| Component | Max | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 100 | 33 | 48 | 62 | 77 |
| Internal assessment | 20 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 18 |
| Paper 1 | 80 | 24 | 36 | 48 | 60 |
| Paper 2 | 79 | 25 | 37 | 48 | 60 |
SL Paper 1
Basic skills were secure, but questions needing understanding of inverse notation, logarithms, the normal distribution and justification of function behaviour caused trouble, and working backwards in show-that parts was common.
Found difficult
- inverse functions
- normal distribution
- laws of logarithms
- integration by substitution
- justifying answers
Well prepared
- outliers and IQR
- quadratic equations
- trigonometric identities
- differentiation
- linear equations
- arithmetic and geometric sequences
| Q | Topic | How it went | Where marks were lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | box plot: IQR and percentage between quartiles | Mixed | could not identify the median and upper quartile; did not know 25% lies between themTip: Each section of a box plot between quartile markers holds a quarter of the data. |
| 2 | logarithms in terms of p and q, change of base | Mixed | could not factor 24 into 2s and 3s; wrote log of 2^3 as p^3 instead of 3p; wrong final change-of-base answerTip: The power law brings the exponent to the front: log(2^3) = 3 log 2. |
| 3 | inverse function notation from a graph | Most struggled | did not know the inverse's domain is the original range; did not convert f(-3) = -1 into the inverse statement; solved 2x - 7 = -3Tip: If f(a) = b then f^-1(b) = a; use this to set up equations. |
| 4 | difference of squares identity and integration by inspection | Mixed | treated cos^2 x - sin^2 x as a square root of the quartic expressionTip: Spot cos^4 x - sin^4 x as a difference of squares, then use cos 2x in the integral. |
| 5 | tangent line to a quadratic via the discriminant | Most struggled | missing working for the final show-that mark; set the derivative to m but went no furtherTip: A line touching a curve gives a quadratic with discriminant zero. |
| 6 | normal distribution properties without a calculator | Most struggled | did not recognise a as the standard deviation; did not know about 68% within one standard deviationTip: Know the 68% within one standard deviation fact and use symmetry and total area 1. |
| 7 | derivative, stationary point and second derivative test | Mixed | algebra slips; left answers unsimplified; used the quotient rule instead of the power rule; could not justify a minimumTip: Rewrite as powers to differentiate, and state the sign of f'' to justify a minimum. |
| 8 | arithmetic and geometric sequences with a parameter | Most struggled | could not explain why the infinite sum does not exist; worked backwards from the given quadratic; substituted into the sum formula needlesslyTip: An infinite geometric sum exists only when |r| < 1; state this when explaining. |
| 9 | quadratic inequality, logarithmic equation and maximum of a composite | Most struggled | did not use the parabola's shape for the inequality; forgot k^0 = 1; missed that the maximum is at the parabola's vertex xTip: Use earlier parts: a log of a quadratic peaks where the quadratic peaks. |
What to practise
- Practise IB-style questions so students see how parts connect.
- Never start from a given result in show-that questions.
- Simplify numerical and algebraic final answers.
- Use questions that test conceptual understanding beyond routine formulae.
SL Paper 2
Familiar formulae were usually chosen correctly, but calculus rules, binomial and conditional probability, function parameters, 3D geometry, binomial expansion and calculator use were weak, and many students scored under 10 marks.
Found difficult
- chain rule
- interpreting integrals in context
- binomial distribution
- conditional probability
- summary statistics
- sinusoidal models
- volume and surface area of solids
- binomial expansion
- calculator use
Well prepared
- 3D distance
- arcs and sectors
- sine and cosine rules
| Q | Topic | How it went | Where marks were lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3D distance and hemisphere surface area | Mixed | sign errors with negative coordinates; used 2D distance; omitted the flat circular face; treated it as a full sphereTip: A solid hemisphere's surface is the curved half-sphere plus the flat circle. |
| 2 | triangle trigonometry | Answered well | radian mode; used Pythagoras or halved the angle in a non-right triangleTip: Use the sine or cosine rule in non-right triangles; do not assume a perpendicular bisects the angle. |
| 3 | binomial expansion: number of terms and a coefficient | Mixed | gave 11 terms instead of 12; wrong coefficient or power of k; added powers instead of multiplying; left a fourth root unsimplifiedTip: (a + b)^n has n + 1 terms; write the general term before picking the power. |
| 4 | discrete distribution, mean and sampling method | Mixed | set expected value to 1 instead of summing probabilities; confused the mode with its probability; divided by 6 to get the mean; chose quota or systematic sampling wronglyTip: The mean of a distribution is the sum of x times P(x), with no division. |
| 5 | circle geometry: triangle area and radius | Answered well | did not see ab = r^2; converted radians to degreesTip: In a triangle formed by two radii, both sides equal r so the area is r^2 sin(theta)/2. |
| 6 | derivative with chain rule and angle of a tangent | Most struggled | errors in quotient or chain rule and simplification; set f'(1) equal to 0 or 70; chose an unsuitable root for aTip: A tangent at 70 degrees to the horizontal has gradient tan 70. |
| 7 | sinusoidal function, tangent and normal, area between curves | Mixed | found amplitude from max and min instead of reading it; degree mode when checking a point; used trace instead of intersect; wrong limits or missing brackets in areaTip: Check a point lies on a curve by substitution in radian mode, not by domain and range. |
| 8 | binomial conditions, probabilities and conditional probability | Most struggled | used cdf instead of pdf; answers to 2 s.f.; probabilities above 1; used n = 722 from np instead of trial on the GDCTip: Any probability above 1 signals an error; recheck the numerator of a conditional probability. |
| 9 | velocity model: limits, acceleration and distance in a race | Most struggled | solved v = 5 by hand; substituted infinity for t; integrated with wrong limits or forgot the constant; described a method without workingTip: Explore large t on the GDC table or graph to find a limiting value. |
What to practise
- Secure the basics so that weaker students can access at least half the paper.
- Use examiner reports and mark schemes when revising past papers.
- Give final answers to 3 s.f.
- Train correct calculator use, including the solver, intersect and angle mode.
- Practise contextual probability and statistics with interpretation.
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 TZ3, 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 TZ3?
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The questions most candidates struggled with were on inverse function notation from a graph, tangent line to a quadratic via the discriminant, normal distribution properties without a calculator and arithmetic and geometric sequences with a parameter. The tables above list every question discussed in the report, paper by paper.
What did candidates find difficult in May 2025 TZ3?
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Across the papers the examiners listed inverse functions, normal distribution, laws of logarithms, integration by substitution, justifying answers, chain rule, interpreting integrals in context and binomial distribution, among others.
What were the grade boundaries for Maths AA SL May 2025 TZ3?
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Maths AA SL: a 7 from 77 out of 100 overall in May 2025 TZ3. 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.