Q: Which IB Mathematics syllabus applies to students assessed in 2026? A: Students assessed in 2026 use the Analysis and Approaches (AA) and Applications and Interpretation (AI) courses introduced for first assessment in 2021. Each is available at standard level (SL) and higher level (HL). New briefs exist for first assessment in 2029, but those are not the syllabus for a 2026 examination candidate.
TL;DR AA: emphasises analytical reasoning, mathematical structure and justified arguments. AI: emphasises mathematics in context, modelling, statistics and technology. SL total: 150 recommended teaching hours. HL total: 240 recommended teaching hours. Exploration: 20% of the final grade in all four 2026 courses. 2029 change: use the separate first-assessment-2029 brief only if that is your examination session.
Last reviewed: 19 July 2026 against the IB's mathematics curriculum page, the AA and AI briefs for first assessment in 2021, and the newly published briefs for first assessment in 2029.
The syllabus boundary that matters
The IB currently publishes two generations of Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches and Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation:
Candidate's first assessment
Brief to use
2026
AA or AI brief labelled first assessment 2021
2029
AA or AI brief labelled first assessment 2029
Do not merge the two. The 2029 briefs contain a revised topic structure and revised internal-assessment criteria. A student sitting the course in 2026 should follow the subject guide and examination instructions supplied for the 2026 session by the IB World School.
The four courses available in 2026
The IB says a Diploma Programme student studies only one mathematics course. The options are:
Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches SL;
Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches HL;
Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation SL; and
AA focuses on coherent and rigorous development of mathematical concepts, abstract and contextual problem solving, and the construction and communication of mathematical arguments.
AI focuses on the meaning of mathematics in context, applications, mathematical modelling, statistics, calculus and technology. The IB says all external AI assessments involve technology.
These descriptions do not create an official easiest-to-hardest ranking. HL courses have greater breadth and depth than SL courses, while AA and AI assess different emphases.
Recommended teaching hours for the 2026 syllabus
Analysis and Approaches
Syllabus component
SL hours
HL hours
Number and algebra
19
39
Functions
21
32
Geometry and trigonometry
25
51
Statistics and probability
27
33
Calculus
28
55
Investigational, problem-solving and modelling skills, including the exploration
30
30
Total
150
240
Applications and Interpretation
Syllabus component
SL hours
HL hours
Number and algebra
16
29
Functions
31
42
Geometry and trigonometry
18
46
Statistics and probability
36
52
Calculus
19
41
Investigational, problem-solving and modelling skills, including the exploration
30
30
Total
150
240
The 30-hour component is included in the 150-hour SL or 240-hour HL total. It is not an extra 30 hours added on top. In the assessment table, the brief separately estimates 15 hours for the assessed mathematical exploration.
The public briefs give the five topic areas and their recommended hours. The complete subject guides contain the detailed syllabus statements and are available through the IB Programme Resource Centre or IB store. A school's current guide and course plan should control sentence-level topic coverage.
Assessment used for 2026 candidates
Analysis and Approaches
Level
Component
Duration
Technology
Weight
SL
Paper 1
1 hour 30 minutes
Not allowed
40%
SL
Paper 2
1 hour 30 minutes
Allowed
40%
SL
Mathematical exploration
Brief estimates 15 hours
As permitted by the guide
20%
HL
Paper 1
2 hours
Not allowed
30%
HL
Paper 2
2 hours
Allowed
30%
HL
Paper 3
1 hour
Allowed
20%
HL
Mathematical exploration
Brief estimates 15 hours
As permitted by the guide
20%
AA Papers 1 and 2 each have compulsory short-response and extended-response sections. HL Paper 3 has two compulsory extended-response problem-solving questions.
Applications and Interpretation
Level
Component
Duration
Technology
Weight
SL
Paper 1
1 hour 30 minutes
Involved in the assessment
40%
SL
Paper 2
1 hour 30 minutes
Involved in the assessment
40%
SL
Mathematical exploration
Brief estimates 15 hours
As permitted by the guide
20%
HL
Paper 1
2 hours
Involved in the assessment
30%
HL
Paper 2
2 hours
Involved in the assessment
30%
HL
Paper 3
1 hour
Involved in the assessment
20%
HL
Mathematical exploration
Brief estimates 15 hours
As permitted by the guide
20%
AI Paper 1 uses compulsory short-response questions. Paper 2 uses compulsory extended-response questions. HL Paper 3 has two compulsory extended-response problem-solving questions.
The IB curriculum page says all DP mathematics courses require students to appreciate technology and become proficient with graphic display calculators. Exact approved models, operating modes, data clearing and examination settings are session-specific. Confirm them with the IB coordinator rather than relying on a model recommendation copied from an older list.
The mathematical exploration
The public 2021 briefs describe the exploration as compulsory for SL and HL and worth 20% of the final grade. It lets students apply their skills and knowledge and pursue a personal mathematical interest outside the time limits of a written examination.
The full first-assessment-2021 subject guide controls the current criteria and descriptors. This page does not prescribe:
a universal page or word count;
a required type of primary data;
a minimum number of mathematical techniques;
a requirement to use HL methods in an SL exploration;
a fixed topic, dataset or software package; or
a score guarantee from a template or workflow.
Students should use the current guide, teacher instructions and academic-integrity rules for their session. Shared datasets or examples must not replace an individual investigation or obscure assistance and sources.
How to compare AA, AI, SL and HL
Use this sequence before choosing a course:
Confirm which courses and levels the school actually offers.
Read the current first-assessment-2021 subject brief for the course being considered.
Compare the topic-hour allocation and assessment format with the student's current mathematical strengths.
Check every intended university programme's current, qualification-specific subject requirements.
Record the requirement, accepted course and level, minimum grade, admissions cycle and source URL.
Ask the school about its course-change policy and deadline before assuming a later switch is possible.
No single table can establish that all engineering, computer-science, economics, life-science or business degrees accept the same IB Mathematics route. Universities set programme, campus, qualification and admissions-cycle requirements independently. An old example from one university should not be generalised into a universal recommendation.
What changes for first assessment in 2029
The IB mathematics page now links four-page AA and AI briefs labelled first assessment 2029. Those briefs retain AA and AI at SL and HL, five main topic areas, 150 recommended SL hours, 240 recommended HL hours, an 80% external and 20% internal split, and the mathematical exploration.
They also publish revised topic structures and four internal-assessment criteria aligned to a mathematical inquiry process: problem specification, abstraction, computation and interpretation. Those are future-course details and should not be substituted for the first-assessment-2021 criteria used by a 2026 candidate.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a new IB Mathematics syllabus?
Yes. The IB publishes new AA and AI briefs for first assessment in 2029. Candidates assessed in 2026 still use the courses labelled first assessment 2021.
Does SL mean 150 hours plus another 30 hours for the exploration?
No. The 30-hour investigational, problem-solving, modelling and exploration component sits within the 150-hour SL total. The corresponding HL total is 240 hours.
Is the exploration worth 20%?
Yes, in the public briefs for the four courses used in 2026. The written examinations make up the other 80%.
Does AA always mean no calculator?
No. For the first-assessment-2021 AA course, Paper 1 does not allow technology, while Paper 2 and HL Paper 3 do. AI external assessments involve technology.
Which course is officially the hardest?
The IB does not publish a universal difficulty ranking across AA and AI. HL is studied in greater breadth and depth than SL, but AA and AI have different course emphases.
Which IB Mathematics course does a university require?
Check the current page for the exact degree, campus, qualification and admissions cycle. Do not infer a requirement from the subject name or from another programme's rule.
