Whether you’re choosing which Maths course to study at diploma level, or you’re preparing to start the course soon, you need to know some key information before we begin.
The Analysis and Approaches course differs from the Applications and Interpretations. A&A is more algebra and pure maths heavy; it’s designed to be a typical maths course. Most students consider this to be the harder of the two standard level courses.
The A&I course is more accessible for students who struggle with maths earlier in school. The course has a larger focus on applications, focusing more on directly useful ideas in maths involving finance or statistics.
In this post, we will guide you through all the important information you need to know before you continue with the A&A course.
Be Prepared!
For every IB Maths lesson and exam you will need:
1. Pencil Case (Pencil, Pen, ruler, rubber and pencil sharpener).
2. Graphing Calculator (We recommend the Casio FX CG50)
3. Textbook (Available here, however most schools provide this for free)
4. A tablet, or laptop. (worth installing the Desmos app)
We must emphasise how vital the graphing calculator is, please do not ever forget it as you will need to practice using it regularly. Forgetting your graphing calculator will also mean that you cannot follow key parts of the lessons. You will also need that calculator for your exams. We recommend the Casio FX CG50, but it’s worth checking with your teacher which one they use as it will definitely help if the entire class is using the same model.
Remember, using the calculator fluently is an essential skill in IB Maths and needs to be practiced consistently throughout the course from Day 1.
Official Course Documents
Here you will find all the IB official guidance on the course.
Revision Resources
Addvance Maths has a course revision guide with links to our video lessons, practice questions and revision tips.
Revision Village is the best resource for IB Maths revision. They have covered all the topics and all the possible exam style questions. However, their subscription is quite expensive.
Good luck!
Work hard, and you will do well in IB Maths.
Addvance Maths 