Should I revise IB Maths AA by topic or complete full past papers?

Begin with topic-by-topic revision when you still have identifiable gaps in knowledge or technique. Targeted questions make it easier to determine whether the problem is conceptual, algebraic, technological, or caused by weak communication. Once each topic is reasonably secure, introduce mixed sets because the examination will not tell you which method to use. Complete full papers when you are ready to practise timing, stamina, method selection, and transitions between topics. The strongest plan therefore uses topic practice for diagnosis and repair, followed by mixed and full-paper practice for exam readiness.

How should I use past-paper video solutions for Maths AA?

Attempt the complete question before opening the video solution, even if you are uncertain about the method. While watching, pause before each important step and predict what operation or argument should follow. Compare the solution with your own work to locate the first meaningful difference rather than merely checking the final answer. Write the missing principle in an error log, then redo the question from a blank page without the video. Finish by answering a similar question several days later so that you test independent recall rather than short-term imitation.

Which IB Maths AA topic should I revise first?

Start with a short diagnostic set covering all five topics and identify the weakest prerequisite skill. Number and algebra is often a sensible starting point because manipulation, logarithms, sequences, and equations support later work in functions and calculus. However, your lowest-scoring topic should take priority if the weakness is clear and repeatedly costs marks. Divide broad topics into subtopics so that labels such as “weak at calculus” become more precise, such as “weak at integration by substitution.” Reassess your priorities weekly because the topic requiring the most attention will change as you improve.

How is IB Maths AA HL revision different from SL revision?

HL includes additional syllabus content, greater mathematical depth, and more demanding connections between topics. HL students also sit Paper 3, which uses two compulsory extended-response problem-solving questions and permits technology. Topic revision should therefore include unfamiliar investigations and multi-stage problems rather than only short exercises. Proof, complex numbers, advanced functions, vectors, probability, and calculus require particular attention where they appear in the HL syllabus. SL students can use the same revision cycle, but every student should filter resources carefully so that practice matches the correct level.

How many questions should I complete for each Maths AA topic?

There is no official IB requirement for a fixed number of revision questions. A better stopping rule is consistent performance across direct, unfamiliar, and multi-part questions rather than reaching an arbitrary total. Begin with a small diagnostic set, then complete enough targeted practice to correct the patterns revealed by it. Retest the topic after a delay and continue if you cannot reproduce the method independently or explain your reasoning clearly. Quality of correction matters more than volume because twenty unreviewed questions may teach less than five carefully analyzed ones.

How do I know when a Maths AA topic is exam-ready?

A topic is approaching exam readiness when you can recognize the required method without a chapter heading or hint. You should be able to solve both routine and unfamiliar questions, show coherent working, use technology appropriately, and interpret results where required. Test this by mixing the topic with questions from other units and working under realistic time pressure. Review any lost marks to ensure that success is not being undermined by algebra, notation, rounding, or calculator errors. Continue spaced retesting because a topic mastered once can still weaken if it is not revisited before the examination.

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IB Maths AA Topic-by-Topic Revision Guide

• 5 Aug 2026•12

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IB Maths AA Topic-by-Topic Revision Guide

• 5 Aug 2026•12

IB Maths AA topic-by-topic revision means revising one syllabus unit at a time, answering targeted exam-style questions, and then using worked solutions to diagnose the exact step that caused difficulty. Once the individual topics are secure, you should move to mixed questions and timed papers because the final examinations assess the whole syllabus rather than isolated units.

This guide explains what to revise in each of the five official topics, how to use past-paper questions effectively, and when to progress from focused practice to full exam conditions.

Understand the IB Maths AA syllabus structure

The official Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches syllabus contains five topics:

Number and algebra
Functions
Geometry and trigonometry
Statistics and probability
Calculus

These are taught at both Standard Level and Higher Level, although HL includes additional content and greater depth. The IB recommends 150 teaching hours for SL and 240 hours for HL, including 30 hours for investigational, modelling, problem-solving skills, and the mathematical exploration.

The official IB Mathematics AA subject guide provides the detailed syllabus statements. Use it as a checklist rather than assuming that a textbook's chapter order matches the official structure exactly.

How to revise IB Maths AA topic by topic

A productive topic cycle has five stages:

Check the syllabus statement. Identify exactly what is required at your level.
Recall the method. Review definitions, formulae, notation, calculator procedures, and one worked example.
Answer targeted questions. Begin with direct applications, then attempt unfamiliar and multi-part problems.
Review worked solutions. Compare every line, not only the final answer, and identify where your reasoning diverged.
Retest the gap. Complete a similar question without notes several days later.

This method targets the specific weakness. If you can differentiate a polynomial but repeatedly mishandle the chain rule, revising the whole calculus chapter is inefficient. Instead, practise a focused set such as RevisionDojo's chain, product, and quotient rule questions, review the worked method, and then retest that skill.

The IB Maths AA resource hub brings together syllabus-organized practice and per-question past-paper video solutions. Watching a solution is most useful after making a genuine attempt, because you can then compare the presented reasoning with your own.

Topic-by-topic revision priorities

Official topic	Core revision priorities	Questions that reveal weak understanding
Number and algebra	Sequences and series, indices, logarithms, binomial expansion, proof; complex numbers and further proof at HL	Questions requiring several algebraic transformations or justification
Functions	Domain and range, composite and inverse functions, graph transformations, quadratics, exponentials, logarithms, polynomial and rational functions	Problems connecting algebraic properties to graph features
Geometry and trigonometry	Radians, trigonometric identities and equations, sine and cosine rules, vectors and further HL geometry	Questions involving multiple solutions, intervals, diagrams, or vector reasoning
Statistics and probability	Descriptive statistics, probability rules, distributions, correlation, regression, and hypothesis testing where required	Problems requiring interpretation rather than calculator output alone
Calculus	Limits, differentiation, integration, optimization, kinematics, areas, volumes, and differential equations where required	Extended problems combining functions, algebra, and calculus

Number and algebra

Start by checking whether your manipulation is reliable. Many apparent difficulties in calculus, functions, and probability are actually caused by weak fraction work, exponent laws, logarithms, or rearrangement.

For each subtopic, practise both routine calculations and questions requiring proof or explanation. HL students should give additional attention to complex numbers, induction, contradiction, partial fractions, and systems of equations. The Number and Algebra Questionbank can be used to isolate these skills instead of repeating an entire paper.

Functions

Functions connect much of the course. Revise notation, domain, range, transformations, inverses, composites, intersections, asymptotes, and graphical interpretation before attempting extended problems.

Do not treat graphing technology as a substitute for mathematical explanation. Practise identifying features algebraically and then using technology to check or extend the result. A useful test is whether you can explain why a restriction, asymptote, or number of solutions occurs.

Geometry and trigonometry

Separate this topic into geometric applications, trigonometric graphs and equations, identities, and vectors. Record errors involving radians, exact values, ambiguous cases, restricted intervals, and premature rounding because these often recur.

When reviewing a worked solution, check how the diagram was labelled and how all possible solutions were considered. A correct calculator value can still produce an incomplete answer if another angle lies in the required interval.

Statistics and probability

Learn what each statistic or probability represents, not only the calculator sequence used to obtain it. You should be able to choose an appropriate distribution, state relevant conditions, and interpret an answer in context.

Use the Statistics and Probability topic resources to alternate between calculations and interpretation. When correcting mistakes, classify whether you selected the wrong model, entered data incorrectly, confused conditional probability, or failed to communicate the conclusion.

Calculus

Calculus depends heavily on functions and algebra, so repair those foundations when errors persist. Revise differentiation and integration techniques separately before combining them in optimization, motion, area, volume, and differential-equation problems.

For each extended question, annotate the worked solution with the purpose of every step: forming a derivative, locating a stationary point, checking its nature, applying a boundary, or interpreting the result. This develops method recognition rather than superficial memorization.

Use worked solutions actively

A worked solution should answer three questions:

Where did my method first become invalid?
Which mathematical idea should I have recognized?
What evidence will show that I can now apply it independently?

Pause a video before each major step and predict what should happen next. Then close the solution and redo the question from a blank page. Jojo AI can help explain an unfamiliar step, but the final test of understanding is whether you can reproduce the reasoning without assistance.

Keep an error log with four columns: topic, exact error, corrected principle, and retest date. RevisionDojo's guide to targeted Questionbank revision provides a practical framework for organizing these short, focused sessions.

Move from isolated topics to exam readiness

Topic revision is the first phase, not the final phase. IB questions can combine functions, trigonometry, probability, algebra, and calculus, so students must eventually identify methods without being told which chapter is being tested.

Use this progression:

Phase 1: Single-subtopic questions with notes available
Phase 2: Topic-wide questions without notes
Phase 3: Mixed-topic sets under moderate time pressure
Phase 4: Complete papers under official conditions
Phase 5: Targeted repair based on the paper analysis

The official IB Mathematics AA subject brief confirms that Paper 1 does not permit technology, while Paper 2 permits technology. At HL, Paper 3 also permits technology and contains two compulsory extended-response problem-solving questions. The exploration is compulsory at both levels and contributes 20% of the final grade.

Therefore, include both non-calculator and calculator practice. SL students sit Papers 1 and 2, each worth 40%, while HL students sit Papers 1 and 2, each worth 30%, and Paper 3, worth 20%. These are official assessment rules; the order and frequency of your revision sessions are personal study recommendations.

Common topic-revision mistakes

Avoid these patterns:

Reading notes repeatedly without solving questions
Watching a worked solution before attempting the problem
Marking an answer as understood because the final number looks familiar
Ignoring notation, reasoning, units, exact values, or contextual conclusions
Practising only comfortable topics
Remaining in topic mode until the examination without attempting mixed papers
Memorizing calculator commands without understanding the underlying mathematics

A stronger routine spends most of the session solving, correcting, and retesting. Revision notes and flashcards are useful for recall, but mathematical performance develops through written problem-solving.

A practical weekly plan

A balanced week might contain three focused sessions and one mixed review:

Session	Main task
1	Learn or review one subtopic, then answer direct questions
2	Complete harder exam-style questions from the same subtopic
3	Reattempt errors and use worked video solutions for unresolved gaps
4	Complete a mixed, timed set and update the error log

HL students will normally need more time because of the additional syllabus content and Paper 3 demands. The RevisionDojo guide to scoring well in Maths AA HL explains how topic practice can be combined with mixed problem-solving and paper simulation.

Conclusion

Effective IB Maths AA topic-by-topic revision follows a simple principle: finish a unit, solve targeted questions, review worked solutions for anything shaky, and then retest the exact gap. Cover all five official topics, but do not stop at isolated practice because the examinations require you to connect ideas and select methods independently.

RevisionDojo's Maths AA Questionbank, Jojo AI explanations, and per-question past-paper video solutions can support this process. Use them first for focused topic repair, then progress to mixed sets and Mock Exams under realistic conditions.

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This guide explains what to revise in each of the five official topics, how to use past-paper questions effectively, and when to progress from focused practice to full exam conditions.