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IB Mathematics AA Past Paper Drilling Guide (SL and HL): Drill Order and 12-Week Plan
TUTORZONE EXAM DRILL GUIDE · IB MATHEMATICS: ANALYSIS AND APPROACHES
Drilling IB Mathematics AA has a precondition that is easy to miss: Paper 1 allows no technology and Paper 2 requires it. The same topic needs two different methods and two different pacing plans. This guide uses the IBO assessment structure to set out drill order, pacing and the exploration timetable.
How many papers does IB Mathematics AA have, and what are they worth?
Direct answer: at SL, Paper 1 (no technology allowed) is 40%, 1 hour 30 minutes, 80 marks; Paper 2 (technology required) is 40%, 1 hour 30 minutes, 80 marks; and the mathematical exploration is 20%. At HL, Paper 1 is 30%, 2 hours, 110 marks; Paper 2 is 30%, 2 hours, 110 marks; Paper 3 (technology required, two compulsory extended-response problems) is 20%, 1 hour, 55 marks; and the exploration is 20%. Both Paper 1 and Paper 2 contain Section A (compulsory short-response questions) and Section B (compulsory extended-response questions). Paper 3 is taken by HL students only.
Assessment at a glance: IB Mathematics AA (SL and HL)
| Component | SL weighting | SL time / marks | HL weighting | HL time / marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (no technology) | 40% | 1 h 30 min / 80 | 30% | 2 h / 110 |
| Paper 2 (technology required) | 40% | 1 h 30 min / 80 | 30% | 2 h / 110 |
| Paper 3 (HL only, technology required) | — | n/a | 20% | 1 h / 55 |
| Mathematical exploration (IA) | 20% | 20 marks | 20% | 20 marks |
Do the arithmetic on pace: SL gives 90 minutes for 80 marks, about 1.1 minutes per mark; HL gives 120 minutes for 110 marks, about 1.09 minutes per mark; HL Paper 3 gives only 60 minutes for 55 marks of extended-response problems. IB Mathematics is therefore not a test of whether you can do it, but of whether you can do it in about a minute a mark.
Paper 1 (no technology) versus Paper 2 (technology required)
| Paper 1 (no technology) | Paper 2 (technology required) | |
|---|---|---|
| Content | The same syllabus, but every derivation and calculation is by hand | The same syllabus, but the graphic display calculator is expected |
| Section A | Compulsory short-response questions | Compulsory short-response questions |
| Section B | Compulsory extended-response questions | Compulsory extended-response questions |
| Drill focus | Write full working; fluent algebra; exact answer forms | Know which step belongs to the GDC and which must be written out |
| Common loss | Using decimal approximations only available with a calculator; skipping steps and losing method marks | Writing a GDC output with no algebra; ignoring units, rounding or the context |
Drilling the same year’s Paper 1 and Paper 2 therefore produces completely different training. Drill only Paper 2 and you will habitually hand everything to the calculator — then lose large amounts of time in Paper 1 on surds, logs and fraction arithmetic.
Paper 3: the HL-only extended-response paper
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Who takes it | HL candidates only |
| Time and marks | 1 hour / 55 marks |
| Weighting | 20% |
| Format | Two compulsory extended-response problem-solving questions, technology required |
| Strategy | Few questions, real depth: usually multi-step reasoning plus modelling. Allow 25–28 minutes each and plan the route before writing |
Paper 3 is 20% of the grade carried by only two questions, so one poor question costs about 10%. Treat each as a short paper of its own: state what is known and what is required, name the method, work it through, then answer the context.
What changes with the new curriculum (first assessment 2029)?
| Item | Current course (last assessment November 2028) | New course (taught from 2027, first assessment 2029) |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | SL 40% / 1.5 h; HL 30% / 2 h, no technology | Unchanged |
| Paper 2 | SL 40% / 1.5 h; HL 30% / 2 h, technology required | Unchanged |
| Paper 3 | HL 20% / 1 h, two extended-response problems | Unchanged |
| Exploration (IA) | 20%, 20 marks, assessed against the current criteria | Still 20%, assessed against four criteria: A Problem specification (4), B Abstraction (6), C Computation (4), D Interpretation (6) |
| Course structure | Organised by topic (number and algebra, functions, geometry and trigonometry, statistics and probability, calculus) | Reorganised into five topics A–E (number and algebra, functions, geometry, probability and statistics, calculus) plus the exploration |
Does the new IB Mathematics AA curriculum change the exam papers for 2029?
Direct answer: no. According to the IBO subject brief for first assessment 2029, the paper structure, weightings, durations and marks are unchanged: SL Papers 1 and 2 are 40% each, 1 hour 30 minutes, 80 marks; HL Papers 1 and 2 are 30% each, 2 hours, 110 marks, with Paper 3 at 20%, 1 hour, 55 marks; and the exploration is 20% at both levels. What changes is the course organisation (five topics A–E) and the exploration criteria (A problem specification, B abstraction, C computation, D interpretation, 20 marks in total). The current course is last assessed in November 2028 and the new course is taught from 2027.
Four drilling mistakes that cost IB marks
| Mistake | What it looks like | What actually happens | Instead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drilling Paper 2 only | Everything is done on the calculator because it is easier | Hand-calculation speed collapses and Paper 1 runs out of time | Pair the papers: the no-technology version of a topic first, then the technology version |
| Ignoring the mark scheme | Right or wrong is all you check | IB marks method and answer separately, so correct thinking written loosely still loses marks | After every paper, go through the mark scheme and list the scoring steps you omitted |
| Leaving the IA to the end | Treat the exploration as homework and exams as the real thing | The IA is 20%; a rushed exploration lands mid-to-low | Start in the second year of the course at the latest, in four staged steps |
| Watching only your total | You remember each practice score | You never learn how far you are from the next grade | Compare against the published grade boundaries and convert your gap into marks |
Drill order: by topic, then past papers, then the mark scheme
| Step | What you do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1. By topic | Work through each syllabus topic, starting with the Paper 1 (no-technology) version | Finds what you genuinely do not understand; hand algebra cannot hide behind the GDC |
| 2. Past papers | Sit whole papers to time, pairing Paper 1 with Paper 2 from the same session | Trains pace, stamina and switching between the two modes |
| 3. Mark scheme | After each paper, work through the mark scheme question by question and log the missing steps | IB marks the writing, not the volume; method marks are the controllable part |
Should you drill Paper 1 or Paper 2 first in IB Maths AA?
Direct answer: Paper 1 first. Because Paper 1 bans technology, it immediately exposes topics you have not really mastered; if you start with Paper 2, the GDC performs so much of the arithmetic that weaknesses stay hidden until the exam. The right sequence is: the no-technology version of a topic first, and only then the technology version for efficiency and modelling. Once you reach full papers, do one Paper 1 and one Paper 2 every week to rehearse the real exam-day rhythm.
A 12-week drilling plan (SL and HL side by side)
The same 12 weeks, with the SL and HL differences marked (assuming 6–8 hours a week):
| Week | Phase | SL focus | HL focus | Weekly check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Number and algebra | Exponents and logs, sequences, algebraic manipulation by hand | Plus complex numbers and proof by induction | Can you simplify surds and logs with no GDC? |
| 3–5 | Functions and trigonometry | Function graphs, polynomials, trigonometric equations | Plus inverse trig, composite functions and transformations | Can you sketch the key features by hand? |
| 6–7 | Geometry and vectors | Areas and volumes, circles and trigonometric applications | Plus vectors (scalar product, lines and planes) | Can you draw a 3-D figure from a written problem? |
| 8 | Probability and statistics | Univariate data, probability, discrete distributions | Plus the normal distribution and hypothesis-testing concepts | Can you do basic probability without the GDC? |
| 9–10 | Calculus | Differentiation and integration techniques with applications | Plus differential equations and Maclaurin series | Is your calculus working fully written out? |
| 11 | Full papers by year | One Paper 1 and one Paper 2, timed | Papers 1, 2 and 3, timed | Did Paper 3 finish inside 60 minutes? |
| 12 | Mark scheme and plugging holes | Redo errors and complete the missing scoring steps | As above, plus proof-writing practice | Can every lost mark be traced to a specific cause? |
Paper 1: pacing a no-technology paper
| Level | Time / marks | Suggested split |
|---|---|---|
| SL Paper 1 | 90 min / 80 | Section A about 45 min; Section B about 35 min; 10 min checking |
| HL Paper 1 | 120 min / 110 | Section A about 55 min; Section B about 55 min; 10 min checking |
Drilling a no-technology paper comes down to three things: (1) practise the common simplifications and identities until they are reflexive (surds, logarithms, indices, trigonometric identities); (2) write every step, because jumping to the answer forfeits method marks; (3) accept ‘ugly’ answers — no-technology answers are often surds, fractions or logs, so get used to leaving exact values instead of forcing a decimal.
Paper 2: using the GDC well, and pacing the paper
| Level | Time / marks | Suggested split |
|---|---|---|
| SL Paper 2 | 90 min / 80 | Section A about 45 min; Section B about 35 min; 10 min checking |
| HL Paper 2 | 120 min / 110 | Section A about 50 min; Section B about 60 min; 10 min checking |
What should you watch out for when using the GDC in IB Maths Paper 2?
Direct answer: Paper 2 requires the graphic display calculator, but marks are awarded for method as well as answer. Three practical rules: (1) set up the algebra before using the GDC — write the equation and name the function you are using, or method marks disappear; (2) check the answer form the question demands (significant figures, exact values, units), because the calculator’s default output rarely matches it; (3) use the GDC to verify — find the intersection, root or derivative and sanity-check it against your working. Fix one calculator routine in practice and never experiment with new functions in the hall.
A useful habit is a ‘GDC log’: for each paper, note which steps you handed to the calculator and which you wrote out, then repeat the same routine next time. Changing routines under exam pressure is a recognisable source of lost marks.
The exploration: 20% of the grade and its own timetable
| Stage | Timing | Output |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Topic choice and problem specification | Around the start of the second year | A real context (sports data, finance, population models) and a quantifiable question |
| 2. Abstraction and modelling | 2–3 weeks | Assumptions, variable definitions, chosen tools and the model itself |
| 3. Computation and graphs | 2–3 weeks | Calculations, graphs and a second method used as verification |
| 4. Interpretation and refinement | 2 weeks | An answer to the original question, its limitations, and what could be improved; final proofread |
The current exploration is marked against the established criteria out of 20. For the new course first assessed in 2029 the exploration is marked against four criteria: A problem specification (4), B abstraction (6), C computation (4) and D interpretation (6). If you will sit in 2029 or later, weight your writing accordingly — B and D together carry 12 of the 20 marks.
How many years of past papers should you drill?
| Stage | Suggested approach | Format |
|---|---|---|
| DP1 first term | Topic-by-topic drilling, always the Paper 1 (no-technology) version first | Untimed at first, focused on understanding and hand algebra |
| DP1 second term | Topic drilling plus one or two full papers that year; start the IA topic | Start timing, about 1.1 minutes per mark |
| DP2 first term | Pair Paper 1 and Paper 2 from the same year; HL adds Paper 3 | Fully timed, with a mark-scheme pass after every paper |
| DP2 final 4–6 weeks | Recent papers, error redo, IA final draft | Exam conditions: uninterrupted |
How many years of IB Maths AA past papers should you drill?
Direct answer: there is no official number, but measured by syllabus coverage, the most recent five to six years of papers (counting May and November sessions) cover almost all of the current course. If time is short, do the latest three years properly and pair Paper 1 with Paper 2 each time. Older papers are useful for single-topic practice, but the syllabus has been revised before, so where a question looks unfamiliar, treat the current subject guide as authoritative.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between AA and AI?
AA (analysis and approaches) leans on algebra, functions and calculus and suits students heading for mathematics, engineering, physics or economics. AI (applications and interpretation) leans on statistics, modelling and technology. You may study only one mathematics course in the diploma.
Is Paper 1 really calculator-free?
Yes — no technology, including the graphic display calculator. Paper 2 and Paper 3 require technology. Honour that split in practice or the training is worthless.
Can I choose my own IA topic?
Yes. The exploration is an independent mathematical investigation into a question you choose, and it is assessed on how you apply the mathematical inquiry process, not on how standard the topic is.
Are SL and HL Paper 1 the same paper?
No. SL and HL papers are set separately, with different weightings, durations and marks (SL 40% / 80 marks each; HL 30% / 110 marks each), and Paper 3 is HL only.
Do I need new materials for the 2029 curriculum?
The new course is taught from 2027 and first assessed in 2029; the current course is last assessed in November 2028. If you sit in 2029 or later, prepare against the new guide and the new exploration criteria.
Official references
| Resource | What to use it for |
|---|---|
| IBO Mathematics AA subject brief (current course, last assessment November 2028) | Confirm the SL/HL weightings, durations, marks and the 20% exploration |
| IBO Mathematics AA subject brief (first assessment 2029) | The five-topic structure and the four exploration criteria of the new course |
| IBO curriculum update page for Mathematics AA | Official change notes and the timeline |
| IB Maths AA SL mock paper | TutorZone original paper: Paper 1 (no calculator) and Paper 2 (GDC) questions with full worked solutions |
Related: IB exam practice area · IB Economics mock paper
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