The most reliable IB Math AI IA timeline begins in early September and targets a complete first draft by early November. This leaves the rest of November for feedback, mathematical corrections, reflection, citations, and presentation, allowing you to finish before winter break.
This September-to-November plan is a recommendation, not an official IB deadline. Schools set their own internal deadlines, so record your teacher's proposal, draft, feedback, and final submission dates before adapting the schedule.
What the IB officially requires
The Math AI internal assessment is officially called the mathematical exploration. According to the IB Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation subject brief, it is an individual assessment worth 20% of the final subject grade at SL and HL.
Your teacher assesses the exploration, after which the IB externally moderates the marking. It is assessed out of 20 marks using five criteria:
| Criterion | Maximum marks | Main focus |
|---|---|---|
| A: Presentation | 4 | Coherent, organized, and concise work |
| B: Mathematical communication | 4 | Appropriate notation, terminology, representations, and explanations |
| C: Personal engagement | 3 | Independent thinking and meaningful choices |
| D: Reflection | 3 | Evaluation of results, assumptions, methods, and limitations |
| E: Use of mathematics | 6 | Relevant and accurate course-appropriate mathematics |
IB guidance allocates approximately 10-15 hours of teaching time to the exploration. This includes classroom explanation, consultation, monitoring, and authenticity checks, so it is not a strict limit on independent work.
The IB does not set a universal November deadline for students. Your school's dates take priority because teachers need time to assess work, standardize marking, and prepare submissions.
Recommended September-to-November schedule
A practical fall schedule lasts about 12 weeks. Protect two focused sessions of 45-60 minutes each week, adding a longer session when processing data or assembling the draft.
| Period | Main objective | Concrete deliverable |
|---|---|---|
| September 1-7 | Brainstorm and confirm requirements | Three feasible topics |
| September 8-14 | Test feasibility | One mini-investigation using sample data |
| September 15-21 | Finalize the question | Approved aim, variables, methods, and data plan |
| September 22-30 | Collect and clean data | Usable dataset with sources and units |
| October 1-12 | Perform the main mathematics | Calculations, models, graphs, and interpretation |
| October 13-19 | Refine the approach | Model checks, limitations, or justified improvements |
| October 20-31 | Write the mathematical body | Explained methods, results, and figures |
| November 1-7 | Assemble the first draft | Complete exploration and bibliography |
| November 8-14 | Obtain permitted feedback | Teacher comments or approved self-assessment |
| November 15-21 | Revise substantively | Corrected mathematics and stronger reflection |
| November 22-28 | Complete final checks | Submission-ready document |
| November 29-30 | Keep an emergency buffer | Resolve technical or administrative problems |
Finishing in late November, rather than on the last school day, provides protection against tests, other coursework, travel, and reduced teacher availability in December.
September: choose a feasible question
A workable Math AI question needs a defined context, measurable variables, accessible evidence, and mathematics you can explain. A narrow investigation completed carefully is usually stronger than an ambitious project that never becomes mathematically coherent.
For example, “mathematics in football” is only a theme. A more focused investigation could examine how accurately a particular regression model represents the relationship between shot distance and scoring probability in a defined dataset. This identifies variables, suggests relevant mathematics, and creates room for evaluation.
Before committing, complete a feasibility test:
- Obtain a sample of the expected data.
- Produce one preliminary graph or calculation.
- Identify the mathematical techniques you would use.
- Explain what the result would mean in context.
- Record one assumption and one potential limitation.
If this cannot be completed by mid-September, narrow or replace the topic. The RevisionDojo guide to high-scoring Math IA topics can help you assess scope, while the Math AI coursework exemplars demonstrate effective investigation design. Use exemplars to understand standards, never to copy language, data, or mathematical decisions.
October: complete and explain the mathematics
October should produce the mathematical core. Define variables, justify each method, show representative working, present technology output clearly, and interpret every important result.
Calculator or spreadsheet output is not analysis by itself. If you obtain a regression equation such as
define and , interpret and in context, and evaluate whether the model is reasonable. Depending on the investigation, consider residuals, outliers, domain restrictions, assumptions, or error.
Write while calculating. After each substantial step, record:
- what you calculated and why;
- what the result means in context;
- which assumption affects it;
- what you would test or change next.
This creates reflection throughout the exploration and prevents you from accumulating unexplained screenshots. If a technique is weak, review it through the RevisionDojo Math AI resource hub before using it. Jojo AI can clarify a method or help you question an assumption, but all decisions, calculations, and final writing must remain your own.
November: draft, receive feedback, and revise
Your complete first draft should exist by November 7. A reader should be able to follow the investigation from its aim to its conclusion, even if formatting or reflection still needs improvement.
A useful structure is:
- Context, rationale, and precise aim
- Data, definitions, assumptions, and method
- Mathematical development
- Results and interpretation
- Evaluation and reflection
- Conclusion answering the aim
- References
The RevisionDojo Math IA structure guide explains how to connect these elements. Keep graphs and tables beside the paragraphs that interpret them rather than placing essential evidence in an appendix.
Teacher feedback must follow IB and school procedures. Your teacher may identify problems and offer advice, but the final decisions and revisions must be yours. Ask focused questions such as, “Is my justification for choosing this model clear?” rather than requesting rewritten text.
Revise for substance before adjusting fonts and spacing. Correct the mathematics, strengthen interpretation, evaluate assumptions, and remove irrelevant material. During the final week, use the Math AI IA guide or Math AI IA grader as a self-check if your school permits these tools.
How to keep the timeline realistic
Every milestone should produce something visible. “Work on IA” is vague, while “clean the dataset, define the units, and generate a scatter plot” is specific and checkable.
Keep a decision log recording the date, change, mathematical reason, and next action. This preserves evidence of how your thinking developed, which can support authentic personal engagement and reflection.
If you fall behind, reduce the scope rather than removing the revision period. Use fewer variables, shorten the investigated interval, compare two models instead of four, or use an accessible secondary dataset. A smaller complete investigation is preferable to an unfinished complex one.
Common scheduling mistakes
- Waiting for a perfect question: Test a workable idea by the second week of September.
- Collecting data before planning the mathematics: Define the variables and proposed techniques first.
- Leaving reflection until the conclusion: Reflect when selecting a model, examining an outlier, or questioning an assumption.
- Treating the first draft as final: Early drafting creates time to correct errors and clarify reasoning.
- Using the school deadline as the target: Set a personal deadline several days earlier to absorb unexpected problems.
Conclusion
For a manageable IB Math AI IA timeline, begin in early September, confirm a feasible question by September 21, complete the main mathematics during October, and assemble a full draft by November 7. Use the remaining weeks for permitted feedback, substantive revision, presentation, and citations, aiming to finish by November 28.
RevisionDojo can support this schedule through its Math AI IA guides, coursework exemplars, Jojo AI, and criterion-based feedback. Start with the guide and exemplars during topic development, then use the grader as a final self-check if your school allows it.
