IB revision notes: Maths AA, Maths AI and Physics, PDF

Revision notes written to the current IB syllabus by a PhD tutor who teaches these courses every day: each chapter has the definitions, the formulas with what is in the booklet and what is not, worked examples, the errors seen most often in lessons, and a one-page summary for the last days before the exam. I send it by email, then it is yours to share with your class.

By Pietro Meloni, PhD · Last verified against the official pages on

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  • Maths AA HLTopic 5: Calculus (pilot edition)Version 1.1, 17 October 2026 · 79 pages · chapters and versionsGet the PDF
  • Physics HLComplete courseComing March 2027
  • Maths AI HLComplete courseComing after the May 2027 session

What is in every chapter

Each chapter covers a group of syllabus points and follows the same shape, so that after the first one you know where to look: what the topic is and what the exam asks of it, the definitions and key results, the formulas marked "in the booklet" or "learn it", three original worked examples solved step by step, the common errors, and a checklist.

The last page of every chapter is the chapter in one page: what to know by heart, how to attack the typical question, the traps. It is the page to print, photograph and pass around in the week before the exam.

Why there is no price

Notes that are sold get copied anyway. Notes without a price get shared on purpose, and the copy that goes around is the current one, with the version number and the address where the corrections live.

The notes are the written form of what happens in lessons. If you want a second opinion on where you stand before the exam, a 20-minute assessment session carries no charge.

How they are checked

Every chapter is written from the syllabus, then every statement and every worked example is checked blind by a second reader who does not see the solutions, then read again by the author. Written with the help of AI tools and checked by hand.

No system is perfect, which is why every volume carries a version number. A mistake reported today is fixed in the next version, and the course page says what changed.

Frequently asked questions

Can I share these notes with my class?

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Yes. I send the PDF by email, and from then on you can pass the file to anyone, under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence: you can print it, upload it to your class group, Google Classroom or school drive and pass it on, as long as you share it unchanged and not for sale. Teachers are welcome to share it with their classes.

Which syllabus do they follow?

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The Maths notes follow the current Analysis and Approaches and Applications and Interpretation courses (first examined in 2021). The Physics notes follow the course first assessed in 2025. Each chapter names the syllabus points it covers.

Is this an official IB publication?

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No. These notes are written by Pietro Meloni and are not endorsed by or affiliated with the International Baccalaureate Organization. They do not reproduce any IB examination material: the questions and worked examples are original.

How do I know I have the latest version?

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Every volume has a version number on the cover and on page 2. The page of each course on this site says which version is current and what changed. If you find a mistake, write to pietro@pietromeloni.com: it gets fixed in the next version.

What is coming next?

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The Maths AA HL volume starts with Topic 5 (Calculus) and grows to the complete course before the May 2027 session. Physics HL follows in March 2027 and Maths AI HL after the May 2027 session. SL editions come from the same volumes, with the HL-only sections removed.

Find out what is costing the marks.

Twenty minutes, one to one, online. No charge, no commitment.

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