| Component | Max | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 100 | 37 | 53 | 67 | 80 |
| Internal assessment | 20 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 18 |
| Paper 1 | 80 | 29 | 42 | 54 | 64 |
| Paper 2 | 80 | 29 | 42 | 53 | 62 |
SL Paper 1
Many routine parts were done well, but missing brackets when subtracting or squaring, unsimplified answers, double-angle work, parallel gradients and logarithmic transformations cost marks.
Found difficult
- conditional probability
- surds
- double angle identities
- tangents and normals
- transformations of functions
- laws of logarithms
Well prepared
- arcs and sectors
- sine and cosine rules
- arithmetic and geometric sequences
- equations of lines
- area between curves
- logarithms
- differentiation
- volume and surface area of solids
| Q | Topic | How it went | Where marks were lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | mode, range, median and IQR | Answered well | gave the range as an interval rather than a differenceTip: Range and IQR are single numbers found by subtraction. |
| 2 | sector radius and perimeter | Answered well | algebra errors finding r; left r as 12/0.75Tip: Simplify divisions like 12/0.75 to a final number. |
| 3 | union and conditional probability with complements | Mixed | assumed independence; wrong intersection with complements; left 0.2/0.35 unsimplifiedTip: Use a Venn diagram to find intersections involving complements; write fractions with integers. |
| 4 | algebraic proof of a multiple of 10 | Mixed | expanded (2n + 5)^2 as 4n^2 + 25; dropped brackets when subtracting; tested values instead of provingTip: Expand fully, bracket the expression you subtract, and prove for general n. |
| 5 | cosine rule and double angle identity | Mixed | assumed cos theta is half of cos 2thetaTip: Use cos 2theta = 2cos^2 theta - 1 to get cos theta from cos 2theta. |
| 6 | arithmetic sequence and series equations | Mixed | used 14 as the 25th or first term; algebra errors solving the systemTip: Write the nth term and sum formulas carefully with the given n values before solving. |
| 7 | quadratic, area between curves and a parallel tangent | Mixed | lost the negative when squaring; missing brackets subtracting functions; did not integrate; did not set derivative equal to -2Tip: Parallel lines have equal gradients: set the derivative equal to the given gradient. |
| 8 | log values, inverse and transformations of a log function | Most struggled | left log2 16 unsimplified; did not recognise inverse notation; misapplied log laws to 32x^2Tip: Split log(ab) into log a + log b, and remember a power applies only to its own base. |
| 9 | cone surface area, volume and optimisation with surds | Most struggled | used radius 3r; did not express h in terms of r; could not simplify radicalsTip: Eliminate h using the constraint before differentiating, then simplify carefully. |
What to practise
- Simplify answers that are integers and write fractions with integer parts.
- If arithmetic becomes long, recheck; Paper 1 avoids heavy calculation.
- Keep fractions rather than converting to decimals.
- Always use brackets when subtracting or squaring expressions.
SL Paper 2
Function features, binomial expansions, boundary-condition integration, regression and GDC derivatives were good, but probability functions, contextual right-angle trigonometry, discriminant inequalities, frequency-table statistics and interpreting models were weak.
Found difficult
- sketching graphs
- integration by substitution
- discrete probability distributions
- right-angled trigonometry
- domain and range
- discriminant
- graphing on the GDC
- standard deviation from a frequency table
- interpreting models in context
Well prepared
- key features of graphs
- binomial expansion
- integration with boundary conditions
- binomial distribution
- linear regression
- statistical diagrams
- calculator use
- trigonometric graphs
| Q | Topic | How it went | Where marks were lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | function values, zeros and sketch on a domain | Answered well | ignored the x-axis scale for the maximum; did not respect the domain endpointsTip: Mark endpoints of the domain and use the axis scale when plotting turning points. |
| 2 | coefficient in a binomial product | Mixed | missing or wrong brackets; gave only the binomial coefficient; gave the whole term instead of the coefficientTip: A coefficient is the number only; keep brackets around each term's powers. |
| 3 | integration with a boundary condition | Mixed | integrated e^(3x) as e^(3x); did not write the final h(x)Tip: The integral of e^(3x) is e^(3x)/3; finish by writing the full function. |
| 4 | probability distribution given by a formula | Most struggled | summed probabilities for E(X); unfamiliar with a formula-based distributionTip: Tabulate P(X = x) from the formula, then use E(X) = sum of x P(x). |
| 5 | gradient as an angle and right-angle trigonometry | Most struggled | took tan^-1(4/15) as the angle wrongly; used the sine rule in right trianglesTip: A gradient is rise over run, equal to tan of the angle with the horizontal. |
| 6 | log domain requiring a quadratic to stay positive | Most struggled | did not see the quadratic must be positive; unsure how to use the discriminantTip: A log is defined only for positive arguments; for all x, require a negative discriminant. |
| 7 | binomial, conditional probability and grouped data statistics | Mixed | P(X <= 150) instead of P(X <= 149); generic P(A|B) not in context; wrong midpoints; ignored frequencies in the meanTip: Enter midpoints with frequencies in GDC one-variable statistics for mean and standard deviation. |
| 8 | population models: regression, extrapolation and rates | Most struggled | built the line from two points; ignored units in millions; missed extrapolation; found values not derivativesTip: Interpret gradients with units, and call predictions outside the data extrapolation. |
| 9 | sum of trigonometric functions and kinematics | Mixed | manipulated algebra instead of reading from the graph; negative c despite c > 0; unsimplified derivative; set v = 0 for maximum accelerationTip: Read amplitude, period and shift from the graph and check the given parameter conditions. |
What to practise
- Write the equation or distribution before the GDC answer to show method.
- Use the GDC for roots, frequency-table statistics and probabilities.
- Write formulas in context, e.g. a conditional probability with the actual events.
- Practise interpreting real-life models and key terms such as extrapolation.
- Follow accuracy rules and work with units.
Internal assessment
What moderators raised about the exploration this session, criterion by criterion.
- A. lack of concision, work not pitched to a classmate, and missing citations
- B. graphs without lead-in or follow-up, small text, asterisks and computer notation
- C. some schools still reward effort rather than mathematical engagement
- D. generic reflection that does not shape the next steps
- E. advanced methods such as Lagrange interpolation used without showing understanding
- E. models fitted by software without justifying the function or 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 November 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 November 2024 TZ1?
+
The questions most candidates struggled with were on log values, inverse and transformations of a log function, cone surface area, volume and optimisation with surds, probability distribution given by a formula and gradient as an angle and right-angle trigonometry. The tables above list every question discussed in the report, paper by paper.
What did candidates find difficult in November 2024 TZ1?
+
Across the papers the examiners listed conditional probability, surds, double angle identities, tangents and normals, transformations of functions, laws of logarithms, sketching graphs and integration by substitution, among others.
What were the grade boundaries for Maths AA SL November 2024 TZ1?
+
Maths AA SL: a 7 from 80 out of 100 overall in November 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.