The Diploma Programme (DP) is a rigorous pre-university course of study designed for students in the 16 to 19 age range. It is a broad-based two-year course that aims to encourage students to be knowledgeable and inquiring, but also caring and compassionate. There is a strong emphasis on encouraging students to develop intercultural understanding, open-mindedness, and the attitudes necessary for them to respect and evaluate a range of points of view. Read in full this article: Mathematics Analysis and Approaches
The course is presented as six academic areas enclosing a central core. Students study two modern languages (or a modern language and a classical language), a humanities or social science subject, an experimental science, mathematics and one of the creative arts. Instead of an arts subject, students can choose two subjects from another area. It is this comprehensive range of subjects that makes the Diploma Programme a demanding course of study designed to prepare students effectively for university entrance. In each of the academic areas students have flexibility in making their choices, which means they can choose subjects that particularly interest them and that they may wish to study further at university.
Normally, three subjects (and not more than four) are taken at higher level (HL), and the others are taken at standard level (SL). The IB recommends 240 teaching hours for HL subjects and 150 hours for SL. Subjects at HL are studied in greater depth and breadth than at SL. In addition, three core elements—the extended essay, theory of knowledge and creativity, activity, service—are compulsory and central to the philosophy of the programme.
This IB DP subject brief has three key components:
I. Course description and aims II. Curriculum model overview III. Assessment model
I. Course description and aims
Individual students have different needs, aspirations, interests and abilities. For this reason there are two different DP subjects in mathematics, Mathematics: analysis and approaches and Mathematics: applications and interpretation. Each course is designed to meet the needs of a particular group of students. Both courses are offered at SL and HL.
The IB DP Mathematics: applications and interpretation course recognizes the increasing role that mathematics and technology play in a diverse range of fields in a data-rich world. As such, it emphasizes the meaning of mathematics in context by focusing on topics that are often used as applications or in mathematical modelling. To give this understanding a firm base, this course includes topics that are traditionally part of a pre-university mathematics course such as calculus and statistics. Students are encouraged to solve real-world problems, construct and communicate this mathematically and interpret the conclusions or generalizations.
Students should expect to develop strong technology skills, and will be intellectually equipped to appreciate the links between the theoretical and the practical concepts in mathematics. All external assessments involve the use of technology. Students are also encouraged to develop the skills needed to continue their mathematical growth in other learning environments.
The internally assessed exploration allows students to develop independence in mathematical learning. Throughout the course students are encouraged to take a considered approach to various mathematical activities and to explore different mathematical ideas.
The aims of all DP mathematics courses are to enable students to:
- develop a curiosity and enjoyment of mathematics, and appreciate its elegance and power
- develop an understanding of the concepts, principles and nature of mathematics
- communicate mathematics clearly, concisely and confidently in a variety of contexts
- develop logical and creative thinking, and patience and persistence in problem solving to instil confidence in using mathematics
- employ and refine their powers of abstraction and generalization
- take action to apply and transfer skills to alternative situations, to other areas of knowledge and to future developments in their local and global communities
- appreciate how developments in technology and mathematics influ- ence each other
- appreciate the moral, social and ethical questions arising from the work of mathematicians and the applications of mathematics
- appreciate the universality of mathematics and its multicultural, inter- national and historical perspectives
- appreciate the contribution of mathematics to other disciplines, and as a particular “area of knowledge” in the TOK course
- develop the ability to reflect critically upon their own work and the work of others
- independently and collaboratively extend their understanding of mathematics.
II. Curriculum model overview
Mathematics: applications and interpretation and Mathematics: analysis and approaches share 60 hours of common content.
III. Assessment model
Problem-solving is central to learning mathematics and involves the acquisition of mathematical skills and concepts in a wide range of situations, including non-routine, open-ended and real-world problems.
The assessment objectives are common to Mathematics: applications and interpretation and to Mathematics: analysis and approaches.
- Knowledge and understanding: Recall, select and use their knowledge
of mathematical facts, concepts and techniques in a variety of familiar and unfamiliar contexts. - Problem solving: Recall, select and use their knowledge of mathematical skills, results and models in both abstract and real-world contexts to solve problems.
- Communication and interpretation: Transform common realistic contexts into mathematics; comment on the context; sketch or draw mathematical diagrams, graphs or constructions both on paper and using technology; record methods, solutions and conclusions using standardized notation; use appropriate notation and terminology.
- Technology: Use technology accurately, appropriately and efficiently both to explore new ideas and to solve problems.
- Reasoning: Construct mathematical arguments through use of precise statements, logical deduction and inference and by the manipulation of mathematical expressions.
- Inquiry approaches: Investigate unfamiliar situations, both abstract and from the real world, involving organizing and analyzing information, making conjectures, drawing conclusions, and testing their validity.
The exploration is an integral part of the course and its assessment, and is compulsory for both SL and HL students. It enables students to demonstrate the application of their skills and knowledge, and to pursue their personal interests, without the time limitations and other constraints that are associated with written examinations.
Assessment at a glance
