| Component | Max | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 100 | 32 | 47 | 62 | 77 |
SL Paper 1
A fair, clearly worded paper with an easy start; candidates fluent with their GDC did noticeably better than those using algebraic routes.
Found difficult
- hypothesis testing
- t-test
- inverse functions
- financial mathematics with the GDC
- compound probability
- expected value and fair games
- logarithmic equations
- sinusoidal functions
- integration of negative powers
Well prepared
- right-angled trigonometry
- standard form
- arithmetic and geometric sequences
- sketching graphs to support solutions
- logarithms
- normal distribution
- interpreting results in context
- quadratic models
| Q | Topic | How it went | Where marks were lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | angle of elevation, Pythagoras and standard form | Answered well | gave the complementary angle as the angle of elevation; wrote an incorrect Pythagoras equationTip: Mark the angle of elevation on a sketch measured from the horizontal before calculating. |
| 2 | arithmetic sequence term and sum | Answered well | Nothing specific reported. |
| 3 | quadratic model of a projectile height | Answered well | confused the maximum height with the time it occurs; did not reach the root after setting the function to zeroTip: Be clear whether a question asks for the input (time) or output (height) at a key point. |
| 4 | chi-squared test for independence | Mixed | hypotheses not stated correctly; truncated instead of rounding the statistic; generic conclusion with no contextTip: Write the conclusion in the words of the scenario, naming the two variables. |
| 5 | exponential cooling model and its asymptote | Mixed | could not enter e on the GDC; wrote the asymptote with y instead of T; found T(50) instead of solving T(t) = 50; tried to find the inverse algebraicallyTip: An inverse value is found by solving f(x) = value on the GDC; no inverse formula is needed. |
| 6 | two-tailed t-test | Mixed | used one-sided alternative hypotheses; left the GDC on unpooled variances; rounding or truncating errors at five decimal places; compared with the wrong significance levelTip: Check pooled versus unpooled setting on the GDC and match the tails to the alternative hypothesis. |
| 7 | savings target and payments with the financial solver | Most struggled | used the compound interest formula instead of the TVM solver; wrong signs for PV, PMT and FV; rounded months down instead of up; did not round to the nearest euroTip: Money out is negative and money in is positive in the TVM solver; round time up when a target must be reached. |
| 8 | normal probability and finding a mean from a proportion | Mixed | used normal pdf instead of cdf; counted a leading zero as significant; entered a right-tail area as left-tail in inverse normalTip: For inverse normal, check whether the given area lies to the left or right of the value. |
| 9 | probability distribution and fair game | Most struggled | ignored that order matters, missing or adding a case; set the expected gain equal to one instead of zeroTip: A game is fair when the expected gain is zero; list every ordered outcome. |
| 10 | logarithmic brightness model | Most struggled | treated the base 10 as part of the argument; dropped the log when solving; subtracted brightnesses instead of dividingTip: Practise solving log equations by isolating the log and converting to exponential form, or use the GDC. |
| 11 | geometric sequence: show a ratio, term and sum | Most struggled | verified using the given ratio instead of deriving it; missed the negative ratio solution; gave a value instead of the coordinates asked; used the negative ratio in the sumTip: In show-that questions work towards the given value; never substitute it at the start. |
| 12 | sinusoidal model: finding parameters and changing the period | Most struggled | tried to solve one equation for two unknowns; did not find the period before b; doubled b when the period doubledTip: Find the period first and use b = 360 divided by period; a longer period means a smaller b. |
| 13 | rate of change, stationary point and integrating a negative power | Mixed | integrated when the derivative should be set to zero; wrong sign or power when integrating a negative indexTip: Use the given result as a check; if your working does not reach it, recheck the integration of negative powers. |
What to practise
- Follow rounding instructions; without one, write the full value then round to 3 significant figures.
- Distinguish evaluating a function from solving for an input with the GDC.
- Master TVM sign conventions and sensible rounding in context.
- State hypothesis test conclusions in context and know t-test GDC settings.
- Practise logarithmic equations, negative-power integration and show-that technique.
SL Paper 2
An accessible paper rewarding broad knowledge; time was not an issue and candidates combined GDC use with supporting working, though the last parts discriminated strongly.
Found difficult
- voronoi diagrams
- binomial distribution
- compound probability
- differentiation
- mathematical modelling
Well prepared
- descriptive statistics
- box plots and outliers
- mean from a frequency table
- sine and cosine rules
- gradients and perpendicular lines
- venn diagrams
- basic probability
- trapezoidal rule
- definite integrals and area
| Q | Topic | How it went | Where marks were lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | grouped data, quartiles, outliers and box plot shape | Mixed | classified continuous data as discrete; left frequencies out of the mean; did not compare the maximum with the upper fence; vague description of skewTip: To justify an outlier, explicitly compare the value with the fence you calculated. |
| 2 | sine and cosine rules, arc length and sector area | Answered well | used the wrong radius for the sector; calculator in radian mode; assumed an angle was 90 degrees from the diagramTip: Use only stated information; never assume a right angle because the diagram looks like one. |
| 3 | Voronoi diagram, horizontal bisector and equidistant point | Mixed | used lengthy distance calculations for a write-down question; did not see the bisector was horizontal; estimated the equidistant point from the graph; averaged the three coordinatesTip: Find the point equidistant from three sites by intersecting two perpendicular bisector equations. |
| 4 | Venn diagram, conditional probability and binomial selection | Most struggled | did not give Venn values as percentages; accepted an impossible 118 percent; used the wrong interval for at least probabilities; ignored that captains had to be consecutiveTip: Write X ~ B(n, p) with a probability statement, and sanity-check any probability above 100 percent. |
| 5 | derivative, integration for area, percentage error and optimising a square | Mixed | ignored the command term to use the found derivative; omitted dx or used a wrong limit; substituted wrongly into percentage error; set A'(x) = 0 ignoring the boundary constraintTip: Draw a diagram showing the constraints before optimising; the maximum may be at a boundary. |
What to practise
- Aim for about one mark per minute and expect harder parts later in each question.
- Keep values unrounded until the final answer and include units.
- Learn command terms so write-down answers are not over-worked.
- Sketch diagrams and do not infer facts that are not stated.
- Know the conditions that make a binomial model valid.
Internal assessment
What moderators raised about the exploration this session, criterion by criterion.
- A. title, aim and hypothesis differ, and conclusions do not answer the aim
- A. textbook explanations of syllabus topics padding the work
- B. irrelevant charts, unused formulas, calculator screenshots and inconsistent variable notation
- B. loose use of terms like correlation, proof or significant
- C. stating interest or a personal hypothesis treated as engagement without real mathematical involvement
- D. summaries and unsupported opinions at the end instead of ongoing critical reflection
- E. statistical tests applied without checking assumptions; univariate outliers removed from correlation
- E. model parameters from arbitrary points and model choice justified only by R squared
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 November 2022, 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. Corrections: pietro@pietromeloni.com.
Frequently asked questions
Which questions were hardest in Maths AI SL November 2022?
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The questions most candidates struggled with were on savings target and payments with the financial solver, probability distribution and fair game, logarithmic brightness model and geometric sequence: show a ratio, term and sum. The tables above list every question discussed in the report, paper by paper.
What did candidates find difficult in November 2022?
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Across the papers the examiners listed hypothesis testing, t-test, inverse functions, financial mathematics with the GDC, compound probability, expected value and fair games, logarithmic equations and sinusoidal functions, among others.
What were the grade boundaries for Maths AI SL November 2022?
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Maths AI SL: a 7 from 77 out of 100 overall in November 2022. 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.