The Internal Assessment (IA) in IB Mathematics is one of the most important parts of your final grade. It’s not just about solving equations or showing off technical skills — it’s about exploring mathematics in a personal, creative, and structured way. Many students struggle to select a good topic, organize their ideas, or communicate mathematics clearly. This post will walk you through key steps to help you excel in your IB Math IA.
1. Choosing the Right Topic
The best IA topics are those that balance personal interest with mathematical depth. Instead of picking something too broad (e.g., “probability in sports”), focus on a specific angle (e.g., “Modeling penalty kick success rates using probability distributions”).
Tips for topic selection:
- Pick something connected to your hobbies, passions, or real-world interests.
- Ensure it has enough mathematical rigor — avoid topics that are too descriptive.
- Check that your topic fits the IB’s criteria: personal engagement, mathematical communication, reflection, and use of appropriate mathematics.
2. Structuring Your IA
A strong IA typically has the following flow:
- Introduction – Why did you choose this topic? Why is it interesting?
- Mathematical Exploration – The main body where you define terms, build models, calculate, and analyze.
- Interpretation & Reflection – What do your results mean? Were there limitations? Could the model be improved?
- Conclusion – Summarize your findings and reflect on the learning journey.
Remember: clear communication, diagrams, and logical reasoning are just as important as the calculations themselves.
3. Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Choosing a topic that’s too basic or purely descriptive.
- Forgetting to explain the why behind the mathematics.
- Ignoring reflection — the IB examiners want to see you think critically.
- Overloading with advanced math that isn’t explained properly.
4. Examples of Strong IA Ideas
- Investigating patterns in the Fibonacci sequence and the golden ratio in architecture.
- Modeling the spread of a disease using exponential and logistic growth functions.
- Analyzing the efficiency of different algorithms in cryptography or coding theory.
- Using statistics to study sports performance, such as the probability of winning a tennis match given first-serve percentage.
Final Thoughts
The IB Math IA is your chance to personalize mathematics and show your ability to think beyond textbooks. With the right guidance, you can turn this project into one of the strongest parts of your IB profile.
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