Math HL low grades

[DNAOBN98]

So, I have been taking Mathematics Higher level for the past ~6 months. I always do the homework given, the exam-style questions worksheets, pay attention in class and try to solve all my doubts. However, doesn't matter how much I study and do exercises, every time I get a new worksheet or question, I always have doubts or do something wrong. This has been a problem in my past tests. I do all the questions and solve my doubts, but when I get to do an exam, I sometimes have no idea how to do some questions, get something wrong on them or do some small mistakes that end up making the whole question wrong. This is for like, 70% of the questions on the test. I'm struggling and focusing all my study time on math and other hl subjects, but I don't seem to be able to get a grade better than 5, or even 4 sometimes. Has anyone experienced this? Studying a lot and believing you fully understand the topic, but you have tons of doubts every time you do a question that seem to appear from thin air?

 

Sorry for any mistakes in English - I take English B

[Guest]

I know, sometimes the questions in the tests/ exams look really different from the questions that you have done. BUT remember, all the questions u get are INDEED in the syllabus, so U need to be able to recall anything from the stuffs that you have learnt, spot the pattern, and apply the knowledge that you know ( just keep writing !!! write down all the stuffs you could think of, sometimes it triggers you. )and it will hopefully bring u to the right answer. Sometimes you have to be more imaginative and think differently.  

[yogan]

Unlike o levels/GCSE, maths HL skills cannot be obtained simply by practicing endless questions. the very basis of the maths HL is to make the student able to think and use his logic to solve issues. you will have to know every topic by the tip of your fingers and know that they are interlinked with each other.

not surprising that this is the hardest topic in IB.

[kw0573]

Sounds like you have excellent work habits! Keep up the good work!

Practice certainly helps, perhaps not enough for a 6 or 7. If the opportunity comes, you can explain a concept or a math question to a friend who needs help. It makes what you learn into something your own.
 

It would be great if there's a student in your class who is getting a 6 or 7 and doesn't mind helping you or form studying partners with you. You can now also try check with this person about what you learned to see if you have a firm grasp of the concepts.

If your teacher gives only IB-styled questions on the quizzes/tests, then you should remember that even the best students might only get 70% on the actual exam. So quizzes shouldn't be the only measures of your progress. I believe more important is homework. You have succeeded when you finish the worksheet and you feel more confident about the particular concept than without doing the worksheet.

Finally, you should separate learning concepts and doing IB questions. Always do more repetitive questions to learn the concepts first, then tackle IB questions. 

Good luck! You can do it!