The IB believes that all students should have access to a mathematics course that best supports their future aspirations and successful transition to higher education.
In 2019, the IB launched two Diploma Programme (DP) mathematics courses Mathematics: Applications and interpretation (MAI) and Mathematics: Analysis and approaches (MAA), which replaced the previous mathematics courses. The current DP mathematics courses support the reality of what students need to know about mathematics to be successful at university, in their chosen career and throughout life.
Both DP mathematics courses subject guides are designed to encourage teachers and students to appreciate the international dimensions of mathematics and the multiplicity of its cultural and historical perspectives by integrating theory of knowledge, international-mindedness and other IB values into their mathematical studies.
Access the subject guides:
- Mathematics: Applications and interpretation (PDF, 4.8 MB)
- Mathematics: Analysis and approaches (PDF, 4.7 MB)
The baseline of both courses is rigor and both courses have similar assessment models where students are asked to answer roughly the same amount of long and short questions. The courses also share a common internal assessment (known as “the exploration”) with the same assessment criteria for each of the levels.
The two subjects have the same prior learning requirements, share some common content, and share the same assessment objectives (knowledge and understanding, problem-solving, communication and interpretation, technology, reasoning, and inquiry approaches).
View sample specimen papers and mark schemes:
- Mathematics: Applications and interpretation - Specimen papers 1, 2 and 3 (PDF, 4.4. MB)
- Mathematics: Analysis and approaches - Specimen papers 1, 2 and 3 (PDF, 3.0 MB)
Additional materials
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IB Mathematics for all: Design, Content, and Rigor for all IB students (PDF, 7.0 MB) |
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DP Mathematics examination questions (PDF, 1.1 MB) |
