Module 1 of 1Lesson 1 of 3 · Start here: how IA Studio works

IB Diploma ProgrammeMathematics (AA and AI)

Your mathematical exploration starts here.

From a blank page to a strong first draft, in 10 small, clear steps. You do the thinking; IA Studio keeps you on track, and your teacher checks in along the way.

Open IA Studio See the journey

Free with code STADIRA100 until 30 April 2027

  • 10small steps
  • 20marks
  • 12–20 pageslength
  • AI-freeyour own work
Built for students

Why students love IA Studio

One step at a time

Every screen tells you exactly what to do now. No guessing, no giant blank page.

Your ideas, your words

The studio asks smart questions and checks your work. It never writes your mathematical exploration for you.

Help when you are stuck

Press I’m stuck, open the glossary, hear text read aloud, or see a worked example, any time.

Saves as you go

Your work saves to your account. Stop on your phone, carry on at your laptop.

The goal

What you are aiming for

Your exploration is worth 20% of your final IB Maths grade, in both AA and AI. Students who score well are not the ones who use the hardest maths. They are the ones who choose a focused topic, use maths they understand, explain every step and say what each result means. That is what IA Studio helps you do.

Your journey

5 stages, 10 steps to a strong draft

The same coloured stages you will see inside the studio. Little and often wins: ten focused minutes a few times a week beats one panicked weekend.

  1. Stage 1

    Explore

    Choose a topic you care about and sharpen your focus.

    1. Step 1

      Find your topic

      Compare three ideas and choose one.

    2. Step 2

      Write your aim

      One clear sentence.

  2. Stage 2

    Plan

    Plan how you will investigate, then gather what you need.

    1. Step 3

      Plan the maths

      Then submit your proposal to your teacher (Checkpoint 1).

      Teacher checkpoint
    2. Step 4

      Collect your data

      Opens after your teacher approves your proposal.

  3. Stage 3

    Create

    Do the main work, one piece at a time.

    1. Step 5

      Do the maths

      Check every result on your GDC and write what it means.

    2. Step 6

      Graphs

      Only the ones that help your aim, each with a purpose.

  4. Stage 4

    Develop

    Explain what your work shows and make it stronger.

    1. Step 7

      Interpret

      What your results mean together.

    2. Step 8

      Reflect and conclude

      Your method, your data, your decisions.

  5. Stage 5

    Finish

    Check your work against the criteria and build your file.

    1. Step 9

      Self-check

      An honest look at your draft against the criteria (A–E in the current guide; A–D in the new guide for exams from May 2029).

    2. Step 10

      Download your draft

      Word or PDF; send your first draft to your teacher (Checkpoint 2).

      Teacher checkpoint
Assessment

How your work is marked 20 marks

Tap a criterion to see what examiners look for.

APresentation4 marks

Is your exploration easy to follow? One clear aim, ideas in a logical order, graphs and tables where you talk about them, and a conclusion that answers the aim.

BMathematical communication4 marks

Correct notation (no *, ^ or calculator text), every variable defined, graphs and tables labelled with units, sensible rounding, used the same way all the way through.

CPersonal engagement3 marks

Did YOU make the decisions in the maths? Your own questions, predictions you test, methods you choose and compare. Interest in the topic or hard work alone does not count.

DReflection3 marks

Think about your results all the way through — what they mean, whether your method was suitable, what your assumptions and limitations do to the answer.

EUse of mathematics6 marks

Is the maths relevant to your aim, at the level of the course, correct — and do you SHOW you understand it by explaining why you use each method and what each result means?

Keep these in mind

Golden rules

  • 12–20 pages, double-spaced. We recommend 12-point type. A longer exploration may lose marks under criterion A, because it is not concise.
  • One clear aim, and maths at the level of your course (AA or AI, SL or HL) that you can explain.
  • Every result, graph and table is explained in your own words — no unexplained calculator output.
  • Credit every source, and any AI tool you use, in the text and in your references.
  • No name, candidate number or school anywhere in the exploration.
  • Your teacher gives one round of written feedback on one draft.

Ready? Your first step takes about ten minutes.

Mark this lesson complete, then open the studio. Everything you do is saved to your account.

Open IA Studio
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