IB Maths: Analysis and Approaches SL
Every question type, mapped
The exam asks the same 94 kinds of question again and again. Learn to recognise each one, see it worked, then practise it.
25 of 94
question types carry half the marks in the 20 recent exams.
They are highlighted below. Each bar is a type's share of all the marks, so the long ones are worth learning first.
1Number and algebra
15 types, 15% of the marksThe binomial theorem2% of the marks
Exponents and logarithms2% of the marks
Proofunder 1% of the marks
Sequences and series10% of the marks
- Find n in a sequence2% of the marks16 of 20 exams
- Find u₁ and d (or r)2% of the marks11 of 20 exams
- Compound interest and depreciation1% of the marks8 of 20 exams
- Arithmetic or geometric in context1% of the marks7 of 20 exams
- Three consecutive terms with an unknown1% of the marks6 of 20 exams
- Given a formula in nunder 1% of the marks5 of 20 exams
- Sum to infinity, and when it existsunder 1% of the marks7 of 20 exams
- Sigma notationunder 1% of the marks2 of 20 exams
2Functions
21 types, 18% of the marksExponential and logarithmic functions2% of the marks
Composite and inverse functions3% of the marks
- Find the inverse function, with its domain1% of the marks10 of 20 exams
- Values of f, f∘g and f⁻¹ from a graph or a formulaunder 1% of the marks8 of 20 exams
- Form a composite function and use itunder 1% of the marks5 of 20 exams
- Find the unknown function inside a compositeunder 1% of the marks3 of 20 exams
- The graphs of f and f⁻¹under 1% of the marks3 of 20 exams
Lines and graphs of functions2% of the marks
Quadratics7% of the marks
- Find the vertex2% of the marks14 of 20 exams
- Two graphs2% of the marks5 of 20 exams
- Quadratic in disguise1% of the marks8 of 20 exams
- Find the equation from given features1% of the marks7 of 20 exams
- Find k from the number of rootsunder 1% of the marks5 of 20 exams
- Optimise with a fixed totalunder 1% of the marks1 of 20 exams
- Quadratic inequalitiesunder 1% of the marks3 of 20 exams
Reciprocal and rational functions2% of the marks
Transformations of graphs2% of the marks
3Geometry and trigonometry
16 types, 18% of the marksRadians, arcs and sectors4% of the marks
3D geometry: solids and triangles in 3D2% of the marks
Triangle trigonometry5% of the marks
The unit circle, identities and trig equations2% of the marks
Trig graphs and sinusoidal models4% of the marks
4Statistics and probability
22 types, 21% of the marksDescriptive statistics: sampling, averages, spread and data displays3% of the marks
- Averages and spreadunder 1% of the marks6 of 20 exams
- Cumulative frequency graphsunder 1% of the marks3 of 20 exams
- Box plotsunder 1% of the marks6 of 20 exams
- Work backwards from the mean or medianunder 1% of the marks5 of 20 exams
- Outliersunder 1% of the marks5 of 20 exams
- Compare two distributions in contextunder 1% of the marks3 of 20 exams
The normal and binomial distributions7% of the marks
Discrete random variables and expected value4% of the marks
Probability: Venn diagrams, trees and conditional probability4% of the marks
Correlation and regression2% of the marks
5Calculus
20 types, 27% of the marksDifferentiation7% of the marks
- Differentiate3% of the marks16 of 20 exams
- Tangent or normal2% of the marks13 of 20 exams
- Rate of change in contextunder 1% of the marks7 of 20 exams
- Find the point of contactunder 1% of the marks5 of 20 exams
- Find constants from gradient factsunder 1% of the marks4 of 20 exams
- The tangent or normal meets somethingunder 1% of the marks3 of 20 exams
Integration and areas7% of the marks
- Area between curves3% of the marks15 of 20 exams
- Integrate2% of the marks9 of 20 exams
- Find f from f′ and a point1% of the marks9 of 20 exams
- Area between a curve and the x-axisunder 1% of the marks5 of 20 exams
- Total change from a rateunder 1% of the marks2 of 20 exams
- Definite integrals without the functionunder 1% of the marks1 of 20 exams