The Most Common IB Math Exam Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
What is IB Math
Have you been struggling with trying to get that high 7 in your IB Math class? The International Baccalaureate (IB) Mathematics course is designed for students aged 16-19 to develop a deeper understanding of concepts and principles in Mathematics. Whether you are studying Mathematics: Analysis or Approaches and Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation, there are some common mistakes which may bring your score down.
At Aegis Advisors, we specialize in guiding students through the intricate world of IB Math, offering personalized tutoring designed to help you excel. Here, we’ll explore some common pitfalls that Math students face, and how to avoid them.
- Mismanaging your time and making silly mistakes
We all understand the feeling of being in the middle of a test and all of a sudden realising that you are running out of time, so you rush through all the questions. However, this can often lead to silly mistakes that would not be done if you are taking your time.
Our best advice to tackle this issue is to firstly go through the test and answer all of the questions you can, skipping any that you don’t think you can answer. Afterwards, you can go back and answer the questions that you left out.
Not only will this give you more time to answer the questions you know properly, but will also mean you can spend more time with the challenging questions and avoid going down a rabbit hole trying to solve one singular question.
- Not reading questions properly
Along with trying to rush through questions, oftentimes students will read only parts of the questions, leading them to incorrect answers.
One of the most common times this will occur is with questions relating to trigonometry or geometry. Students will read the measurements of angles and sides wrong, meaning although all of the work you do may be correct, the final answer will be incorrect, so make sure you look through all parts of the question properly and slowly.
Another mistake often made when reading the question, is not paying attention to the command terms, therefore, not fully understanding what the question is asking you to do. Read our post on what the most common IB command term means, so that you can go into the exam feeling more secure.
- Forgetting about your calculator
Some mistakes begin even before you head into the exam, and that is the mistake of forgetting your calculator!
You do not need the added stress and to make the exam more difficult by forgetting your calculator. Make your life easier and pack your calculator, pens, pencils and ruler the night before your exam so you have all the tools necessary to do well in the exam.
P.s. Don’t forget to charge your calculator!!
- Disregarding your IA
Ok, now that we have covered the most common mistakes in the exam, let us not forget about one of the most common mistakes outside of the exam: forgetting about your IA. Ensuring that you have a strong IA can make that difference between a 6 and a 7, and will mean that you can go into your exam more confident about your end result.
Take a look at our very own “how-to” on choosing your best topic for the IA and all things IA related to ensure you get a high score!
Conclusion
Although these are common mistakes, everyone may need to remember a few different things in order to do their absolute best. Familiarising yourself with the style and structure of the test will help you feel more confident when the day comes around.
Contact Aegis Advisors today and discover how our personalized tutoring can help you excel in IB Math!