Common IB Maths Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Imagine that you’ve diligently prepared for your IB Maths exam, confidently solved all the problems, and left the exam room with an anticipation of a good score. However, when the results have arrived, they’ve been lower than expected. The reason? You’ve fallen victim to common IB Maths mistakes.

These are not just calculation errors or lack of understanding. Most of the time, they occur because students fail to understand the command term, overlook critical details, or can’t handle their calculators.

Luckily, most of these mistakes are easy to avoid. Read further to find out how.

Common Mistakes in IB Maths

To write this post, we’ve partnered with our IB Maths tutors, who have immense experience as IB examiners. They’ve witnessed countless stories of success and, unfortunately, missed opportunities. Based on their insights, here are some of the common pitfalls students tend to fall into.

Misinterpreting the Question

Let’s begin with perhaps the most widespread IB Maths mistake. No, it is not a poor grasp of Maths concepts. It is a failure to understand what exam questions want you to do.

This may happen because you don’t pay enough attention to critical details. For instance, a question requires you to find the perimeter of a geometrical figure. Instead, you calculated its area. Even if you provide the right area formula, show your workings, and find the correct number, it won’t matter because the question asks you to do something else.

Another reason is that you confuse or misinterpret command terms. Many of them indeed imply similar actions. For example, ‘Calculate’ and ‘Write down’ both require you to perform calculations and provide a specific answer. The difference is that ‘Calculate’ wants you to show all your steps. At the same time, it suffices only to provide a short answer with ‘Write down’. So, the level of depth and detail differ with seemingly similar command terms.

Lack of Understanding of Key Concepts

Weak knowledge of Maths concepts is a far more serious challenge than misinterpreting command terms. Unlike these minor errors which can be quickly resolved, gaps in mathematical understanding require significant time and effort to address.

The process of learning IB Maths is somewhat similar to building a house – each concept serves as a foundation for more advanced topics. Just as a house needs a solid foundation to support additional floors, your mathematical knowledge must be built on firm ground. When there are gaps in your understanding of fundamental concepts, it becomes increasingly difficult to grasp ideas that build upon them.

If you still have time before your exams, it’s vital to try and improve the situation. In this regard, past paper practice is incredibly useful – areas where you consistently struggle often indicate conceptual weaknesses.

Once you’ve found where the problems lie, you need to actively work to address them. Your learning approaches may include watching explanatory videos, seeking help from your teacher or knowledgeable peers, joining Maths forums or communities, or visualising difficult concepts.

One more way to strengthen your mathematical foundation is to work with a qualified tutor. At TutorsPlus, we are happy to partner with the best professionals, who are not only IB Maths tutors and teachers but also experienced examiners. They can identify your weak spots and provide targeted support to cater to your needs. This personalised approach is particularly valuable when you need to improve your mathematical understanding within a limited timeframe.

Errors in Calculator Usage

Students are generally happy to learn that calculators are allowed during the exam (specifically, for AA Paper 2 and 3 and AI Paper 1. However, our experience as examiners shows that not everyone knows how to use these tools effectively. This happens simply because many students couldn’t make friends with their Graphic Display Calculators (GDC).

You will know that a GDC is far more sophisticated than a calculator app on your phone. Because of its advanced functionality, it requires proper understanding and practice.

We frequently see students struggling to navigate their GDC during exams. They waste their precious time searching for functions or switching between modes. Some of them even give up and decide to solve problems manually. While this approach is absolutely acceptable, it takes considerably longer. Meanwhile, Paper 2 for AA is specifically designed with GDCs in mind, so the allocated time per question assumes efficient calculator use.

The biggest mistakes you can make with your GDC are the following:

• Bring an unauthorised calculator model to the exam. Always verify with your teacher or check official IB guidelines about the GDC models that are allowed;
• Fail to master essential functions. Not knowing how to solve mathematical problems with your GDC will put you at a disadvantage;
• Use incorrect viewing window settings. This error can prevent you from seeing the complete graph and, as a result, cause issues with its interpretation;
• Operate in the wrong angle mode. Mixing up radians and degrees will lead to incorrect results.

And the worst possible scenario – your calculator runs out of batteries during the exam. Therefore, you always need to check the batteries beforehand.

To avoid these pitfalls, it’s critical to get to know what your GDC is capable of. Of course, the best way to do it is through regular practice, both in class and while working through past papers.

Forgetting Key Formulas

The truth is, forgetting a formula isn’t as scary as it might sound. Moreover, it is possible to achieve goodexam results even if you don’t remember a single formula by heart. There is simply no need to do it because you will find the most essential ones in the formula booklet.

Still, it won’t feature everything. Some formulas you may need during your IB Maths exam might be missing. That’s why it is a mistake not to familiarise yourself with the formula booklet in advance – you can find it here. Focus on memorising only those equations that are missing in the booklet.

But don’t just flip over its pages. Instead, ahead of the exams, take your time to understand its structure and organisation. If needed, make annotations to help yourself efficiently navigate the booklet. This way, you won’t waste your precious time during the exam looking for appropriate formulas.

Rather than spending excessive time memorising formulas, it’s best to spend it practising their application in various contexts. For instance:

• Practice identifying which formula is appropriate for different types of problems;
• Work through exercises that combine multiple formulas;
• Focus on understanding the relationships between different formulas and concepts;
• Learn to recognise when a problem requires adapting or combining formulas.

When you regularly solve different types of problems, you have a chance to naturally remember the most commonly used formulas anyway. More importantly, you can develop the critical thinking skills needed to use them correctly.

Poor Time Management During Exams

One of the most frequent IB Maths issues we observe as examiners is students failing to complete their Mathematics papers within the allocated time. Surprisingly, this often isn’t due to the lack of mathematical ability or knowledge – the real culprit is poor time management.

While the time provided – 1.5 hours at Standard Level and 2 hours at Higher Level for each paper – is sufficient to complete all questions and review your work, many students struggle to use it effectively. Here are the most common time management mistakes that can significantly impact your performance:

• You wasted your reading time. You will have 5 minutes at the beginning of each paper to take a look at its content. You are supposed to use it to quickly read the questions, identify the easiest and the most difficult ones, and take a mental note of their requirements. Still, many students spend these minutes without coming up with any tactical approach;
• You failed to look at mark allocation. Questions aren’t worth the same. Some of them can bring 20 marks, and some – only 2. You may fall into the trap of spending disproportionate time on questions worth a few marks while rushing through higher-value questions worth significantly more;
• You didn’t know when to move on. Getting stuck on challenging questions is another common IB Maths mistake. Some students persist with difficult problems hoping to crack them while valuable minutes tick away. This often results in insufficient time for other, potentially more manageable questions;
• You need too much time to solve problems. Taking too long to find a solution often indicates insufficient practice with past papers under exam conditions;
• You calculated manually instead of using a calculator. It is a mistake to perform calculations by hand when a graphic calculator could complete them quickly and accurately;
• You forgot to double-check your answers. Some students want to finish their examination so much that they submit the papers as soon as they complete the last question. However, without reviewing your work, you miss the opportunity to catch simple IB Maths errors that could cost valuable marks.

How to Avoid IB Maths Mistakes

So, these were the most common mistakes IB Maths students make. Now the best part – we’ll show you how to avoid them.

Learn Command Terms

Do you still find yourself struggling to interpret the requirements of exam questions? Here is what you can do.

• For starters, you should test your understanding of command terms. If you’re not quite sure what’s the difference between Calculate, Write down, Find, Show, Prove, and Solve, you might need to ask your teacher for clarification, and learn their meanings by heart;
• Secondly, make sure to carefully read the questions before answering them. It is helpful to highlight all the important information to focus your attention;
• Sometimes you have to deal with wordy multi-step problems, which can be tough to understand right away. The best approach here is to break them into smaller parts. This will help you solve a big problem one step at a time without being overwhelmed;
• Finally, sometimes visualising a Maths problem is the best way to solve it. A quick diagram or a graph will allow you to look at the task from a different angle and potentially suggest the right solution.

Use Formula Booklets Effectively

The IBO provides a formula booklet during examinations for a specific reason – they want you to focus on understanding mathematical concepts rather than memorising equations. However, the formula booklet is beneficial only if you know how to use it to your advantage.

You will have access to the formula booklet long before your exam. Your task is to learn it like the back of your hand. It features a wealth of information, from trigonometric identities to calculus equations. This means, finding the right formula might be challenging when you don’t know where it is exactly. Our advice is to print the booklet out, carefully study its organisation, make notes if needed, and actively use it as you prepare for your IB Maths exams.

Regular engagement with the booklet, particularly while practising with past papers, can help you naturally memorise the most commonly used formulas. This organic learning process is actually the most effective way to benefit from the formula sheet, as it minimises the time you need to recall formulas. Nevertheless, having the booklet close at hand during your IB Maths exam can serve as a safety net if you’re uncertain about a particular equation or when exam anxiety affects your memory.

Master Your Calculator

We have already pointed out that your GDC is an extremely useful tool for Analysis and Approaches Paper 2 and 3. However, your experience with it will play a critical role. Therefore, you shouldn’t hesitate to practice with your calculator while working through past papers that allow technology.

Here are our tips to properly use your graphing calculator:

• Save intermediate answers in your calculator’s memory for use in subsequent steps – this will help reduce the risk of transcription errors;
• Use parentheses to ensure the correct order of operations;
• Utilise the memory function to store and recall important values;

• Round your final answers to 3 significant figures unless otherwise specified;
• For questions worth 5 marks or more, don’t just write down the calculator’s answer – show your working as well as include relevant graphs or calculations;
• Adjust your viewing window to capture all key features of graphs (including all relevant intercepts, turning points, and asymptotes);

• Pay careful attention to angle mode settings: degrees or radians. For example, for trigonometric functions in the calculus and statistics sections, switch the settings to radians.
• Double-check your mode settings before starting any trigonometric calculations.

If you’d like to have more tips, here is our blog on how to use your GDC to maximise your score.

Practice Showing Work Clearly

In the IB Maths assessment, the process is just as important as the final answer. Many students don’t realise that they can earn significant marks even if their answer is not quite correct provided they demonstrate mathematical reasoning in their intermediate steps. These partial marks could make the difference between scoring a 6 or a 7 in your Math IB grade!

Showing your workings is specifically important for Paper 2, where the Graphic Display Calculator is permitted. While it might be tempting to solve problems entirely on your calculator and simply write down the final answer, this approach won’t bring you desirable marks. Therefore, even when using your GDC, you should clearly document your process:

• Write down your equations;
• Show the steps in your reasoning;
• Include relevant graphs and calculations;
• If required, explain your methodology.

Your workings are evidence that you didn’t guess or cheat but actually solved a problem. Along with this, it creates a logical trail you can rely on when reviewing for errors. Thanks to clear steps, you can easily identify and correct mistakes in your reasoning or calculations.

The bottom line, make showing your work a habit whether in class, doing homework, or practicing with past papers. This consistent practice will not only prepare you for the exam but also develop good mathematical communication skills.

Practice Time Management

You will never know that you’re able to solve all the tasks within the time you are given if you don’t try it. Luckily, you don’t have to wait until the actual exam. Past papers are an excellent opportunity to get a taste of it, especially if you set a timer and replicate actual exam conditions.

An effective approach is to measure how long it takes to find solutions to the problems of particular types. For example, you can time yourself solving questions worth up to 5 marks, then 10-mark questions, and finally the most challenging assignments. This tracking will give you a better idea of your average solving speed and whether it’s sufficient for exam success. If you struggle to complete the entire paper within the allocated time, you can improve your speed only through sitting more mock exams.

If you find yourself running short on time, it makes sense to prioritise questions that offer more marks. For instance, if you have 10 minutes remaining, tackling a 15-mark question is more beneficial than attempting two 5-mark ones.

When faced with a particularly challenging question that’s consuming too much time, don’t hesitate to move on to other tasks. You can always return to difficult questions if there are still some minutes left at the end of the exam.

But before even diving into questions, you should look them through, evaluate their difficulty levels, and decide which ones you want to do first. You might prefer starting with easier questions to build momentum and confidence before tackling more challenging ones. Alternatively, you could address the most difficult questions while your mind is fresh and finish with simpler tasks. It is up to you when it comes to tactics but having a clear plan can go a long way towards maintaining composure in the stressful exam environment.

Last but not least, always review your work, even if you feel confident in your answers. Simple oversights like rounding errors can cost you valuable marks.

Common Myths About IB Maths

Many students make IB Maths mistakes because of misconceptions regarding the subject and what happens during the exam. Below are examples of some of these.

“It’s All About Memorising Formulas”

Knowing Maths formulas is important but they are just a piece of the puzzle. Moreover, you will find the most critical formulae in the formula booklet. Therefore, your task is not to learn them by heart, but, rather, to use them effectively.

This means, in the first place:

• Grasping mathematical principles behind each formula;
• Recognising the situations and problems where a particular formula comes into play;
• Understanding the variables involved in each formula and how they relate to one another.

“I Can Rely on My Calculator”

Yes, but not entirely.

You need to remember that calculators are allowed only for some papers (Paper 2 for AA and Paper 1 for AI). Outside of these, you will have to count on your own calculating skills.

Second, just because a calculator is allowed doesn’t mean you will always get the right answer. As we have already noted, some students simply don’t know how to use its functions, set the right mode, apply the correct order of operations, etc.

Therefore, a calculator is not the key to success. Rather, it is your ability to use it effectively and appropriately along with the understanding of the underlying mathematical principles.

“I Don’t Need to Practice Graphs”

Again, this is a dangerous misconception which can seriously impact your performance.

First of all, Paper 1 doesn’t allow technology, meaning you will need to draw or sketch graphs by hand. Without regular practice in manual graphing, you’ll find yourself struggling with these tasks.

What’s even more important, if you have no clue what graphs for various functions should look like, you won’t be able to check if your manipulations with a calculator were right. For instance, if you’re working with a quadratic function and your calculator shows a linear graph, you need to realise that the output doesn’t make sense.

For these reasons, we strongly recommend practising manual graphing alongside calculator use. As you work with past papers where technology is not allowed, try sketching graphs by hand first, then use your calculator to verify your work. For Paper 2, build your graphs with a calculator and then verify them with a manually sketched graph.

Prepare for the IB Maths Exam with TutorsPlus

Even a perfect understanding of mathematical concepts isn’t a guarantee that you receive a 7. You must not only prove that you know Maths but also follow the rules set by the IBO. In particular, it is necessary to provide your workings, explain your thought process, draw graphs by hand (even the ones your calculator did for you), fully label them, and so on. If you fail to meet these requirements, your grade won’t be as high as you hope for.

Now that you know the most common IB Maths mistakes and the ways to avoid them, you’re better equipped to ace your exams. Still, oftentimes additional support can make a crucial difference in your preparation. At TutorsPlus, our team of experienced IB Mathematics tutors and examiners can provide the guidance you need to excel.

Our tutors will be happy to help identify and address gaps in your mathematical understanding, show you effective exam techniques aligned with IB requirements, provide structured practice with past papers and detailed feedback, improve your time management, and much more.

Contact us today to learn more about how we can support your journey to success. We are available at 022 731 8148 and .

By Sara Lloyd

Sara has been an education consultant for TutorsPlus for 15 years, and is an expert on international IB education.  She is also a parent of two lively children.