At a glance
- Levels
- SL (150 hours), HL (240 hours)
- Calculator
- GDC required in every paper
- SL exams
- Paper 1 short answers, Paper 2 longer questions, 90 min each
- HL Paper 3
- 1 hour, 55 marks, 20%
- Internal assessment
- Exploration, 20%
How IB Maths AI is assessed
From the current guide (first assessment 2021). It applies to all exams up to the November 2028 session.
| Component | SL | HL | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | 90 min, 80 marks, 40% | 120 min, 110 marks, 30% | Short-response questions across the syllabus |
| Paper 2 | 90 min, 80 marks, 40% | 120 min, 110 marks, 30% | Extended-response questions, often in a real context |
| Paper 3 (HL only) | Not taken | 60 min, 55 marks, 20% | Two long problem-solving questions |
| Exploration (IA) | 20% | 20% | Written mathematical investigation, teacher-marked and IB-moderated |
A graphic display calculator is required in every AI paper.
What AI covers, and what makes HL different
AI uses the same five topic headings as AA (number and algebra, functions, geometry and trigonometry, statistics and probability, calculus) but chooses content for its uses. SL students meet financial mathematics, Voronoi diagrams, the normal distribution, correlation and regression, Spearman's rank and chi-squared tests, and calculus applied to rates and areas. Much of it is solved with the calculator rather than by hand.
HL adds a large block of further content: matrices and eigenvectors, complex numbers, graph theory, Markov chains, further statistics including hypothesis testing and confidence intervals, and differential equations with slope fields and Euler's method. Families sometimes assume AI HL is an easy option. It is not; it is broad, and Paper 3 asks students to model an unfamiliar situation for an hour.
AI suits students heading towards psychology, business, social sciences, biology, medicine at some universities, and design. Some degrees that need strong mathematics name AA HL instead, so check the entry requirements of courses your child is considering.
Where AI students lose marks
- Thin calculator skills. Students who can only do arithmetic on the GDC cannot run regressions, solve equations numerically or find normal probabilities quickly, and Paper 1 runs out of time.
- Answers without interpretation. AI questions often end with "interpret" or "comment"; a correct number without a sentence in context loses the last mark.
- Accuracy and units. Answers are expected to three significant figures unless stated otherwise, and money to the stated accuracy. Rounding early in a multi-step question is a common leak.
- Statistics vocabulary. Confusing correlation with causation, or misreading the null hypothesis in a chi-squared test, costs marks that are easy to protect.
- An exploration that is all description. Collecting data is not the mathematics; the score depends on the analysis applied to it.
How one-to-one AI lessons work
Tutors who teach AI treat the calculator as part of the syllabus. Lessons pair each topic with the exact GDC routine the student will use, then move to past-paper questions where the student explains each step aloud and writes the interpretation sentence. At HL, tutors build in regular Paper 3 practice from DP1 so the long-question format is familiar long before the exam.
For the exploration, the tutor helps the student find a question where real data or a real situation can be analysed with course-level mathematics, plans the analysis, and gives feedback on drafts against the criteria. The student writes it.
Check the calculator now
The IB publishes the list of permitted calculators for each exam session, and schools often specify one model. Practise on the exact model your child will use in the exam, with the same operating system version.
Common questions
Is IB Maths AI easier than AA?
At SL, most students find AI more approachable because there is no non-calculator paper and the content is applied. At HL, AI is broad and demanding, and Paper 3 is a full hour of modelling. Easier is the wrong question; fit with your child's strengths and university plans is the right one.
Will universities accept AI instead of AA?
Many do, especially for social sciences, business and some sciences. Mathematics, physics and engineering courses often name AA HL. Each university publishes its own requirements, so check the specific courses.
What does the AI exploration involve?
A written piece of independent mathematics worth 20% at both levels, assessed by the teacher against published criteria and moderated by the IB. Topics based on real data are common in AI.
Can my child switch from AA to AI after starting?
Schools usually allow a switch early in DP1 if timetables permit. The later the switch, the more content there is to catch up. A tutor can help bridge the gap, particularly the statistics AA students have not covered.
How much do IB Maths AI lessons cost?
$15 a lesson, the same flat rate for every subject and level, on a weekly plan of 1 to 5 lessons billed monthly. Lessons are 60 minutes, one to one and online, and the first lesson is a free trial.
Sources
Dates and figures on this page come from these official and published sources. Always confirm deadlines on the official page before acting on them.