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Math IA went bad...


David Kroell

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Hello,

I finished my math IA a while ago and it didn't go so well. I did it on investigating infinite fractions, and I struggled to get a good grade on it.

I wound up with a 50 % on it 10/20. That what the teacher gave me, however I felt I did better. The real problem for me is that I'm predicted a six in Math, and I need a six inorder to get into university. I'm struggeling to get above 72% on both my paper 1 and 2 exams for next month on past papers I'm doing.

My question is, will the grade boundaries come down at all for this years exams? Or will it stay pretty much the same?

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The grade boundaries for this year's exams might change because of the new syllabus, but the grade boundaries are designed to make 5~10% of people get 7, 15~20% people get 6, etc (according to past statistics), so if the grade boundaries decrease a lot, that means the exams are hard so everyone's scores decrease.

Note that the distribution of candidates' performance in such a popular and objective subject is hard to change a lot. So a 6-performance candidate would most probably get a 6 in any year, be it 40% (for a year with insanely difficult exams) or 80% (for a year with easy exams).

So if you are the top 20~30% in an exam, you get a 6 or above. If the grade boundaries decreases, you would most probably not get the same percentage mark but get the same 1~7 grade as you get with the current grade boundaries.

If your IA is sent for moderation and the examiners feel you did better than a 10/20, its marks will be increased.

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Thanks for the input,

I don't think they will be increased. I tried to use HL topics but I felt that it was quite challenging to find a topic I could really work with.

However, I will focus on getting the best grade I can on the exams. I've done past paper after past paper, but I can't seem to get above 80% for paper 1 and I can't seem to get above 70% for paper 2.

I guess the only upside is that I know what I struggle with, so I can focus on that.

Thanks again!

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Actually, my math teachers have told me that, in all of the IB related conferences they have attended this year as part of their prep. (for May 2014 exams), they were told that because it's the first year ever that we are writing a full investigation by ourselves, the boundries will most likely be pushed up, and definately not down. So If you're on the border of any grade then you might move up.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Actually, my math teachers have told me that, in all of the IB related conferences they have attended this year as part of their prep. (for May 2014 exams), they were told that because it's the first year ever that we are writing a full investigation by ourselves, the boundries will most likely be pushed up, and definately not down. So If you're on the border of any grade then you might move up.

So the grade boundaries might become even harder than they are now? What is it? 74% for a 6?

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