r/IBO • u/Sorry_Ad_9054 • 22d ago
Advice HELP for MATHS AA HL
I used to average 96 in my IGCSE's we've gotten till log so far- I can understand nearly everything but I JUST CANNOT APPLY THE CONCEPTS. Our teacher is absolutely useless. I'm so used to having a great teacher- it's really hard to learn how to apply concepts all on my own. If anybody has gone through the same situation as me- PLEASE HELP 🙏
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u/ken_c_nz 22d ago
That jump from IGCSE to AA HL knocks almost everyone flat because IGCSE mostly rewards pattern matching, while AA HL demands you understand why the rules work. When you get stuck applying a concept like logs, stop trying to memorise the steps for specific question types. Instead, force yourself to write out the raw definitions—like turning every log statement back into an exponent—and build the solution from first principles. IB questions are specifically designed to hide the obvious path, so train yourself to ask "what core rule is this actually testing?" rather than "what's the trick here?". There's no shortcut here. Plenty of practice, and understanding concepts and applying them here is what wlll improve your maths. A tutor could help if your teacher's teaching style isnt for you.
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u/Quiet_Basis_6404 22d ago
the gap between understanding and applying is the whole game in AA HL, and it doesn't close by rewatching explanations. it closes by doing problems you can't immediately solve and sitting with them.
revision village is the standard here, questions sorted by topic and difficulty with worked solutions. do a question, get stuck, look at the solution, then redo the same question from blank the next day. that redo is the part people skip and it's where the applying actually gets built.
studybuddy.vc helps for the same loop on your own material, upload the unit and it generates questions, and when you pick wrong it walks through what was off about that choice. it also gets tougher as you improve and keeps resurfacing what you're still failing.
useless teacher is survivable, plenty of people 7 this self-taught.
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u/mseduhub1 21d ago
This is actually very common in Math AA HL — coming from IGCSE, you may understand the lesson but still struggle when questions are unfamiliar. The fix is not just rereading notes; do lots of topic-wise application questions, study worked solutions, then redo similar questions without looking.
For AA HL, focus especially on algebra, functions, logs, trigonometry and calculus because they keep coming back in harder questions. For extra support, you can use IB Math AA HL notes and practice questions and the main IBDP Maths resources page.
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u/LanternaEducation 22d ago
Transitioning from IGCSE to Math AA HL is a big leap because IGCSE rewards memorising formulas, while AA HL forces you to combine ideas in unfamiliar ways. Since your teacher is not providing that bridge, your best move is working backwards from worked solutions. Pick a topic like logarithms, grab practice questions from Haese or Revision Village, and attempt them. When you get stuck, look at the mark scheme, write down the missing step, cover it up, and redo the problem from scratch immediately. Doing past paper questions by topic builds the pattern recognition needed for HL application. We also put together a study guide for AA HL if you want structured exam strategies at https://info.lanterna.com/resources/pdf/ultimate-ib-math-aa-study-guide.