| Component | Max | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 100 | 35 | 49 | 63 | 77 |
| Internal assessment | 20 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 18 |
| Paper 1 | 80 | 30 | 41 | 52 | 63 |
| Paper 2 | 80 | 24 | 35 | 47 | 58 |
SL Paper 1
Statistics and geometry were handled confidently, while inverse functions, applied integration, outliers on box plots and the finance part caused difficulty.
Found difficult
- 3d coordinate geometry
- gdc use
- logarithms
- box and whisker plots
- outliers
- inverse functions
- voronoi diagrams
- integration in context
- shortest distance to a line
- accuracy instructions
- sampling methods
Well prepared
- substitution into formulae
- 3d coordinate geometry
- sine and cosine rules
- perpendicular lines
- linear regression
- stationary points
- chi-squared test for independence
| Q | Topic | How it went | Where marks were lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3D midpoint and distance | Answered well | dropped the zero z-coordinate from the midpointTip: Always give all three coordinates of a 3D point, even when one of them is zero. |
| 2 | mean and standard deviation comparison | Mixed | computed by hand instead of the GDC; used sample instead of population sd; compared values without linking to spreadTip: Use the population standard deviation from the GDC and explain what a larger value says about variation. |
| 3 | inverse function in context and its range | Mixed | found the inverse incorrectly; misread the input as hours instead of metres; range not written as an inequalityTip: Swap input and output meanings for an inverse and state its range with inequalities. |
| 4 | decreasing interval and tangent gradient | Answered well | gave coordinates instead of x-values; rounded to 2 s.f.Tip: Write intervals with inequalities in x, and round to three significant figures. |
| 5 | Voronoi bisector and coverage distance | Mixed | unsystematic derivation of the bisector; did not compare the distance with 3 km explicitlyTip: Justify coverage by computing the distance and stating clearly how it compares with the given radius. |
| 6 | right-angled and non-right trigonometry with shortest distance | Mixed | rounded to 2 s.f.; did not use a perpendicular for the shortest distanceTip: The shortest distance from a point to a line is along the perpendicular. |
| 7 | logarithmic equations | Mixed | incorrect substitution; wrote 10^-6 instead of 10^6; could not solve the log equationTip: Convert log equations to exponential form carefully, checking the sign of the exponent. |
| 8 | chi-squared test for independence | Answered well | truncated instead of rounding; compared the p-value with the critical value; conclusion without contextTip: Compare p with the significance level or the statistic with the critical value, not across them. |
| 9 | integrating a marginal profit function | Most struggled | omitted the constant term; left fractions unsimplified; did not know integration was neededTip: Integrate the rate to get the total function and use the given value to find the constant. |
| 10 | box plot with outliers | Most struggled | rounded the quartile too early; used the median for the fences; did not identify the single outlier; drew the box plot inaccuratelyTip: Fences are Q1 - 1.5 IQR and Q3 + 1.5 IQR; plot outliers as separate points. |
| 11 | loan repayments with the finance app | Most struggled | did not include the required future value in the solver; inaccurate solver entriesTip: Enter every known value, including a remaining balance as FV, and show the entries as working. |
| 12 | stratified sampling and regression | Mixed | did not understand stratified sampling; truncated or mis-copied GDC values; swapped regression coefficientsTip: Stratified sampling takes each group in proportion to its share of the population. |
What to practise
- Give targeted practice on inverse functions in context.
- Reinforce precise statistical vocabulary, especially for non-native speakers.
- Link numerical results back to the scenario, especially in hypothesis tests.
- Include varied applied integration and differentiation problems.
- Compare nominal and effective interest and stress unit consistency.
SL Paper 2
A fair but wordy paper; multi-step modelling parts discriminated strongly, and weak algebra and premature rounding cost many marks.
Found difficult
- show that questions
- accuracy instructions
- normal distribution
- interpreting constraints in context
- binomial distribution
- algebraic manipulation
- time conversion
- multi-step problems
Well prepared
- arithmetic sequences
- compound interest
- normal distribution
- expected value
- differentiation of negative powers
- gdc use
| Q | Topic | How it went | Where marks were lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | arithmetic savings versus compound interest account | Mixed | miscounted terms when listing; missing brackets and starting from the given answer; wrong growth factor like 6.5 or 0.065; rounded m down so the constraint failedTip: Write the growth factor as 1 + r/100 and round so the stated inequality still holds. |
| 2 | normal and binomial distributions in quality control | Mixed | poor normal curve sketch without labels or shading; inverse normal value on the wrong side; confused binomial pdf and cdf; did not see a product probability as a new binomial pTip: For discrete X, P(X >= 188) = 1 - P(X <= 187); write the distribution and parameters as working. |
| 3 | cuboid and cylinder surface area minimisation | Mixed | algebra errors like l x l = 2l; did not substitute V = 375; gave a coordinate pair for r; no clear final recommendationTip: Revise basic algebra rules, and give only the requested value from a GDC minimum. |
| 4 | sinusoidal tide model and timing | Most struggled | used the given b value to verify a show that; wrote the principal axis as a function not a line; took the wrong cycle; gave decimal hours instead of clock timeTip: The principal axis is a horizontal line y = d; convert decimal hours into hours and minutes. |
| 5 | trapezium rule and boat under an arch | Mixed | wrong values or brackets in the trapezium rule; truncated or gave a coordinate pair; compared only the maximum heights of boat and archTip: To test a fit, compare heights at the boat's edges, not just the maximum heights. |
What to practise
- Never start a show that from the given result.
- Carry unrounded values through all intermediate steps.
- Distinguish binomial from normal contexts and write probability statements.
- Practise converting between decimal time and clock time.
- Keep calculators in degree mode and use the solver or graph intersections.
Internal assessment
What moderators raised about the exploration this session, criterion by criterion.
- A. several aim-like statements and unneeded plan or methodology sections reduce focus
- A. headings used without linking ideas, and conclusion not matching the aim
- B. calculator notation, inconsistent variables and missing approximately-equal sign when rounding
- B. imprecise wording in chi-squared hypotheses and unexplained screenshots or regression lines
- C. engagement equated with effort or interest rather than independent mathematical thinking
- D. conclusions based on personal assumptions and reflection only at the end
- E. a fixed list of statistical processes applied regardless of the data's features
- E. models chosen only by R squared, and Voronoi diagrams drawn but not interpreted
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 AI 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 AI SL May 2025 TZ3?
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The questions most candidates struggled with were on integrating a marginal profit function, box plot with outliers, loan repayments with the finance app and sinusoidal tide model and timing. 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 3d coordinate geometry, gdc use, logarithms, box and whisker plots, outliers, inverse functions, voronoi diagrams and integration in context, among others.
What were the grade boundaries for Maths AI SL May 2025 TZ3?
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Maths AI 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.