Choosing the Right IB Math IA Topic: A Practical Guide for High Scores
The Mathematics Internal Assessment is one of the few parts of the IB where you control the direction of your work. Worth 20 percent of your final grade, the IA rewards students who explore mathematics thoughtfully, apply appropriate techniques, and communicate their reasoning clearly. The topic you choose plays a major role in how successful your exploration can be.
A strong topic does more than sound interesting. It allows you to demonstrate genuine engagement, apply mathematics at the correct level, and develop a clear line of investigation from start to finish.
Why Topic Choice Matters So Much in the Math IA
Examiners are not impressed by complexity alone. They are looking for evidence that you:
- Chose a question that allows meaningful mathematical exploration
- Understood why specific methods were appropriate
- Engaged personally with the investigation
- Communicated your thinking clearly and logically
A well-chosen topic makes all of this easier. A weak or generic topic forces you to stretch limited mathematics, often resulting in superficial analysis or repetition of standard techniques.
Key Questions to Ask Before Finalising Your Topic
Before committing to an idea, test it against these criteria:
- Does the topic allow for mathematics beyond basic calculations?
- Can the variables be clearly defined and measured?
- Is suitable data available, or can it be collected realistically?
- Does the topic genuinely interest you enough to sustain several weeks of work?
Topics that rely only on averages, simple percentages, or descriptive statistics rarely score well, especially at Higher Level.
Characteristics of a Strong IB Math IA Topic
Successful IA topics tend to share the following features:
