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IB Mathematics AI Past Paper Drilling Guide (SL and HL): Order and a 12-Week Plan
TUTORZONE EXAM DRILL GUIDE · IB MATHEMATICS: APPLICATIONS AND INTERPRETATION
The big difference between IB Mathematics AI and AA is the technology policy: every AI paper allows the graphic display calculator (Papers 1, 2 and 3 alike), so drilling centres on modelling, choosing the right tool and interpreting results rather than hand arithmetic. At SL, Papers 1 and 2 are 40% each in 1.5 hours; at HL they are 30% each in 2 hours, plus Paper 3 at 20%; the exploration is 20% at both levels.
How many papers does IB Mathematics AI have?
Direct answer: at SL, Paper 1 (compulsory short-response, technology allowed) is 40% in 1.5 hours, Paper 2 (compulsory extended-response) is 40% in 1.5 hours, and the exploration is 20%. At HL, Paper 1 is 30% in 2 hours, Paper 2 is 30% in 2 hours, Paper 3 (two compulsory extended-response problem-solving questions) is 20% in 1 hour, and the exploration is 20%. Unlike AA, every AI paper allows the graphic display calculator.
Assessment at a glance (2027)
| Component | Content | Weighting | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (technology allowed) | Compulsory short-response questions; SL 1.5 h / 40%, HL 2 h / 30% | SL 40% / HL 30% | SL 1.5 h / HL 2 h |
| Paper 2 (technology allowed) | Compulsory extended-response questions; SL 1.5 h / 40%, HL 2 h / 30% | SL 40% / HL 30% | SL 1.5 h / HL 2 h |
| Paper 3 (HL only) | Two compulsory extended-response problem-solving questions, technology allowed; 1 h / 20% | HL 20% | 1 hour |
| Mathematical exploration (IA) | 20% at both levels; 15 recommended hours of independent mathematical investigation | 20% | 15 recommended hours |
Every paper allows technology, so running out of time usually comes from over-long modelling and interpretation rather than slow computation. Cap your model explanation at about four lines in practice and spend the rest on interpretation and verification.
What each paper is actually testing
| Paper | Drill focus | How marks are lost |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (technology allowed) | Model first, compute second: define the variables and state the model, then use the GDC | Calculator output with no model shown; units and context ignored |
| Paper 2 (technology allowed) | Model real contexts: extract the data, choose a function or distribution, and justify the model | Vague contextual interpretation; an implausible model left unchecked |
| Paper 3 (HL only) | Write the route and assumptions first, then compute and verify with the GDC | Running out of time (two questions in 60 minutes); conclusions that never return to the context |
| Mathematical exploration (IA) | Choose a real context you can model with data (sport, finance, population) and test the model against graphs | A topic too large to finish; computation with no interpretation |
How should you choose between AI and AA?
Direct answer: by strength and intended degree. AA leans on algebraic and calculus derivation (its Paper 1 bans technology); AI leans on modelling, statistics and technology (every paper allows the GDC). Students heading for mathematics, engineering, physics or economics usually take AA; those heading for business, social science, design or life sciences usually take AI. Only one mathematics course may be taken.
Drill order: by topic, then by year, then the mark scheme
| Step | What you do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1. By topic | Work through each topic, starting with the paper that allows least help (no calculator / closed book) | Exposes what is genuinely not understood |
| 2. By year | Whole papers to time, one or two a week | Trains pace, stamina and question selection |
| 3. Mark scheme | Go through the marking scheme question by question and log the scoring steps you missed | Most lost marks are written wrong, not thought wrong |
What makes an AI modelling answer score?
Direct answer: four steps: (1) define the variables and units; (2) state the model and justify it (why this function or distribution); (3) compute and list the key values; (4) interpret the result in context and state the model’s limitations. IB marks method and interpretation separately, so a bare computation loses a large share.
A 12-week drilling timetable
| Week | Phase | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-3 | By topic: foundation | Topic by topic, starting with the easiest marks, building habits and recall |
| Weeks 4-6 | By topic: core | 8-10 years of the same topic back to back, errors classified by topic |
| Weeks 7-8 | By topic: advanced and electives | Elective and higher-order topics, now under time pressure |
| Weeks 9-10 | By year: timed papers | One full paper a week, timed, no reference materials |
| Week 11 | Mark scheme work | Question by question against the marking scheme; list the scoring steps you omitted |
| Week 12 | Plug holes and simulate | Only the recurring errors from your log, then one full exam simulation |
Subject-specific weighting for this timetable: Make modelling the spine: two real-context questions a week (one Paper 1 short response, one Paper 2 extended response) while the exploration advances through its four stages.
Use it properly: this is not a checklist to finish. Every week must keep time for redoing errors, or from week 9 you will be repeating the same batch.
Pacing
| Paper | Time | Suggested split |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (technology allowed) | SL 1 小時 30 分鐘 / HL 2 小時 | About 80 min at SL, 105 at HL; 10 min checking |
| Paper 2 (technology allowed) | SL 1 小時 30 分鐘 / HL 2 小時 | About 80 min at SL, 105 at HL; 10 min checking |
| Paper 3 (HL only) | 1 小時 | About 26 min per question; 8 min checking |
| Mathematical exploration (IA) | 建議 15 小時 | Four stages – topic, model, computation, interpretation – at least two weeks each |
When should the AI exploration start?
Direct answer: by the start of the second year at the latest, in four stages: topic and problem specification, modelling, computation and graphs, interpretation and refinement. At 20% it matches Paper 1 or Paper 2 in value (and at HL it equals Paper 3), yet it carries no exam-day time pressure – so it is the component most worth finishing early.
The drilling mistakes that cost the most marks
| Mistake | What it looks like | What actually happens | Instead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Only the calculator output | Pressing the buttons and writing the answer | IB marks method and interpretation separately | Write the variables, the model and the reason, then the result |
| No model check | Stopping once a number appears | No verification or limitations, so the top band is lost | Test the model against a graph and state its limits |
| Exploration left late | Treating the IA as homework | At 20%, a rushed exploration lands mid-band | Start at the beginning of the second year, in four stages |
The error log and the mark scheme
Keep the AI log by context type – population growth, finance, sports data, environmental data – noting the usual model, the assumptions it needs and the interpretation sentences you omitted.
How many years should you drill?
AI was first assessed in 2021, so every past paper fits the current syllabus; with limited time do the latest three to five years, paired. The course first assessed in 2029 has a different organisation and exploration criteria.
How many years of AI past papers should you drill?
Direct answer: no official figure. AI was first assessed in 2021, so every past paper matches the current syllabus; with limited time, do the latest three to five years and pair Paper 1 with Paper 2. Note that the course first assessed in 2029 reorganises the syllabus and the exploration criteria, so follow the new guide if that is your cohort.
Frequently asked questions
Does AI Paper 1 really allow a calculator?
Yes. The IBO subject brief for AI lists technology as allowed in Papers 1, 2 and 3 (AA’s Paper 1 does not).
Is Paper 3 only for HL?
Yes. Paper 3 is HL only at 20% in one hour, with two compulsory extended-response problem-solving questions and technology allowed.
Can I choose my own exploration topic?
Yes. The exploration is an independent investigation into a question you choose, assessed on how you apply the mathematical inquiry process.
Official references
| Resource | What to use it for |
|---|---|
| IBO Mathematics AI subject brief (first assessment 2021) | Confirm the SL/HL weightings, durations and the technology policy |
| https://www.tutorzone.com.hk/en-ib-math-aa-past-paper-drill-guide/ | IB Maths AA drilling guide (no-technology Paper 1) |
Related: IB practice area · IB Maths AA SL mock paper · subject guides
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