IB Maths AI SL Tutor Online | Applications and Interpretation

What is IB Maths AI SL?

IB Maths AI SL is Mathematics: applications and interpretation at standard level, one of two maths subjects in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. The IB's subject brief gives it 150 recommended teaching hours across number and algebra, functions, geometry and trigonometry, statistics and probability, and calculus, plus 30 hours for modelling and the exploration. SL students sit two papers of 1.5 hours, each worth 40 per cent, with technology allowed, and complete an exploration worth 20 per cent. HL adds hours, longer papers and a Paper 3. Our IB Maths AA and AI course covers AI at both levels in live online classes or private lessons.

Where to start

Three courses for an IB Maths AI student

The IB course itself comes first. The statistics course goes deeper into the largest SL topic; the data course suits a student who wants the technology side in real code. Each card opens a syllabus.

IBAI / 01

IB Maths AA and AI, SL and HL

The full AI syllabus at either level, taught with the calculator and software the course assumes.

Open the syllabus →

Statistics & Probability course thumbnail

IBAI / 02

Statistics and probability in depth

Distributions, correlation, regression and hypothesis testing, for the topic with the most SL hours.

Open the syllabus →

IBAI / 03

Data science for teens

Python for real data sets, for an AI student who wants to model beyond the calculator.

Open the syllabus →

The syllabus

What is in the IB Maths AI SL syllabus?

Five topic areas and a block of time for inquiry, modelling and the exploration. The IB's subject brief gives the recommended teaching hours for each at SL and HL.

Mathematics: applications and interpretation, recommended teaching hours (IB subject brief, first assessments 2021)
Syllabus component	SL hours	HL hours
Number and algebra	16	29
Functions	31	42
Geometry and trigonometry	18	46
Statistics and probability	36	52
Calculus	19	41
Investigational, problem-solving and modelling skills, and the exploration	30	30
Total teaching hours (as the brief prints them)	150	240

Source: International Baccalaureate, DP Subject Brief, Mathematics: applications and interpretation (an unaltered IB document hosted on a university server; ibo.org refused our requests). The sub-topics inside each area are in the full IB guide your school holds. Modern Age Coders is not affiliated with the IB.

Where the hours go at SL

Statistics and probability has the largest share of SL hours, 36, and functions is next at 31. Between them they take more than half of the topic time, so a student weak in either will feel it across the course.

Number and algebra has the fewest SL hours, 16. That is not because algebra does not matter; it is used everywhere else, particularly in functions and calculus.

Common ground with AA

The brief says the two maths subjects "share 60 hours of common content". The AA guide adds that each topic "begins with SL content which is common to both" courses, which is why the first months of AI and AA can look similar in class.

For a student who might switch subjects early in year one, that overlap is useful. After it, the two courses diverge in emphasis and in how technology is used; the brief is blunt about AI: "Students should expect to develop strong technology skills".

Assessment

How is IB Maths AI assessed at SL and HL?

At SL, two written papers and an internal exploration. At HL, the same two papers made longer, plus a third paper. Technology is allowed on every paper.

Assessment at a glance, IB subject brief for Mathematics: applications and interpretation
Component	Format	SL time	SL weight	HL time	HL weight
Paper 1 (external)	Technology allowed; compulsory short-response questions on the syllabus	1.5 hours	40%	2 hours	30%
Paper 2 (external)	Technology allowed; compulsory extended-response questions on the syllabus	1.5 hours	40%	2 hours	30%
Paper 3 (external, HL only)	Technology allowed. Two compulsory extended-response problem-solving questions			1 hour	20%
Exploration (internal)	An individual exploration of an area of mathematics	15 hours	20%	15 hours	20%

What "technology allowed" changes

When a calculator does the arithmetic, marks move to setting the problem up, choosing the right tool, and saying what the output means. The brief lists technology as one of six assessment objectives: using it "accurately, appropriately and efficiently both to explore new ideas and to solve problems."

A student who can drive a graphic display calculator but cannot explain what a correlation coefficient says about the data is only halfway there.

The six assessment objectives

The brief says the objectives are common to both maths subjects: knowledge and understanding; problem solving; communication and interpretation; technology; reasoning; and inquiry approaches.

Communication and interpretation is the one AI students most often under-practise. It asks students to "transform common realistic contexts into mathematics" and to "comment on the context", which is exactly the habit we teach below.

The exploration

The brief calls it "an integral part of the course and its assessment", compulsory at SL and HL, written "without the time limitations" of an exam.

Our line on it

We teach the mathematics a student might use and how mathematical writing works. We do not read, plan, write or edit any part of an exploration.

Further detail

Exam dates, criteria and markbands sit in IB documents we could not read. Your school's DP coordinator has the current ones.

For both IB maths subjects side by side, see our IB maths tuition page.

AI or AA, SL or HL

Should I take IB Maths AI or AA, and SL or HL?

The IB's own descriptions are the best starting point. AI is "for students who are interested in developing their mathematics for describing our world and solving practical problems"; AA students "enjoy the thrill of mathematical problem solving and generalization."

What the IB says about each choice (AA guide and AI subject brief)
Choice	In the IB's words
AI	Students "interested in harnessing the power of technology alongside exploring mathematical models"
AI SL or HL	Students "should enjoy seeing mathematics used in real-world contexts and to solve real-world problems"
AI HL	Students "will have good algebraic skills and experience of solving real-world problems"
AA	Students who "enjoy the thrill of mathematical problem solving and generalization"
Either, at HL	240 teaching hours rather than 150, and at AI HL a third paper worth 20 per cent

Questions we ask a student (ours)

Do you enjoy finding out what data says more than proving why a formula works? Do you want maths as a tool for another subject, such as a science, psychology or geography? Are you comfortable with a calculator as part of the method, not a check at the end?

Three yeses usually point to AI. A student who loves algebra for its own sake, or whose university course asks for a particular subject or level, should check that requirement before choosing.

What we will not do

We do not tell students which subject universities prefer, because requirements are set by each university and course and change. The student should read the admissions pages for the courses they are considering.

Nor do we predict grades. Choosing a level is a decision for the student, the family and the school, made with the school's knowledge of the student's work.

Our lesson family

How do you choose and judge a model in IB Maths AI?

Fit more than one model, compare them against the data and the context, then say what each predicts and where it breaks. The data and questions below are ours, invented for teaching; they are not IB questions.

Our data: the temperature of a cup of tea above room temperature, every 5 minutes
Time (minutes)	Excess temperature (degrees C)
0	60
5	45
10	34
15	25
20	19
25	14

Look before fitting. The drops are 15, 11, 9, 6, 5: getting smaller. A straight line assumes equal drops, so a linear model is already suspect.
Try the linear model. A calculator's least-squares line through this data falls by roughly 1.8 degrees a minute. Extended to 40 minutes it predicts a negative excess: the tea colder than the room, which is impossible for a cooling cup.
Try an exponential model. Each 5-minute ratio is close to 0.75 (45/60 = 0.75, 34/45 = 0.76, 25/34 = 0.74). A model of the form T = 60 x 0.75 to the power t/5 fits every row to within about one degree.
Interpret the parameters. 60 is the starting excess; 0.75 means the excess falls by about a quarter every 5 minutes, whatever its size. That matches the physical idea that hotter things lose heat faster.
Predict and judge. At 40 minutes the exponential model gives 60 x 0.75 to the power 8, about 6 degrees above room temperature. It never reaches zero, which is reasonable here. Say also what the model ignores: a lid, stirring, a draught.

Our practice set. (1) For our tea data, use the exponential model to find when the excess first falls below 10 degrees; check with a table of values. (2) A plant's height in our invented data is 4, 7, 10, 13, 16 cm in weeks 0 to 4. Which model fits, and why might it fail by week 30? (3) Our invented phone survey gives a correlation coefficient of 0.92 between hours of revision and test mark. Write two sentences on what that does and does not show. Answers, ours: (1) between 30 and 35 minutes, since the model gives about 10.7 at 30 and about 8.0 at 35; (2) linear, adding 3 cm a week, but no plant grows without limit, so a model that levels off would be needed later; (3) a strong positive linear association in this sample, which does not show that revision causes the higher marks or that the pattern holds for other groups.

Why this lesson family

Functions and statistics hold the most SL hours, and modelling ties them together. The brief's objectives ask students to transform realistic contexts into mathematics and comment on the context; choosing between models is where both happen at once.

It also uses technology the way the course intends: the calculator fits the curves, and the student decides which curve is believable.

Mistakes we see most

Choosing a model by the highest r or R squared alone, without asking whether its predictions make sense. The linear tea model has a respectable fit over 25 minutes and is still wrong.

Copying calculator output to many decimal places with no units and no sentence. In an AI paper, "about 6 degrees above room temperature after 40 minutes" is the answer; the number alone is half of it.

Two years

A route through the two Diploma years

The brief's 150 SL hours spread over two years. A typical plan front-loads functions and statistics and leaves time for revision before the papers.

Our two-year plan for an AI SL student (ours, not an IB scheme)
When	Focus (ours)	Secure when
Year 1, first term	Number and algebra; the calculator as a tool	Equations and sequences solved by hand and by technology
Year 1, second and third terms	Functions and statistics	Linear and exponential models fitted and interpreted in words
Year 2, first term	Probability, geometry and trigonometry, calculus	Rates of change explained in context, not only computed
Year 2, second term	Mixed short-response and extended-response practice	Every answer ends with a sentence about the context
Before the exams	Timed papers of our own at the published lengths	Pacing holds across 1.5 hours with technology

If AI HL is the plan

HL adds 90 teaching hours, longer papers, and Paper 3: two extended-response problem-solving questions in an hour.

We teach HL students the extra content and give them long, open problems to practise the Paper 3 style.

Related IB pages

For both maths subjects and the IA rules, see IB maths tuition.

For the Diploma computing course, see IB computer science.

All related courses

Maths, statistics and data courses for IB students

By focus. Each card opens its syllabus.

I

IB maths

Diploma years

UK / IAS / 01

IB Maths AA and AI

Both subjects, SL and HL, taught live.

Open the syllabus

UK / IAS / 02

Statistics and probability

The largest AI SL topic, in depth.

Open the syllabus

UK / IAS / 03

Calculus foundations

Rates of change for HL or a later switch.

Open the syllabus

II

Before the Diploma

Ages 14 to 16

UK / IAS / 04

Secondary maths, core and extended

Algebra and functions to start the DP strong.

Open the syllabus

UK / IAS / 05

Algebra foundations

For a student whose algebra wobbles.

Open the syllabus

III

Models in code

Ages 13 and up

UK / IAS / 06

Data science for teens

Fit and test models in Python.

Open the syllabus

UK / IAS / 07

Python for teens

The programming behind data work.

Open the syllabus

How lessons run

Live online, with the calculator on screen

Weekdays or weekends, flexible: choose your batch, or for a very personalised plan choose 1-on-1 at your convenience, weekend mornings or weekdays. Our teachers are in India, where clocks do not change, so for UK students India time runs four and a half hours ahead in British summer time and five and a half in winter; students outside the UK see times in their local zone.

After school

Evening hours for DP students in the UK.

Weekend morning

For students whose weekday evenings are full of CAS.

Before mocks

A block of timed practice on our own papers.

Technology taught

Calculator and software methods shown live, then explained in words.

Context every time

Each answer ends with what it means for the situation.

Class size

Either a Diploma class of 15 to 20, or private lessons with your own teacher.

Fresh questions

Practice is drafted by our teachers; no IB paper is copied.

Exploration untouched

We teach maths and method, and never work on a student's exploration.

No predicted grades

Grades are for the IB and predictions for the school.

Student work

What our students go on to make

Work from our classes, data models in code among it. More on student labs.

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Fees

Fees for IB Maths AI lessons

A single fee each month, charged in your region's billing currency, with no term paid in advance. Lesson one is on us.

Free first class

USD 0

no card required

A lesson on the topic your class is on now
A frank view of where marks are being lost
Only a phone number to book

Book it

Group batch

USD 100

a month, billed in US dollars

A Diploma class of 15 to 20
A single teacher through the Diploma
Written answers marked for interpretation
A certificate at the end

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One to one

USD 150

a month, billed in US dollars

One student, one teacher
Paced to your school's scheme of work
Good for HL students and switchers from AA

Enquire

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IB Maths AI questions

What students ask about IB Maths AI

What is the IB Maths AI SL syllabus?

The IB subject brief lists five areas: number and algebra, functions, geometry and trigonometry, statistics and probability, and calculus, with 30 hours for modelling skills and the exploration. Statistics and probability has the most SL hours, 36.

How many papers are there in IB Maths AI SL?

Two. The brief gives Paper 1, short-response questions, and Paper 2, extended-response questions, each 1.5 hours and 40 per cent at SL, with technology allowed on both.

What does AI HL add?

More teaching hours, 240 instead of 150, longer papers of 2 hours each, and Paper 3: two compulsory extended-response problem-solving questions in 1 hour, worth 20 per cent.

How much is the IB Maths AI exploration worth?

The brief gives the internal exploration 20 per cent at both SL and HL, with 15 recommended hours. It is compulsory for every student.

Can I use a calculator in IB Maths AI?

Yes. The IB subject brief marks every AI paper, at SL and HL, as technology allowed. Ask your school which calculator models it uses.

Is IB Maths AI SL easier than AA SL?

The IB presents them as different courses for different interests rather than easier and harder. AI suits students who enjoy maths in practical contexts with technology; AA suits students who enjoy problem solving and generalisation.

Where can I find IB Maths AI SL past papers?

Past papers are IB publications and we do not reproduce them. Your school will tell you which ones it uses and how to get them; our lessons use questions we write.

Will you help with my IB Maths AI exploration?

We teach the mathematics a student might use and how mathematical writing works, using other examples. We do not read, plan, write or edit any part of an exploration.

How much do AI and AA have in common?

The IB subject brief says the two maths subjects share 60 hours of common content. Each topic opens with SL material common to both courses.

What times can I book IB Maths AI lessons?

Weekdays or weekends, flexible: choose your batch, or for a very personalised plan choose 1-on-1 at your convenience, weekend mornings or weekdays. UK students book in UK time.

Related pages

More for IB students

Sister IB pages, the courses before the Diploma, and the UK index.

IB maths tuition

Both IB maths subjects, side by side.

IB computer science

Programming and computational thinking in the DP.

IB maths in the UAE

For Diploma students in the Gulf.

A level maths tuition

The other sixth-form route.

IGCSE maths tuition

A common route into the Diploma.

Coding classes in the UK

Our UK hub.

Related pages in this guide

Part of the guide: UK maths exam boards and specification codes

International Baccalaureate

GCSE maths

International GCSE and Cambridge International

A level maths and further maths

Scotland

More guides: UK maths year by year, Reception to Year 11 · UK selective school maths tests: 7+, 11+, 13+ and 16+ · UK university admissions: maths tests and computing applications · UK maths enrichment, competitions and able pupils

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Book a free IB Maths AI lesson

Tell us SL or HL, which year of the Diploma, and the topic your class is on. The first lesson will be on that topic, with technology on screen.

Want to read first? Each course page carries its syllabus, and how we teach explains our lessons.

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Three courses for an IB Maths AI student

IB Maths AA and AI, SL and HL

Statistics and probability in depth

Data science for teens

What is in the IB Maths AI SL syllabus?

Where the hours go at SL

Common ground with AA

How is IB Maths AI assessed at SL and HL?

What "technology allowed" changes

The six assessment objectives

The exploration

Our line on it

Further detail

Should I take IB Maths AI or AA, and SL or HL?

Questions we ask a student (ours)

What we will not do

How do you choose and judge a model in IB Maths AI?

Why this lesson family

Mistakes we see most

A route through the two Diploma years

If AI HL is the plan

Related IB pages

Maths, statistics and data courses for IB students

IB maths

IB Maths AA and AI

Statistics and probability

Calculus foundations

Before the Diploma

Secondary maths, core and extended

Algebra foundations

Models in code

Data science for teens

Python for teens

Live online, with the calculator on screen

Technology taught

Context every time

Class size

Fresh questions

Exploration untouched

No predicted grades

What our students go on to make

NutriLife

Misti

GuardianX

SkyCast

Fees for IB Maths AI lessons

Rated 4.9 across 547 Google reviews

What students ask about IB Maths AI

What is the IB Maths AI SL syllabus?

How many papers are there in IB Maths AI SL?

What does AI HL add?

How much is the IB Maths AI exploration worth?

Can I use a calculator in IB Maths AI?

Is IB Maths AI SL easier than AA SL?

Where can I find IB Maths AI SL past papers?

Will you help with my IB Maths AI exploration?

How much do AI and AA have in common?

What times can I book IB Maths AI lessons?

More for IB students

IB maths tuition

IB computer science

IB maths in the UAE

A level maths tuition

IGCSE maths tuition

Coding classes in the UK

Related pages in this guide

International Baccalaureate

GCSE maths

International GCSE and Cambridge International

A level maths and further maths

Scotland

Book a free IB Maths AI lesson

Want a class sooner? Book a priority demo

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