IB Math Exam secrets: what top-scoring students always do differently

This guide is designed to help you approach your IB Mathematics exams with clarity, confidence, and structure. The strategies outlined here are derived from best practices used by top-performing students and seasoned educators. Apply them consistently, and you will significantly increase your chances of achieving your target score.

Tip #1 - Effective Use of Reading Time

Your reading time is a valuable opportunity to build a strategic plan before writing begins. Use it wisely:

• Determine your approach: Quickly assess all questions and decide the order in which you will answer them. Shorter questions are often more approachable—if and only if you're comfortable with the topic. Longer questions (as those found in the Section B for AA or in Paper 2 in AI) require more stamina.
• Identify calculator-friendly problems: Recognize which questions are best handled with your calculator, and mentally note where technology will support your work.
• Categorize each question by topic: Mentally link each question to its relevant area of the syllabus. This primes your recall of appropriate formulas, techniques, and calculator functions.
• Practice this in advance: Reading time should be part of your mock exam training—not an improvisation on the day of the exam. Take 5 minutes to do that.

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Tip #2 - Approach Multi-Part Questions Strategically

• Do not be discouraged by a difficult opening part: If you are unable to answer part (a), do not assume you cannot answer the following parts. Many times, the subsequent parts are independent or more accessible (as shown in the image to the left).
• Know where the longer questions will be located: That means in a Section B of the AA Papers 1 and 2, or in AI's Paper 2.
• Use the structure of the question to your advantage: Later parts can contain hints or insight that shed light on how to approach earlier components. Consider revisiting previous parts after completing the latter ones.

Tip #3 - Time Management and Allocation

Time pressure is a core challenge of IB Math exams. Plan your approach before entering the room.

• Know your working style: Some students benefit from working rapidly and reviewing later. Others prefer to proceed more slowly and carefully. Identify which approach suits you best and structure your time accordingly.
• Allocate time in proportion to marks: If a question is worth 8% of the total, it should not consume 20% of your exam time.
• Build in time for review: Aim to complete the exam with several minutes remaining so you can revisit flagged questions or verify calculations.

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Tip #4 - Remain Composed Under Pressure

• Keep perspective: If you feel stuck, move on. Many students lose valuable time trying to force a solution rather than continuing to questions where they are more likely to score.
• The importance of a mock exam: Use the mock exams to your advantage, meaning take them under real test conditions, without distractions and in a quiet room. That will help you simulate the real scenario.

Tip #5 - Develop the Skill of Checking

Checking your work is a skill that must be practiced—particularly on calculator papers.

• Establish routines for verification: Use your calculator (whenever it is allowed) to double-check answers. Re-enter expressions, verify values, and graph equations when appropriate and/or use two different methods to solve an equation. Careful not to waste time.
• Train to check under time constraints: During your preparation, simulate exam conditions and dedicate time to checking. You will improve both your accuracy and your efficiency. Know that when you take IB Math exams, the number of marks in that mock is equivalent to the number of minutes you have to finish the exam. Therefore, for the mock exams in IB Math Study, use the same criteria.

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Tip #6 - Maximize Every Mark

• Do not leave questions blank: A blank response receives zero. An incomplete or partially correct answer may still earn method marks (for example).
• A mark is a mark: One easy mark is worth the same as one hard mark: one mark. Don't lose easy marks for no reason (especially because of rounding, unclear writing and more).
• Write what you know: If uncertain about the correct method, outline any relevant steps, formulas, or reasoning. This shows mathematical thinking and may still earn partial credit (method marks).
• Be efficient with your time: If you are unsure how to proceed and are spending too long on one question, move on and return later if time allows.

Tip #7 - Final Recommendations

• Enter the exam with a clear plan: Know how you intend to allocate your time, manage calculator usage, and approach different types of questions.
• Simulate real exam conditions during practice: Use official IB past papers under timed conditions and adhere strictly to the rules of each paper.
• Check the calculator settings: You don't want to find out, for example, after you leave the exam, that you solved all questions in degrees thinking the calculator was set to radians.
• Trust in structured preparation: High achievement in IB Mathematics comes from consistent, intentional preparation. Focused practice, smart strategy, and clarity of thought are far more effective than last-minute cramming.

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1. How should I prepare for the IB Math AA HL/SL exams and manage my study time?

Students frequently asked for general exam preparation strategies. A post from a May 2025 candidate who found Mathematics AA HL the hardest subject explained that they were planning to work through every past paper under the new syllabus and revisit weak topics, and they sought advice on how to prepare efficientlyreddit.com. Many students also expressed anxiety over the breadth of the syllabus and complained that completing past papers alone was time‑consuming.

Answer:

1. Know the syllabus and command terms. IB Mathematics AA and AI have published subject guides which detail required knowledge and the command terms used in exam questions (e.g., “solve,” “explain,” “show”). Start your preparation by ensuring you understand what each command term expects and the depth at which each topic is examined. This will prevent spending time on material that is beyond the scope of your course.
2. Review concepts before drilling papers. Do not jump straight into past papers; first revisit textbook chapters, class notes and worked examples. Make summary sheets or flash‑cards for key formulas and theorems. If you are following AA HL, pay special attention to calculus, series, differential equations and proof techniques. For AA SL or AI courses, review functions, statistics and applied modelling. Building a strong conceptual base allows past‑paper practice to be more productive.
3. Use past papers strategically. The candidate above planned to do “all new curriculum past papers”reddit.com. This is a good strategy, but you don’t need to complete every paper in one sitting. Start by practising individual questions to master specific topics, then progress to timed sections (Paper 1 short‑answer questions, Paper 2 extended problems, and Paper 3 for HL students). Aim to simulate full exam conditions during the last few weeks so that you can practise pacing yourself; HL candidates need to answer roughly one mark per minute on Paper 3.
4. Identify weaknesses and fill gaps. After each practice session, mark your work using official mark‑schemes and pay attention to where you lose marks. Keep a log of mistakes to identify patterns—common issues include setting up integrals incorrectly, algebraic slips or misinterpreting the question’s context. Use targeted resources such as Haese Mathematics textbooks, Revision Village videos, or your teacher’s support sessions to address these weaknesses.
5. Balance topics over time. Because the IB exams cover the entire syllabus, do not focus exclusively on favourite topics. A revision timetable should allocate time to algebra, functions and calculus, but also to geometry, probability and statistics. Many students underestimate the weight of statistics and probability on the exam; allocate time to practise interpreting data and using the GDC (graphical display calculator) effectively.
6. Take care of yourself. Anxiety is often mentioned in posts like the one above. Ensure you schedule breaks, sleep well and seek help early if you struggle. Working with classmates or forming study groups can make preparation more engaging and help you stay accountable.

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With predicted grades influencing university offers, some students asked how to prioritise topics when revising for predicted exams and noted that they have about one minute per mark. Posts on predicted exams usually include questions like “Which chapters should I focus on?” or “How do I perform well under time pressure?”

Answer:

1. Review your teacher’s emphasis. Predicted exams often mirror the style of IB past papers but may emphasise topics that the teacher has covered recently. Ask your teacher which units are included. In general, algebra, functions and calculus are heavily weighted; statistics and probability also carry significant marks in both AA and AI courses.
2. Practise under timed conditions. Since you have roughly one minute per mark, practise solving questions quickly and accurately. Begin with simpler questions to build confidence, then tackle longer exam‑style problems. Use a timer when working through question banks and gradually reduce the time allowed as you become more comfortable.
3. Identify easy marks. Some exam parts (e.g., solving simple equations, reading values from a graph, or interpreting GDC output) provide quick marks. Ensure that you can perform these tasks flawlessly. If you often make arithmetic mistakes under pressure, slow down slightly to avoid losing easy points.
4. Don’t neglect smaller topics. Trigonometry, vectors and geometry often appear in shorter questions. While calculus carries many marks, a solid understanding of these smaller topics can boost your overall score because they are usually straightforward when well‑practised.
5. Simulate entire papers. To build stamina, complete full past papers in one sitting, especially as predicted exams approach. Afterwards, review and analyse your mistakes to adjust your study plan.
6. Balance accuracy and speed. Focus on solving each problem correctly before worrying about speed; accuracy will naturally improve your timing. With practice, you will develop intuition about when to move on if a question becomes time‑consuming.