This page is for students and parents checking the IB AA SL curriculum, including the IB Math SL syllabus 2020 and other exam years. You will see what the course covers, how it is assessed, how to check your version and how to start revising.
The IB Math SL syllabus 2020 that you are looking for depends on your exam year and your school. This page describes the IB Mathematics Analysis and Approaches Standard Level course as it stands on our current page. It does not list differences between versions, because we cannot confirm those here. For any exam year, the official IB subject guide decides what you are examined on.
So what do you do with a search for 2019, 2020 or 2027? Treat each year as a question for your teacher and for the IB. Ask which subject guide your class follows. Then open that guide and compare its topic list with the five topics described below. If something looks new or missing, you will see it straight away, and you can ask about it in class.
Check with the IB before you rely on any year-specific detail, including anything you read about 2027. Versions can be replaced, and an out-of-date list wastes revision time. Write down which guide you used and which exam session it covers, so you never mix up older and newer details.
The IB AA SL curriculum is organised into five topics: Number and Algebra, Functions, Geometry and Trigonometry, Statistics and Probability, and Calculus. Together they make up the core mathematical knowledge expected at Standard Level. The course suits students who enjoy building mathematical arguments, solving problems and exploring both real and abstract applications.
Teaching hours are spread across the topics over two years, which gives enough depth in each one. It also leaves time for the internal assessment, which runs alongside the topics rather than after them. Think of the syllabus as a connected framework, not a checklist. Algebra and functions underpin calculus and statistics for the whole course.
Many students also search for the IB Math 2019 syllabus and wonder how it compares with the current one. We cannot confirm the differences from the sources we hold, so we will not guess. Read the subject guide for your own exam session. Then use the five-topic structure here as a map for your planning.
Number and Algebra comes first for most students. It covers arithmetic and geometric sequences and series, sigma notation, the binomial theorem for positive integers, laws of exponents and logarithms, and proof techniques. These are the algebra skills you will use again in every other topic. Weakness here tends to show up later.
Functions builds on that base. You study domain, range, inverse and composite functions, graph transformations, quadratic and rational functions, and exponential and logarithmic models. You also learn to choose a suitable function for a real situation and interpret it. Geometry and Trigonometry then adds spatial and periodic ideas, and Statistics and Probability develops analysis and modelling.
Calculus ties the earlier work together. Understanding how a function behaves near asymptotes, intercepts and turning points helps you sketch curves and reason about tangents. If your algebra is secure and your function sense is good, calculus feels like a natural next step. If not, it is worth going back and repairing the base first.
| Written papers | check format and weighting in the subject guide |
|---|---|
| Internal assessment | a personal mathematical exploration |
The course is assessed in two ways: written examination papers and the internal assessment. The internal assessment is a personal investigation that you complete during the course. The written papers test the syllabus topics under timed conditions. Our current page does not give paper lengths, marks or weightings, so we do not state them here.
For those details, read the current IB subject guide for your exam session. It is the only reliable source for paper format and weighting. Your teacher can also tell you how your school plans mock examinations. Write the format down once, so your practice matches the real thing.
A simple way to use this: make a small table in your notes with two rows, written papers and internal assessment. For each row, add the format, the topics it can draw on and the date your school sets for it. This turns a vague worry into a checklist you can act on.
Papers can draw on any of the five topics
Ask your teacher about mock examination plans
The internal assessment is a personal investigation. You choose a question and apply techniques from any topic area to explore it. It runs alongside the course, so you can start thinking about it early. We do not list criteria or marks here. Your teacher and the subject guide give those.
Choosing a focus is the hardest part. Pick something you are curious about and that you can reach with the mathematics you know. Ask yourself whether you could explain every step to a classmate. If a question needs methods far beyond the course, narrow it down. A smaller, clear question is easier to handle than a grand one.
Plan your time before you begin. Write down your question, the topics it uses, the data or sources you need and a few checkpoints. Share the plan with your teacher early. Good habits help here: keep your working neat, note where ideas come from and check each step as you go, so you are not fixing mistakes at the end.
Weak algebra is the most common problem. A sign error in a rearranged formula or a slip when simplifying a rational expression can ruin a calculus question that you understood perfectly. Students often blame calculus when the real trouble is algebra from earlier in the course.
Sketching graphs by hand is another sticking point. You need to show key features such as intercepts, asymptotes and turning points without leaning on a calculator. Choosing a function model also causes trouble. Is the situation growth, decay, quadratic or rational? Practise reading the context before you reach for a formula. Proof can feel unfamiliar too, because it asks you to write an argument, not just find an answer.
The quietest problem is leaving gaps until mock examinations. A topic skipped early stays skipped, and everything feels urgent at once. The fix is simple: review each topic soon after you finish it, and keep a syllabus map where you can see which parts are strong and which need work.
Start today with the map. Step one: put the five topics on one page and keep it visible. Step two: confirm which subject guide applies to your exam year, and note it on the page. Step three: mark each topic as secure, shaky or not yet met. Be honest, because the map only helps if it is accurate.
Step four: revise topic by topic, beginning with Number and Algebra and Functions, since later work depends on them. Step five: practise past-style questions after each topic, writing full working and not only answers. Step six: review every mistake. Ask whether it was a slip, a gap in knowledge or a misread question, and note which it was.
Step seven: set aside regular time for the internal assessment, so it does not collide with exam revision. Step eight: update your map every week or so. Progress will feel slow some days. That is normal, and calm, steady revision does more than a last-minute rush.
AA SL suits students who enjoy developing mathematical arguments, solving problems and working with algebraic rigour. It balances that rigour with conceptual understanding across the five topics. If you like to see why a method works, and you are comfortable with abstract ideas, AA SL may fit you well.
We do not describe AI SL content here, because we have no verified details to offer. To compare fairly, read the IB subject guide for both courses and ask your teacher how your school approaches each one. Do not decide from a course name alone. Look at the actual topics and the way each course is assessed.
Ask yourself some plain questions. Do I enjoy algebra, or do I tolerate it? Am I happy writing a proof? Which courses do I need for my future plans, and who can confirm that? Then ask your teacher where you currently stand. The right course is the one you can work at with confidence for two years.
One-to-one online IB tutoring gives you someone who looks at your actual working. A tutor can check your reasoning line by line and show where marks are lost, whether that is an algebra slip, a missing step or a weak explanation. That kind of feedback is hard to get from a textbook alone.
A tutor can also help you build a syllabus map, check it against the subject guide for your exam year and plan your revision topic by topic. For the internal assessment, a tutor can help you test whether a question is manageable and plan the stages of the work.
If you want support with the IB Math curriculum, use the consultation form to get started. Tell us your course, your exam year and where you feel stuck. That gives a tutor a clear picture of what you need.
We cannot confirm that from the sources we hold, so we will not guess. Syllabus versions are set by the IB, and the one that applies to you depends on your exam year and school. Ask your teacher which subject guide your class uses, then read that guide and compare its topic list with the five topics on this page.
We do not hold verified details of that version, so we do not list them. What we can say is that the current AA SL course has five topics: Number and Algebra, Functions, Geometry and Trigonometry, Statistics and Probability, and Calculus. For anything older, check official IB documents or ask your teacher.
We cannot say. We have no confirmed information about that year, and guessing would only mislead you. Check with the IB, and read the official subject guide for your exam session when it is available. Your teacher should also know which version your school will follow. Until then, revise the content you have been given.
The course is organised into five topics: Number and Algebra, Functions, Geometry and Trigonometry, Statistics and Probability, and Calculus. Teaching hours are spread across two years, and the internal assessment runs alongside them. Algebra and functions support much of the later work, so they are worth securing early.
It depends on how you like to work and what you need next. AA SL suits students who enjoy mathematical arguments, problem solving and algebraic rigour. Read the IB subject guide for both courses, ask your teacher for an honest view of your current level and check what your future plans require before you decide.
Yes. A tutor can help you test whether a question is manageable, choose which topics it uses and plan the stages of the work. They can also check your reasoning as you go. Use the consultation form to start, and tell us your course and exam year so the support fits what you need.
Use the consultation form to tell us your exam year and where you feel stuck, and we will take it from there.