarithms
- stationary and inflection points
- binomial expansion
- basic probability
- arithmetic and geometric sequences
- kinematics
- completing the square
- quadratic functions
- composite functions
- integration
| Q | Topic | How it went | Where marks were lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | laws of logarithms | Answered well | did not apply the addition law, giving ln 7; trouble with a negative indexTip: ln a + ln b = ln(ab); practise logs with negative powers. |
| 2 | stationary point with a parameter | Answered well | used the quotient rule unnecessarily; ignored the instruction that p is positive; fraction errorsTip: Rewrite simple fractions as powers before differentiating instead of using the quotient rule. |
| 3 | compound interest growth factor | Most struggled | gave k = 0.04 or k = 4 instead of the growth multiplier; arithmetic slipsTip: A 4% increase multiplies the value by 1.04 each period. |
| 4 | areas using integration | Mixed | sign errorsTip: Sketch both functions to see which regions you are integrating. |
| 5 | probability and proving independence | Mixed | assumed independence to find P(B) when it had to be shownTip: Do not use the property you are asked to prove; compute probabilities first, then compare. |
| 6 | geometric sequence of areas and its median | Mixed | bracketing errors; fraction slips; tried to compute a 5.5th termTip: Write the first few terms to see the pattern, and use brackets around fractional ratios. |
| 7 | velocity graph: maximum speed and displacement | Mixed | did not convert v = -120 to speed 120; used the derivative for maximum speed; wrong conclusion about returning to the startTip: Speed is the magnitude of velocity; a large negative velocity can give the maximum speed. |
| 8 | completed square, sketching a quadratic and inequalities | Mixed | did not label intercepts and vertex; wrong final inequalityTip: Label every feature the question asks for on your sketch. |
| 9 | trigonometry in context and cylinder volume | Most struggled | did not justify sin theta > 0; did not use tan theta = 2 to find sin and cosTip: From tan theta, draw a right triangle to read off sin and cos exactly. |
What to practise
- Use correct notation, especially brackets when squaring or subtracting, and simplify final answers.
- Do not work backwards in show-that questions.
- Practise trigonometric equations and identities in contextual problems.
- Give more practice in combining topics and reading questions carefully.
SL Paper 2
Inverse functions, asymptotes, sectors, regression prediction and expected values were handled well, but proof layout, tan's period, applied integration, normal standardisation, the shortest distance to a curve and GDC skills were weak.
Found difficult
- arithmetic and geometric sequences
- algebraic proof
- domain and range
- sketching graphs
- rational functions
- calculator use
- gradient and angle of a line
- trigonometric graphs
- independent and mutually exclusive events
- normal distribution
- integration with boundary conditions
- chain rule
- integrating 1/x
Well prepared
- scientific notation
- inverse functions
- asymptotes
- arcs and sectors
- linear regression
- basic probability
- discrete probability distributions
- integration
| Q | Topic | How it went | Where marks were lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | algebraic proof and integral of 1/x | Mixed | scratch-style cancelling instead of a LHS to RHS proof; did not know the integral of 1/x is ln xTip: Write a proof as a chain from one side to the other, ending with the other side. |
| 2 | sector area and calculator order of operations | Mixed | used degrees in the radian sector formula; typed 697/19.5pi, multiplying by piTip: Bracket denominators on the calculator, e.g. 697/(19.5 pi). |
| 3 | period of tan and simultaneous equations | Mixed | gave the period of tan as 2pi like sine and cosineTip: The tangent function has period pi; use the GDC simultaneous solver in radian mode. |
| 4 | population from a rate of change | Most struggled | substituted t = 4 into the derivative instead of integratingTip: Integrate the rate, use the initial condition to find C, then substitute the time. |
| 5 | regression lines, mean point and inverse normal | Most struggled | did not see the mean point is the intersection; equated right-hand sides wrongly; used invNorm(0.88) with the wrong tailTip: Check which tail area your GDC's inverse normal needs. |
| 6 | chain rule and the angle a tangent makes | Most struggled | chain rule omitted or misapplied; did not link gradient to tan of the angleTip: The gradient of a line equals tan of its angle with the positive x-axis. |
| 7 | game probabilities over several rounds | Mixed | counted only one way to score 45; treated it as binomialTip: List every way an outcome can occur before adding probabilities. |
| 8 | arithmetic series in a card house with trigonometry | Mixed | did not recognise an arithmetic series; showed specific terms instead of a general result; rounded rows up to 22; unit conversion errorsTip: Check rounding against the context: you cannot build a row you lack cards for. |
| 9 | inverse function, shortest distance to a curve, asymptotes and sketch | Mixed | could not factor to isolate y; estimated k or used intercepts; asymptotes not as equations or swapped; did not use the GDC for the sketchTip: Combine knowledge of asymptotes and intercepts with the GDC display to sketch accurately. |
What to practise
- Use the GDC for simultaneous equations, unfamiliar equations and normal distribution unknowns.
- Store calculator values to avoid premature rounding.
- Deepen the link between calculus and geometry such as gradient and area.
- Teach the meaning of hence, show that and sketch; do not use later results for earlier parts.
Internal assessment
What moderators raised about the exploration this session, criterion by criterion.
- A. overly long work with repeated calculations or explanations of basic ideas
- A. unclear or overly broad aims weaken coherence
- B. missing axis labels and units, inconsistent symbols, computer notation
- B. heavy reliance on programming makes work resemble a computing project
- C. stating interest or collecting own data alone is routine engagement; some teachers over-reward effort
- D. reflection confined to a brief conclusion without critical analysis
- E. model choice justified only by R squared; correlation confused with causation
- E. mathematics beyond SL used without understanding
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 2025 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 2025 TZ1?
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The questions most candidates struggled with were on compound interest growth factor, trigonometry in context and cylinder volume, population from a rate of change and regression lines, mean point and inverse normal. The tables above list every question discussed in the report, paper by paper.
What did candidates find difficult in May 2025 TZ1?
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Across the papers the examiners listed compound interest, independent and mutually exclusive events, median of a sequence, kinematics, inequalities, trigonometry in context, arithmetic and geometric sequences and algebraic proof, among others.
What were the grade boundaries for Maths AA SL May 2025 TZ1?
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Maths AA SL: a 7 from 65 out of 100 overall in May 2025 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.