IB Maths study strategy

How to revise IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches so the ideas actually stick — and how to use the tools on this site to get there with short, daily sessions rather than last-minute cramming.

1. Know your papers

IB Maths AA is assessed by written papers plus an Internal Assessment (the mathematical exploration, worth 20%). Paper 1 is non-calculator; the other papers require a graphic display calculator (GDC). You sit either Standard Level (SL) or Higher Level (HL), and are awarded a final grade from 1 to 7.

Level	Papers	Calculator
SL	Paper 1 (1h30) + Paper 2 (1h30)	P1 none · P2 GDC
HL	Paper 1 (2h) + Paper 2 (2h) + Paper 3 (1h)	P1 none · P2, P3 GDC

All five topics — Number and algebra; Functions; Geometry and trigonometry; Statistics and probability; Calculus — can appear on any paper. HL covers the same topics in greater depth plus extra HL-only content, and HL Paper 3 is an extended problem-solving paper. Learn to use your GDC fluently for Paper 2 and Paper 3, and to work exactly by hand for Paper 1.

2. Read the command words

Marks are lost every year by answering the wrong "type" of question. Train yourself to spot the instruction and give exactly what it asks for:

• Write down: no working needed — read or state the answer directly.
• Find / Calculate / Determine: show your method; method marks are awarded even if the final answer is wrong.
• Hence: you must use the previous result; Hence or otherwise lets you choose your own method.
• Show that: start from what you are given and reach the stated result, writing every step (the answer is given, so the working earns the marks).
• Sketch: show the general shape with key features (intercepts, asymptotes, turning points) labelled, not an accurate plot.
• Give your answer to…: unless told otherwise, give exact values or round to 3 significant figures.

3. Use active recall, not re-reading

Reading notes feels productive but is one of the weakest ways to revise. Active recall — trying to retrieve an answer from memory before checking — is far more effective, and it is exactly what this site is built around:

• Work through the topic question bank; the system serves you questions you have not mastered first, so you focus on weak spots.
• Drill key terms with the flashcards — recall the definition before flipping the card.
• Read a topic in study notes, then immediately test yourself on it.
• Keep the habit alive with the daily Quizdle.

4. Space it out

Revisit each topic several times with gaps of days, not in one long block. Short daily sessions beat a single marathon: your per-topic scores show what to come back to, and correctly answered questions and flashcards are deliberately set aside so you do not waste time on what you already know.

5. Paper 1 by hand, Paper 2 with the GDC, and the exploration

Paper 1 is non-calculator, so practise working exactly: surds and indices, exact trig values (e.g. $\sin 30^{\circ}=\tfrac{1}{2}$), differentiation and integration of standard functions, completing the square, and logarithms. For the GDC papers, get fast at the skills the calculator is for — solving equations, finding intersections, numerical derivatives and integrals, and statistical calculations — and always write down the values you read off. Do not neglect the Internal Assessment (the exploration): it is 20% of your grade, so choose a focused topic and use correct mathematical communication.

6. A simple topic-by-topic plan

• Pick one of the five topics. Read the study notes once.
• Do a 10-question quiz on it; review every wrong answer and its worked solution.
• Drill that topic’s flashcards until you can recall the key methods and terms.
• Come back two or three days later and re-test — aim to push each topic into the green.

7. Common mistakes to avoid

• Not showing your method — method marks are there even when the final answer is wrong.
• Rounding too early — keep full accuracy until the final line, then round as instructed.
• Order of operations (BIDMAS) and dropping negative signs when expanding brackets.
• Misreading the question — wrong units, wrong rounding, or giving area when asked for perimeter.
• Mixing up similar ideas: factor vs multiple, mean vs median, area vs circumference, frequency vs frequency density.

Start practising →