| Component | Max | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 100 | 25 | 39 | 52 | 66 |
| Internal assessment | 20 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 18 |
| Paper 1 | 80 | 18 | 29 | 40 | 51 |
| Paper 2 | 80 | 16 | 27 | 37 | 48 |
SL Paper 1
Conceptual understanding was often sound and starts were good, but execution suffered from arithmetic and algebra errors, especially in inequalities, optimisation, transformations and integration.
Found difficult
- domain and range
- inequalities
- optimisation
- justifying answers
- trigonometry in context
- transformations of functions
- integration by substitution
Well prepared
- discrete probability distributions
- discriminant
- sine and cosine rules
| Q | Topic | How it went | Where marks were lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | polynomial differentiation and tangent line | Mixed | arithmetic errors finding f(1) or the lineTip: Double-check simple arithmetic when evaluating the function at the point. |
| 2 | finding g from g' with a constant | Mixed | missed the factor 1/2 integrating e^(2x); wrong values for sin 0 or e^0Tip: Integrating e^(kx) gives e^(kx)/k; recall sin 0 = 0 and e^0 = 1. |
| 3 | rational function graph and asymptotes | Mixed | asymptote not written as an equation; found only one of two values; did not use the given graphTip: Write asymptotes as y = ... and use the graph provided to support later parts. |
| 4 | non-right-angled triangle | Answered well | arithmetic and surd manipulation errorsTip: Practise simplifying surds so that formula work is not undone by arithmetic. |
| 5 | discriminant and roots of the same sign | Most struggled | could not state the inequality solution; ignored that the constant term must be positiveTip: Sketch the quadratic to solve inequalities; roots of the same sign need a positive product. |
| 6 | closest distance as an optimisation problem | Most struggled | used the wrong points in the distance formula; did not see closest as a minimisationTip: Words like closest or largest signal optimisation: differentiate and set to zero. |
| 7 | discrete random variable, conditional probability and expectation | Answered well | substituted the given value instead of deriving it; crossed out an extraneous root without a reasonTip: In show-that parts find the value independently and explain why any other root is rejected. |
| 8 | Ferris wheel sinusoidal model and fastest rate | Mixed | found a = 36; solved h'(t) = 0 instead of h''(t) = 0 for fastest changeTip: The fastest rate of change occurs where the second derivative is zero, often visible on the graph. |
| 9 | inverse function, transformations and integral using a hence | Most struggled | algebra errors finding the inverse; incomplete transformation descriptions; ignored the hence and used a wrong substitutionTip: When a part says hence, use the previous result directly. |
What to practise
- Practise exam questions with and without a calculator over both years.
- Help students identify their own recurring arithmetic slips.
- Encourage attempting later parts, since questions often supply needed information.
- Use past papers to build links between topics and awareness of command terms.
SL Paper 2
Regression, right-angle trigonometry, sine and cosine rules and standard distributions were sound, but accuracy, angle mode, 3D diagrams, bearings, geometric series in context and GDC equation solving cost many marks.
Found difficult
- accuracy and rounding
- answer format
- relating a function and its derivative
- calculator use
- 3D trigonometry
- bearings
- arithmetic and geometric sequences
- show-that questions
- normal distribution
Well prepared
- linear regression
- right-angled trigonometry
- sine and cosine rules
- binomial expansion
- normal distribution
- binomial distribution
- arithmetic and geometric sequences
| Q | Topic | How it went | Where marks were lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | linear regression | Answered well | built a line from two points instead of regressionTip: Use the GDC regression on all data rather than two points. |
| 2 | 3D geometry: lengths and angle in a pyramid | Mixed | could not identify the required angle; missed the right angle in VXC; forgot XC is half of AC; premature rounding in long methodsTip: Draw the right-angled triangle containing the angle separately and use tan with known sides. |
| 3 | decreasing and concave-up intervals from a graph | Most struggled | did not know the conditions on f' and f''; answers to 2 s.f.; answered (b) in (a); incorrect interval notationTip: Decreasing means f' < 0 and concave up means f'' > 0; write intervals clearly. |
| 4 | binomial term and standard form | Most struggled | omitted brackets around 2x; missed k = -5; added instead of multipliedTip: Bracket the whole term when raising it to a power, e.g. (2x)^3. |
| 5 | kinematics: maximum speed, distance, acceleration at direction change | Most struggled | calculator in degrees; gave maximum velocity not speed; inaccurate area sums; rounded t before differentiatingTip: Maximum speed is the largest |v|; use the stored t-value for the GDC derivative. |
| 6 | sector, triangle and segment areas with a ratio | Most struggled | inverted the ratio; stuck after forming two equations; assumed theta = 90 degreesTip: Turn a ratio P:Q = 3:5 into 5P = 3Q, then solve the two equations on the GDC. |
| 7 | cosine rule, angle of depression and bearings in 3D | Most struggled | forgot the square root or radian mode; used 94 instead of 0.94 degrees; misread the 3D diagram; mixed metres and kilometresTip: Redraw the 3D situation as 2D triangles and convert units before combining speeds and distances. |
| 8 | normal and binomial distribution with unknown mean and sigma | Mixed | wrong accuracy or not a percentage; misread at least on the GDC; assumed both tails were 0.09; could not solve for mu and sigmaTip: Sketch both tail probabilities, form two z-equations and solve them simultaneously on the GDC. |
| 9 | geometric and arithmetic sequences from a bouncing ball | Most struggled | used n = 5 instead of 6; did not double heights for up and down; used the sum formula instead of the nth termTip: Total distance counts each bounce height twice, up and down, except the initial drop. |
What to practise
- Read carefully, show working and sketch labelled diagrams.
- Round to the required accuracy and carry unrounded values between parts.
- Practise phrases like at least, at most and more than.
- Use the GDC for short questions and check the angle mode.
- Practise extended contextual Section B questions using past papers.
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 TZ2, 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 TZ2?
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The questions most candidates struggled with were on discriminant and roots of the same sign, closest distance as an optimisation problem, inverse function, transformations and integral using a hence and decreasing and concave-up intervals from a graph. The tables above list every question discussed in the report, paper by paper.
What did candidates find difficult in May 2025 TZ2?
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Across the papers the examiners listed domain and range, inequalities, optimisation, justifying answers, trigonometry in context, transformations of functions, integration by substitution and accuracy and rounding, among others.
What were the grade boundaries for Maths AA SL May 2025 TZ2?
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Maths AA SL: a 7 from 66 out of 100 overall in May 2025 TZ2. 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.