Mathematics: applications and interpretation

Number and algebra - Common content Number and algebra - SL Number and algebra - HL
Operations with numbers in standard form Approximation, upper and lower bounds, Laws of logarithms
Arithmetic and geometric sequences and series, the percentage errors Laws of exponents with rational exponents
nth term, the sum of the first n terms, and use of Financial applications of geometric series: Sum of infinite geometric sequences
sigma notation amortization and annuities Complex numbers – Cartesian, modulus-argument
Applications of arithmetic and geometric sequences Solving systems of linear and polynomial equations and exponential form, their sums, products and
and series including compound interest, annual quotients and geometric interpretation in the
depreciation and models which are not perfectly complex plane
arithmetic Phase shift and voltage as complex quantities
Laws of exponents with integer exponents Matrices: algebra and properties
Introduction to logarithms and natural logarithms Matrices applications to solving systems of
equations, and coding and decoding messages
Eigenvalues and eigenvectors and their applications
Functions - Common content Functions - SL Functions - HL
Different forms of equations of straight lines, Modelling skills and the modelling process: Composite functions used in context
parallel and perpendicular lines - developing and fitting a model from a context, Inverse functions with domain restrictions
Concept of a function, notation, domain, range and from data by solving simultaneous equations, by Graph transformations including composite
graph consideration of initial conditions or by substitution transformations
Functions and inverse functions as reflections in the into a given function Modelling with exponential models with half-life,
line y = x - testing and refining the model natural logarithmic models, complex sinusoidal
Graphing skills, with and without technology - using the model to make predictions models, logistic models and piecewise models
Determining key features of graphs including Modelling in context with functions which have Linearizing data using logarithms
maximum and minimum values, intercepts, linear, quadratic, exponential growth and decay, Log-log and log-linear graphs
vertices, symmetry, zeros and roots of equations, direct and inverse variation, cubic, and sinusoidal
horizontal and vertical asymptotes behaviours
Finding the point of intersection of lines and curves
using technology

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International Baccalaureate® | Baccalauréat International® | Bachillerato Internacional®
 Mathematics: applications and interpretation
Geometry and trigonometry - common Geometry and trigonometry - SL Geometry and trigonometry - HL
content The circle – length of arc and area of sector Radian measure
Distance between points in three-dimensional Equations of perpendicular bisectors The unit circle and the Pythagorean identity
space Voronoi diagrams and their applications including Ambiguous case of the sine rule
Midpoints of two points in three-dimensional space urban planning, spread of disease, ecology, Solving trigonometric equations in a finite interval
Volume, surface area and angles in three- meteorology and resource management. Inverse trigonometric functions
dimensional solids Nearest neighbour interpolation and toxic waste Geometric transformations in two dimensions using
Non-right-angled trigonometry, including area of a dump problems matrices
triangle, angles of elevation and depression Vectors – geometric approaches, scalar (dot) and
vector (cross) products, angle between 2 vectors
Vector equation of a line in two-dimensional and
three-dimensional space, r= a + λ b and
parametric forms
Angle between 2 lines
Vector applications to kinematics, linear motion
with constant and variable velocity
Graph theory, terminology and types of graphs
Adjacency and transition matrices
Tree and cycle algorithms including Kruskal’s and
Prim’s, Chinese postman and Travelling Salesman

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2019

International Baccalaureate® | Baccalauréat International® | Bachillerato Internacional®
 Mathematics: applications and interpretation
Statistics and probability - common content Statistics and probability - SL Statistics and probability - HL
Concept of population, sample, discrete and Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient Data collection techniques, survey and
continuous data Appropriateness and limitations of different questionnaire design
Reliability of data sources correlation coefficients Categorisation of data
Interpretation of outliers Hypothesis testing Reliability tests – test-retest, parallel forms
Sampling techniques – simple random, Significance levels Validity tests – content, criterion related
convenience, systematic, quota and stratified Chi squared test for independence Non-linear regression, sum of square residuals, R2
sampling methods Chi squared goodness of fit test Interpolation and extrapolation
Presentation and interpretation of discrete and T-test to compare the means of two populations Linear transformation of a single random variable
continuous data in frequency tables, histograms, One-tailed and two-tailed testing Expected value and variance of linear combinations
cumulative frequency graphs and box and whisker of n random variables
diagrams Unbiased estimators
Measures of central tendency and dispersion The central limit theorem
(interquartile range, standard deviation and Confidence intervals
variance) for discrete and continuous data including The Poisson distribution
the effect of multiplication by or addition of a Critical regions and values
constant Testing for:
Linear correlation – equation of regression line y on - population mean for the normal distribution
x including piecewise linear models, Pearson’s - proportion using the binomial distribution
product-moment correlation coefficient - population mean using the Poisson distribution
Introduction to probability – independent events, - ρ = 0 for bivariate normal distributions
mutually exclusive events, combined events, Type I and II errors
conditional probabilities and probabilities with and Transition matrices including regular Markov chains
without replacement
Use of Venn diagrams, tree diagrams, sample space
diagrams and tables of outcomes
Discrete random variables and their probability
distributions, expected values and applications
The binomial distribution
The normal distribution – its properties,
diagrammatic representation, expected values,
probability and inverse normal calculations

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2019

International Baccalaureate® | Baccalauréat International® | Bachillerato Internacional®
 Mathematics: applications and interpretation
Calculus - common content Calculus - SL Calculus – HL
Introduction to limits, rate of change and the Local maximum and minimum points Derivatives of sin x , cos x , tan x , e x , ln x and x n
gradient function Optimisation problems where n ∈ 
Increasing and decreasing functions and the Numerical integration - the trapezoidal rule The chain, product and quotient rules
graphical interpretation of the derivative Related rates of change
Differentiation of polynomials, n ∈  Second derivative testing for concavity
Equations of tangents and normals at a given point Integration of sin x , cos x , sec 2 x and e x
Integration as anti-differentiation of polynomials Integration by inspection and substitution
Definite integrals using technology to find areas Volumes of revolution about the x and y axes
under curves Kinematics problems involving displacement, total
Anti-differentiation with a boundary condition to distance travelled, velocity and acceleration
determine the constant term Setting up and solving first order differential
equations by separation of variables
Slope fields
Euler’s method for first and second order
differential equations
Phase portraits

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2019

International Baccalaureate® | Baccalauréat International® | Bachillerato Internacional®