IB Maths Analysis & Approaches (AA) Tutoring
One-to-one IB Maths AA tutoring at HL and SL: calculus, proof, the non-calculator Paper 1, HL Paper 3 and your maths exploration, with a verified tutor who scored 40+ IB points.
Maths AA is the IB maths course built on algebra, functions, calculus and proof. Most students lose marks in the same places: algebra slips on the no-calculator Paper 1, 'show that' and 'hence' chains they cannot start, the long problem-solving questions on HL Paper 3, and an exploration that describes maths instead of using it. Your tutor works on exactly those points at HL or SL, using past papers and markschemes, and your IA stays your own work.
Quick answer: IB Doctor offers 1-to-1 IB Maths Analysis & Approaches (AA) tutoring for course content, each assessment component and coursework. Lessons follow the syllabus and assessment criteria, and the work stays your own. Review tutor verification, student results and methodology before booking.
Matched in 24h
40+ point tutors
First session guarantee
4.8/5 Trustpilot
Mathematics AA tutoring prices
From £52.50 to £70 per hour, depending on bundle size. Each bundle covers one subject.
- Taster Bundle3 hours£210£70 per hour
- Starter Bundle5 hours£330£66 per hour
- Coursework Bundle10 hours£650£65 per hour
- Assessment Bundle20 hours£1,250£62.50 per hour
- Guardian Bundle50 hours£2,900£58 per hour
- Ultimate Bundle100 hours£5,250£52.50 per hour
Aiming for ETH Zurich or EPFL? Both require Higher Level maths – see the Swiss university requirements.
What You Get with IB Maths Analysis & Approaches (AA) Tutoring
Comprehensive support designed to help you achieve your target grade
Exam Technique
- Paper 1 (no calculator): fast, accurate algebra, exact values and trigonometry without a GDC
- Paper 2 (GDC required): knowing when to use the calculator and how to show working that earns method marks
- HL Paper 3: two long problem-solving questions, practising how to spot the pattern and use earlier parts
- 'Show that', 'hence' and 'prove' questions set out the way markschemes award marks
IA & Coursework
- Choosing an exploration topic where you can use maths at your level (HL or SL)
- Meeting the five criteria: presentation, mathematical communication, personal engagement, reflection and use of mathematics
- Notation, definitions and a clear structure within the usual 12 to 20 pages
- Worked examples of strong explorations, while the work stays yours
Concept Building
- SL core: functions, sequences, logarithms, trigonometry, differentiation, integration, probability and statistics
- HL extension: proof by induction and contradiction, complex numbers, vectors, Maclaurin series and differential equations
- Filling gaps from earlier years so new topics stick
- A revision plan built around your mock and exam dates
Real student results
Students Improving Their Mathematics AA Grades
4 → 7
"Calculus went from impossible to intuitive. My tutor's step-by-step approach really worked for me."
A
Alex W.
Maths AA HL, May 2024
5 → 7
"My IA on fractal geometry got full marks! My tutor helped me find the perfect balance of depth and accessibility."
S
Sophie C.
Maths AA HL, May 2024
3 → 6
"Finally understanding proofs was a game-changer. Went from struggling to confident in just two months."
M
Mohammed A.
Maths AA SL, Nov 2023
How It Works
Simple steps to get started with IB Maths Analysis & Approaches (AA) tutoring
1
Buy a Bundle
Choose 3 to 100 hours based on your needs. Split across subjects if needed.
2
Complete Onboarding
Tell us your course and level, weak areas, goals, and scheduling preferences.
3
Get Matched & Start
Matched within 24 hours. Schedule your first session immediately.
Mathematics AA HL vs SL: What's the Difference?
Understanding the requirements at each level
Aspect
Standard Level
Higher Level
SL
HL
Teaching Hours
150 hours
240 hours
Teaching Hours
150 hours
240 hours
Exam Papers
Paper 1 and Paper 2, 1 hour 30 minutes each
Paper 1 and Paper 2, 2 hours each, plus Paper 3 (1 hour 15 minutes)
Exam Papers
Paper 1 and Paper 2, 1 hour 30 minutes each
Paper 1 and Paper 2, 2 hours each, plus Paper 3 (1 hour 15 minutes)
Calculator
No GDC on Paper 1; GDC required on Paper 2
No GDC on Paper 1; GDC required on Papers 2 and 3
Calculator
No GDC on Paper 1; GDC required on Paper 2
No GDC on Paper 1; GDC required on Papers 2 and 3
Extra Content
Core content only
Proof by induction and contradiction, complex numbers, vectors, further calculus, Maclaurin series, differential equations
Extra Content
Core content only
Proof by induction and contradiction, complex numbers, vectors, further calculus, Maclaurin series, differential equations
Internal Assessment
Mathematical exploration, 20%
Mathematical exploration, 20%; use of mathematics judged at HL standard
Internal Assessment
Mathematical exploration, 20%
Mathematical exploration, 20%; use of mathematics judged at HL standard
May 2026 Results
Mean grade 4.5; 8.5% got a 7
Mean grade 5.0; 16.8% got a 7
May 2026 Results
Mean grade 4.5; 8.5% got a 7
Mean grade 5.0; 16.8% got a 7
IB Maths Analysis & Approaches (AA) Topics We Cover
Maths AA has five topics at both levels. HL adds extra content in every topic (marked HL below), which is why HL has 240 teaching hours against 150 at SL. Your tutor starts with your weakest topic and the paper you find hardest.
Number & Algebra
- Arithmetic and geometric sequences and series
- Exponents and logarithms
- Binomial theorem
- Simple deductive proof
+4 moreShow fewer
- Counting principles and partial fractions (HL)
- Complex numbers and De Moivre's theorem (HL)
- Proof by induction, contradiction and counterexample (HL)
- Systems of linear equations (HL)
Functions
- Linear, quadratic, rational, exponential and logarithmic functions
- Composite and inverse functions
- Transformations of graphs
- Solving equations analytically and graphically
+2 moreShow fewer
- Polynomials, factor and remainder theorems (HL)
- Modulus functions and inequalities (HL)
Geometry & Trigonometry
- 3D solids, volume and surface area
- Sine and cosine rules
- Radians, arcs and sectors
- Unit circle, identities and double angle formulae
+3 moreShow fewer
- Trigonometric equations and graphs
- Reciprocal and inverse trig functions, compound angles (HL)
- Vectors: lines, planes, scalar and vector products (HL)
Statistics & Probability
- Sampling and presenting data
- Correlation and linear regression
- Conditional probability, Venn and tree diagrams
- Binomial and normal distributions
+2 moreShow fewer
- Bayes' theorem (HL)
- Continuous random variables (HL)
Calculus
- Differentiation: chain, product and quotient rules
- Stationary points, optimisation and kinematics
- Integration and areas between curves
- Limits, continuity and L'Hôpital's rule (HL)
+4 moreShow fewer
- Implicit differentiation and related rates (HL)
- Integration by substitution and by parts, volumes of revolution (HL)
- Differential equations and Euler's method (HL)
- Maclaurin series (HL)
New Course (first exams May 2029)
- Taught from August 2027; the papers on this page apply to exams up to November 2028
- SL Papers 1 and 2: 75 marks each; HL Papers 1 and 2: 100 marks each
- HL Paper 3: 1 hour, 50 marks
- Exploration (20%): problem specification, abstraction, computation and interpretation, the same at SL and HL
+1 moreShow fewer
- Less content and nothing added; HL Euler's method and proof by counterexample are among the removals
Assessment breakdown
IB Maths Analysis & Approaches (AA) Assessment Structure
Maths AA SL is assessed by Paper 1 (no calculator), Paper 2 (GDC required) and the mathematical exploration (IA, 20%). HL adds Paper 3, a 1 hour 15 minute problem-solving paper worth 20%. This structure applies to exams up to November 2028; a revised course is first examined in May 2029.
Paper 1
External AssessmentSL: 40%
HL: 30%
Short and extended-response questions with no calculator allowed
SL: 1 hour 30 min | HL: 2 hours
SL: 80 marks | HL: 110 marks. Section A short response, Section B extended response, all compulsory
Any syllabus topic; tests algebra, exact values and reasoning without a GDC
Paper 2
External AssessmentSL: 40%
HL: 30%
Short and extended-response questions with a GDC required
SL: 1 hour 30 min | HL: 2 hours
SL: 80 marks | HL: 110 marks. Section A short response, Section B extended response, all compulsory
Any syllabus topic; rewards using the GDC well and showing method
Paper 3 (HL only)
External AssessmentHL only: 20%
Two compulsory extended-response problem-solving questions, GDC required
1 hour 15 min
55 marks. Each question builds a short investigation through linked parts
Draws on the whole HL syllabus, often in an unfamiliar context
Internal Assessment
Internal AssessmentSL: 20%
HL: 20%
The mathematical exploration: a written piece on a topic you choose, usually 12 to 20 pages
Marked by your teacher out of 20 and moderated by the IB
Criteria: presentation (4), mathematical communication (4), personal engagement (3), reflection (3), use of mathematics (6)
Key Assessment Notes
- HL Paper 3 lasts 1 hour 15 minutes in current IB exam timetables (the original guide listed 1 hour)
- This structure applies to exams up to November 2028. Revised AA and AI courses are taught from August 2027 and first examined in May 2029
- In the new AA course, SL Papers 1 and 2 are 75 marks each, HL Papers 1 and 2 are 100 marks each, HL Paper 3 is 1 hour and 50 marks, and the exploration stays at 20% with four criteria shared by SL and HL
- Grade boundaries are set again for every exam session
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about IB Maths Analysis & Approaches (AA) tutoring
Yes. Every tutor scored 40+ IB points and is verified, and you are usually matched within 24 hours. HL sessions often focus on the content SL does not cover, such as proof by induction, complex numbers, vectors, Maclaurin series and differential equations, and on Paper 3, the 1 hour 15 minute problem-solving paper only HL students sit. Tell us your level when you sign up so your tutor plans around it.
AA leans on algebra, proof and calculus done by hand, and its Paper 1 bans calculators. AI focuses on modelling, statistics and technology, and every AI paper requires a GDC. Some university courses, especially in maths, engineering and physics, ask for Maths AA HL, so check the entry requirements of the courses you are considering before you choose. A tutor can help you weigh up your strengths.
Papers 1 and 2 can test any topic. Each has compulsory short questions in Section A and longer questions in Section B. Paper 1 is sat without a calculator and Paper 2 requires a GDC; each lasts 1 hour 30 minutes at SL (80 marks) and 2 hours at HL (110 marks). HL students also sit Paper 3: two long problem-solving questions in 1 hour 15 minutes, worth 20% of the grade.
Yes. The exploration is worth 20% and is marked out of 20 on five criteria, with use of mathematics carrying the most marks (6). Your tutor can help you test whether a topic lets you use maths at your level, teach the techniques it needs on other problems and show, with example explorations, what strong reflection and personal engagement look like. The writing and the maths stay yours, and feedback on your draft comes from your teacher.
In May 2026 (IB provisional statistical bulletin), 16.8% of the 26,591 HL candidates and 8.5% of the 42,995 SL candidates were awarded a 7. The mean grade was 5.0 at HL and 4.5 at SL, against 4.9 and 4.5 in May 2025. A 7 is reachable at both levels, but at SL fewer than one candidate in ten gets one.
No. Short-term help usually means timed past papers, then going back through every lost mark to see whether the problem was a gap in knowledge, the method or exam technique. For AA that often includes non-calculator algebra for Paper 1 and, at HL, Paper 3 practice. You are usually matched with a tutor within 24 hours, so you can start quickly.
Not if you sit your exams before 2029. The current AA course is examined up to November 2028. Revised AA and AI courses are taught from August 2027 and first examined in May 2029. Both courses keep SL and HL, the exploration stays at 20%, some content is removed and the IA criteria are rewritten. Your tutor teaches the version you will actually sit.
Common sticking points at SL are trigonometric equations, integration and probability questions that combine several ideas. At HL, proof by induction, complex numbers, 3D vectors and differential equations add to that. On every paper, 'show that' and 'hence' questions lose marks when steps are skipped. Your tutor first finds which of these is costing you marks and works on that.
Sessions are one to one and online. You buy a bundle of hours on the pricing page, you are usually matched with a verified tutor who scored 40+ IB points within 24 hours, and you agree session times together. Bring past paper questions, homework or your teacher's feedback and you work through them together.
We offer a first session guarantee. If you're not satisfied after your first session, we'll rematch you with a different tutor or give you a full refund.
Recommended Guides
Maths AA IA Ideas
Exploration topics that leave room for real AA mathematics.
Read guideHow to Structure Your IA
Essential framework for IAs across all subjects.
Read guideHow to Use Past Papers Effectively
Strategic approach to IB past paper practice.
Read guideDeduce in IB Exams
What 'deduce' and 'hence' style questions ask you to do.
Read guide