IB Math Analysis and Approach HL Revision Resources - New Resources- 2027 Exam

IBDP Mathematics AA HL Revision Resources – Exam Style Questions, Notes and Mock Tests

Prepare effectively for IBDP Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches HL with topic-wise revision resources, IB-style practice questions, study notes, past paper-style questions and mock tests designed for the latest IB Mathematics syllabus.

IBDP Mathematics AA HL is suitable for students with a strong interest in mathematics and for those who wish to pursue mathematics, engineering, physics, economics, computer science or other maths-intensive university courses.

At IITianAcademy, students can practise IBDP Maths AA HL questions with detailed solutions, review important concepts through structured notes and strengthen exam preparation through regular quizzes, mock tests and revision practice.

IBDP Mathematics AA HL Syllabus Details

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IBDP Mathematics AA New Syllabus 2029 – What Is Changing?

The International Baccalaureate has introduced a revised Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches course for students beginning the Diploma Programme in 2027, with the first assessment in 2029.

The overall character of Mathematics AA remains strongly analytical, with emphasis on algebra, functions, mathematical reasoning and calculus. However, the revised course places greater explicit emphasis on mathematical inquiry, problem formulation, interpretation and the appropriate use of technology.

Important: The new syllabus applies to the cohort beginning the two-year DP course in 2027 and taking their first examinations in 2029. Students assessed before 2029 continue to follow the existing Mathematics AA syllabus.

1. Overall Course Structure

Feature	Current Syllabus	New Syllabus – First Assessment 2029
Main syllabus areas	Topic 1: Number and algebra Topic 2: Functions Topic 3: Geometry and trigonometry Topic 4: Statistics and probability Topic 5: Calculus	Topic A: Number and algebra Topic B: Functions Topic C: Geometry Topic D: Probability and statistics Topic E: Calculus
SL teaching time	150 hours	150 hours – unchanged
HL teaching time	240 hours	240 hours – unchanged
Mathematical exploration	30 hours	30 hours

2. Major Redistribution of Syllabus Teaching Time

One of the clearest changes is the amount of time allocated to each mathematical area. The total course duration is unchanged, but the balance between topics has changed significantly.

Topic	Current SL	2029 SL	Current HL	2029 HL
Number and algebra	19	19	39	42
Functions	21	33	32	46
Geometry / Geometry & trigonometry	25	16	51	35
Probability and statistics	27	22	33	28
Calculus	28	30	55	59

Key change: Functions receives substantially more teaching time at both SL and HL, while the separate Geometry and trigonometry allocation is considerably reduced. Calculus also receives slightly greater emphasis, particularly at HL.

3. Trigonometry Is Reorganized

In the existing syllabus, Geometry and trigonometry is one major topic. In the new structure, the corresponding area is called simply Geometry.

Trigonometry has not disappeared. Instead, it is distributed more explicitly across the course:

B4 Trigonometric functions is included within Topic B: Functions.
C2 Trigonometry and its applications remains within Topic C: Geometry.

This helps explain part of the large increase in recommended teaching time for Functions and the reduction in the separate Geometry allocation.

4. New Syllabus Has a More Explicit Subtopic Structure

The 2029 subject brief organizes the content into clearly named strands:

Topic	2029 Structure
A: Number and algebra	A1 Sequences A2 Exponents and logarithms A3 Combinatorics A4 Complex numbers (HL only) A5 Proof and algebraic manipulation
B: Functions	B1 Representation of functions B2 Polynomial functions B3 Functions with asymptotes B4 Trigonometric functions B5 Transformations of graphs and functions
C: Geometry	C1 Surface areas, volumes and measurement in circles C2 Trigonometry and its applications C3 Vectors (HL only)
D: Probability and statistics	D1 Univariate data D2 Probability D3 Probability distributions
E: Calculus	E1 Principles of differential calculus E2 Techniques of differential calculus E3 Techniques of integral calculus E4 Problem-solving using calculus E5 Differential equations (HL only) E6 Maclaurin series (HL only)

5. Greater Focus on Mathematical Inquiry

A major conceptual change in the 2029 course is the introduction of a clearly defined mathematical inquiry process.

The process is organized around four stages:

Problem specification – posing and framing mathematical questions.
Abstraction – selecting methods, tools or data and translating a problem into mathematical form.
Computation – carrying out mathematics with or without technology.
Interpretation – evaluating the accuracy and relevance of results and relating them back to the original problem.

These stages now provide the framework not only for learning mathematics but also for assessment objectives and the Internal Assessment.

6. Assessment Objectives Are Restructured

The existing syllabus uses six broad assessment objectives: knowledge and understanding, problem solving, communication and interpretation, technology, reasoning and inquiry approaches.

For first assessment 2029, the assessment model is instead explicitly based on the four stages of mathematical inquiry:

Problem specification → Abstraction → Computation → Interpretation

Each stage may be assessed at different levels of cognitive demand, from relatively simple familiar situations to complex and unfamiliar problems.

7. External Examination Structure Is Largely Unchanged

Assessment	Current	First Assessment 2029
SL Paper 1	1 h 30 min – 40% – no calculator	1 h 30 min – 40% – no technology
SL Paper 2	1 h 30 min – 40% – technology required	1 h 30 min – 40% – technology required
HL Paper 1	2 h – 30% – no calculator	2 h – 30% – no technology
HL Paper 2	2 h – 30% – technology required	2 h – 30% – technology required
HL Paper 3	1 h – 20%	1 h – 20%
Internal Assessment	20%	20%

Paper 1 and Paper 2 still contain Section A short-response questions and Section B extended-response questions. HL continues to have Paper 3 consisting of two compulsory extended-response questions.

8. Internal Assessment Criteria Change Significantly

The Mathematical Exploration remains worth 20% of the final grade and is still allocated approximately 30 teaching hours. However, the assessment criteria are substantially changed.

Current IA Criteria	2029 IA Criteria
A: Presentation – 4 B: Mathematical communication – 4 C: Personal engagement – 3 D: Reflection – 3 E: Use of mathematics – 6	A: Problem specification – 4 B: Abstraction – 6 C: Computation – 4 D: Interpretation – 6

The total remains 20 marks, but the assessment is now much more directly organized around the mathematical inquiry process.

Important IA change: “Personal engagement” and “Reflection” are no longer separate named criteria in the 2029 subject brief. Instead, students are assessed through the mathematical process itself—defining the problem, creating the mathematical model or abstraction, performing the mathematics and interpreting/evaluating the results.

9. Greater Emphasis on Choosing Appropriate Technology

The new course explicitly states that each topic is studied both with and without a calculator. Students are expected not simply to use technology, but to decide when a particular tool or method is appropriate for solving a problem.

This fits directly into the new Abstraction stage of the inquiry process, where students select appropriate techniques, tools and data before solving a problem.

10. What Does Not Change?

Mathematics AA continues to be available at SL and HL.
Total teaching time remains 150 hours at SL and 240 hours at HL.
The five broad mathematical areas remain recognizable.
Strong algebraic skills, mathematical reasoning, functions and calculus remain central to the course.
Paper 1 continues without technology.
Paper 2 continues with technology.
HL continues to have Paper 3.
External assessment remains 80% and the Mathematical Exploration remains 20%.

Summary of the 2029 Changes

The revised IBDP Mathematics AA syllabus is not a completely new mathematics course. Much of the mathematical foundation remains familiar.

The most important changes are the reorganization of content, a substantial increase in emphasis on functions, a reduction and redistribution of the traditional geometry and trigonometry allocation, slightly greater emphasis on calculus, and the introduction of a much more explicit mathematical inquiry framework.

The largest assessment change is the Mathematical Exploration, whose criteria are redesigned around problem specification, abstraction, computation and interpretation. The written examination structure and overall assessment weightings remain largely unchanged.