How do I know if I'm HL-capable?

[dubyawhy]

So I really don't know if I can handle HL maths. I've been told I'm one of the only kids in my class that would actually be able to do HL maths, but that I would still struggle with it as I wasn't in the highest math class.

I got an A* in the IGCSE mocks, and will definitely get an A* in the finals. I find math at IGCSE very easy and seldom study anything. BUT I've been told that even so, IB math is a huge step up.

Please keep in mind that I am doing the regular IGCSE Maths course, not the "Additional Maths". So I'm not doing anything like logarithms and calculus. Will I have to know these things prior to math HL? Does it require a lot of presumed knowledge?

Please advise me...I really have no idea.

[Cynthia]

There's very little presumed knowledge that I expect you to not know, so on that front it shouldn't be problematic (and if you don't know it, it's very basic stuff that's fast to learn). No logarithms or calculus in presumed knowledge, in any case.

It's very hard to know if you can actually deal with HL Maths (or do well in it); I've heard of a lot of people who have had perfect grades in Math before the IB and then failed HL (and people who aren't that great that have done really well). It's also a matter of how much you're willing and able to work to do well.

Since you're doing well now, I'd advice you to give it a try as a fourth HL subject so that you can drop it to Standard Level if you begin to struggle at some point during the course.

[dubyawhy]

hmmm thanks. I think I'll do that...

...but how much should I prepare over the summer? What are the most challenging topics in IB math?

[elmar]

...but how much should I prepare over the summer? What are the most challenging topics in IB math?

It's more subjective and personal, but I know a lot of people consider the same topics to be most difficult. You can find the syllabus for Math HL (all you have to know) here, with the outline beginning on page 8. For the popular opinion of which one sections are the hardest, you can find them scattered around the Math forum.

For Math SL, I began doing the practice questions for the first few chapters during the summer before IB. I was able to get the book from the teacher who teaches Math SL, so if you can do that, it'll help. You will also have a good impression on the teacher.

Studying the first three chapters/sections (A-C) of Math SL really helped me during the class, especially with everything else that gets thrown at you during the first few months of IB. But don't stress and try to do everything. Some math topics really require an instructor guiding you along, or showing you the "easy way" to do a problem.

[Cynthia]

hmmm thanks. I think I'll do that...

...but how much should I prepare over the summer? What are the most challenging topics in IB math?

To be honest, unless you are super bored during the holidays I'd say you probably shouldn't study too much. What would be of most use to you is probably reading through your A1 books rather than doing Maths. I personally did no preparation; I was in HL Math for half of IB1 and then dropped because I didn't really need it for anything. If you must do something, start from the earlier (and, quite often, easier) topics, or the ones where you have a weaker base from IGCSE.

I felt that at least the first two topics in HL Maths were not very challenging; the later syllabus sections (especially Calculus) as well as the options seem to be where most people in my school have a lot of trouble.

[dessskris]

Just wondering, why did you not take add.math? Does your school offer it? If yes why didn’t you take it?

FYI, I am taking IB Math HL and I took Add Math IGCSE, but not Elementary Math IGCSE (the regular one) because my class wasn’t offered e.math for some reasons. And when we were to choose the IB subjects, our school required us to take add.math and score at least a B if we want to take Math HL. Otherwise we weren’t allowed to take Math HL. I do not know why, but it’s probably because my school doesn’t want those who “aren’t capable” of taking Math HL to take it, as it is very famous for being the hardest subject in IB. No offence or anything, but excuse my language, idk how to say it in a much nicer way.

Now there are only 4 people including me in our Math HL class. We all took add.math and in fact many topics we have covered in IB were already studied in add.math. For example we didn’t do much of introduction in matrices, trigo, functions&equations and calculus because we have covered (at least) the introduction in add.math. And actually we have just finished calculus in IB and I haven’t learned much of a new thing as most of those are the same with what we learned add.math. There were only a few new things in calculus. I find what I learned in add.math very useful now in IB.

I am not saying that you must take Add Math to be able to take Math HL. I am saying that taking Add Math would definitely be useful for Math HL. Taking add.math doesn’t guarantee that you would do well in Math HL either, though. It depends on how hard you study and how naturally good you are at this kind of thing. You can still take Math HL with only e.math, but yes you will learn a lot of new things (unlike us (my class), we are not learning really lot of new things here). Who knows, you may be shocked at how hard it is or you may also be surprised that it is very easy. It is subjective.

I suggest you to study the add.math topics during the summer break. I suggest you to try doing Add Math IGCSE past papers. Do as many ones as you can. You can ask your teacher for copies of the past papers or try to google it. Then if you are finding it easy, you should be confident in Math HL

I agree with Cynthia in taking 4 HL subjects (where Math is one of them) so if you aren’t able to cope in the middle of the IB course you can drop one of your HL classes to SL

[bomaha]

You can study 4 HLs (including math) and if you aren’t able to continue studying math HL or any HL subject, you can drop one of your HL classes to SL.

[krakaton]

Maths HL isn't about how smart you are, it's about how hard you work.

The third-best student in our class (currently getting a high 6) took extended maths in IGCSE. She got a B or a C. In the summer, she decided to work her ass off and prepare using the HL book and the Admaths book.

Now, she's one of the best maths students around and seems on track towards getting a 7 in her finals. Anyone can take HL Maths. Anyone can succeed at HL Maths. But not everyone will work hard enough to.

That's the only advice that I can give you.