Diploma Programme

Mathematics: applications and interpretation

formula booklet
For use during the course and in the examinations
First examinations 2021

Version 1.1

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2019

Contents

Prior learning
SL and HL 2

HL only 2

Topic 1: Number and algebra

SL and HL 3

HL only 4

Topic 2: Functions
SL and HL 5

HL only 5

Topic 3: Geometry and trigonometry

SL and HL 6

HL only 7

Topic 4: Statistics and probability

SL and HL 9

HL only 10

Topic 5: Calculus
SL and HL 11

HL only 11
Prior learning – SL and HL

Area of a parallelogram A = bh , where b is the base, h is the height

1
Area of a triangle A = (bh) , where b is the base, h is the height
2

1
Area of a trapezoid A
= (a + b) h , where a and b are the parallel sides, h is the height
2

Area of a circle A = πr 2 , where r is the radius

Circumference of a circle C = 2πr , where r is the radius

Volume of a cuboid V = lwh , where l is the length, w is the width, h is the height

Volume of a cylinder V = πr 2 h , where r is the radius, h is the height

Volume of prism V = Ah , where A is the area of cross-section, h is the height

Area of the curved surface of A= 2πrh , where r is the radius, h is the height
a cylinder

Distance between two

d= ( x1 − x2 ) 2 + ( y1 − y2 ) 2
points ( x1 , y1 ) and ( x2 , y2 )

Coordinates of the midpoint of  x1 + x2 y1 + y2 

a line segment with endpoints  ,   
( x1 , y1 ) and ( x2 , y2 )  2 2 

Prior learning – HL only

Solutions of a quadratic
−b ± b 2 − 4ac
equation The solutions of ax 2 +=
bx + c =0 are x ,a≠0
2a

Mathematics: applications and interpretation formula booklet 2

Topic 1: Number and algebra – SL and HL

SL The nth term of an un = u1 + (n − 1) d

1.2 arithmetic sequence

The sum of n terms of an n n

arithmetic sequence
S n= ( 2u1 + (n − 1) d ) ; Sn= (u1 + un )
2 2

SL The nth term of a un = u1r n −1

1.3 geometric sequence

The sum of n terms of a u1 (r n − 1) u1 (1 − r n )

= Sn = , r ≠1
finite geometric sequence r −1 1− r

SL Compound interest r 
kn

1.4 FV = PV × 1 +  , where FV is the future value,
 100k 
PV is the present value, n is the number of years,
k is the number of compounding periods per year,
r% is the nominal annual rate of interest

SL Exponents and logarithms a x = b ⇔ x = log a b , where a > 0, b > 0, a ≠ 1

1.5

SL vA − vE
1.6 Percentage error ε= × 100% , where vE is the exact value and vA is
vE
the approximate value of v

Mathematics: applications and interpretation formula booklet 3

Topic 1: Number and algebra – HL only

AHL Laws of logarithms log=a xy log a x + log a y

1.9
x
log
= a log a x − log a y
y
log a x m = m log a x
for a, x, y > 0

AHL The sum of an infinite u1

1.11 S∞ = , r <1
geometric sequence 1− r

AHL Complex numbers z= a + bi

1.12

Discriminant ∆= b 2 − 4ac

AHL Modulus-argument (polar) z= re iθ =

r (cos θ + isin θ ) = r cis θ
1.13 and exponential (Euler)
form

AHL a b
1.14 Determinant of a 2 × 2 A=
  ⇒ det A =A =
ad − bc
matrix c d

a b −1 1  d −b 
Inverse of a 2 × 2 matrix A 
=  ⇒ A=   , ad ≠ bc
c d det A  −c a

AHL Power formula for a matrix M n = PD n P −1 , where P is the matrix of eigenvectors and D is
1.15 the diagonal matrix of eigenvalues

Mathematics: applications and interpretation formula booklet 4

Topic 2: Functions – SL and HL

SL Equations of a straight line = 0 ; y − y1= m ( x − x1 )

y mx + c ; ax + by + d =
2.1

y2 − y1
Gradient formula m=
x2 − x1

SL Axis of symmetry of the b

2.5 graph of a quadratic f ( x) = ax 2 + bx + c ⇒ axis of symmetry is x = −
2a
function

Topic 2: Functions – HL only

AHL L
2.9 Logistic function f ( x) = , L , k,C > 0
1 + Ce − kx

Mathematics: applications and interpretation formula booklet 5

Topic 3: Geometry and trigonometry – SL and HL

SL Distance between two

d= ( x1 − x2 ) 2 + ( y1 − y2 ) 2 + ( z1 − z2 ) 2
3.1 points ( x1 , y1 , z1 ) and
( x2 , y2 , z2 )

Coordinates of the  x1 + x2 y1 + y2 z1 + z2 
midpoint of a line segment  ,   ,   
with endpoints ( x1 , y1 , z1 )  2 2 2 

and ( x2 , y2 , z2 )

1
Volume of a right-pyramid V= Ah , where A is the area of the base, h is the height
3

1 2
Volume of a right cone V= πr h , where r is the radius, h is the height
3

Area of the curved surface A = πrl , where r is the radius, l is the slant height
of a cone

4 3
Volume of a sphere V= πr , where r is the radius
3

Surface area of a sphere A = 4πr 2 , where r is the radius

SL a b c
3.2 Sine rule = =
sin A sin B sin C

a 2 + b2 − c2
Cosine rule c 2 = a 2 + b 2 − 2ab cos C ; cos C =
2ab

1
Area of a triangle A = ab sin C
2

SL θ
3.4 Length of an arc l
= × 2πr , where θ is the angle measured in degrees, r is
360
the radius

θ
Area of a sector A
= × πr 2 , where θ is the angle measured in degrees, r is
360
the radius

Mathematics: applications and interpretation formula booklet 6

Topic 3: Geometry and trigonometry – HL only

AHL Length of an arc l = rθ , where r is the radius, θ is the angle measured in radians
3.7
1
Area of a sector A = r 2θ , where r is the radius, θ is the angle measured in
2
radians

AHL Identities cos 2 θ + sin 2 θ =

1
3.8
sin θ
tan θ =
cos θ

AHL Transformation matrices  cos 2θ sin 2θ 

3.9   , reflection in the line y = (tan θ ) x
 sin 2θ − cos 2θ 

 k 0
  , horizontal stretch / stretch parallel to x-axis with a scale
 0 1
factor of k

1 0
  , vertical stretch / stretch parallel to y-axis with a scale
0 k 
factor of k

k 0
  , enlargement, with a scale factor of k, centre (0, 0)
0 k

 cos θ− sin θ 
  , anticlockwise/counter-clockwise rotation of
 sin θcos θ 
angle θ about the origin ( θ > 0 )

 cos θ sin θ 
  , clockwise rotation of angle θ about the origin
 − sin θ cos θ 
(θ > 0 )

Mathematics: applications and interpretation formula booklet 7

 AHL  v1 
3.10 2 2 2  
Magnitude of a vector v = v + v2 + v3 , where v =  v2 
1
v 
 3

AHL Vector equation of a line r = a + λb

3.11

Parametric form of the x0 λ l , y =+

x =+ y0 λ m, z =+
z0 λ n
equation of a line

AHL  v1   w1 
3.13    
Scalar product v ⋅ w= v1w1 + v2 w2 + v3 w3 , where v =  v2  , w =  w2 
v  w 
 3  3
v⋅w = v w cos θ , where θ is the angle between v and w

Angle between two v1w1 + v2 w2 + v3 w3

cos θ =
vectors v w

 v2 w3 − v3 w2   v1   w1 
     
Vector product w  v3 w1 − v1w3  , where v =  v2  , w =  w2 
v ×=
  v  w 
 v1w2 − v2 w1   3  3
v×w =v w sin θ , where θ is the angle between v and w

Area of a parallelogram A= v × w where v and w form two adjacent sides of a

parallelogram

Mathematics: applications and interpretation formula booklet 8

Topic 4: Statistics and probability – SL and HL

SL Interquartile range IQR

= Q3 − Q1
4.2

SL k

4.3 ∑fx i i k
Mean, x , of a set of data x= i =1

n
, where n = ∑f
i =1
i

SL n ( A)
4.5 Probability of an event A P ( A) =
n (U )

Complementary events P ( A) + P ( A′) =

1

SL Combined events P ( A ∪ B )= P ( A) + P ( B) − P ( A ∩ B)
4.6

Mutually exclusive events P ( A ∪ B )= P ( A) + P ( B)

P ( A ∩ B)
Conditional probability P ( A B) =
P ( B)

Independent events P ( A ∩ B) =
P ( A) P ( B)

SL
4.7
Expected value of a
discrete random variable X
E(X )
= ∑=
x P(X x)

SL Binomial distribution
4.8 X ~ B (n , p)

Mean E ( X ) = np

Variance Var (=
X ) np (1 − p )

Mathematics: applications and interpretation formula booklet 9

Topic 4: Statistics and probability – HL only

AHL Linear transformation of a E ( aX +=

b ) aE ( X ) + b
4.14 single random variable
Var ( aX + b ) =
a 2 Var ( X )

Linear combinations of n E ( a1 X 1 ± a2 X 2 ± ... ± a=

n Xn ) a1E ( X 1 ) ± a2 E ( X 2 ) ± ... ± an E ( X n )
independent random
variables, X 1 , X 2 , ..., X n
Var ( a1 X 1 ± a2 X 2 ± ... ± an X n )
= a12 Var ( X 1 ) + a2 2 Var ( X 2 ) + ... + an 2 Var ( X n )
                          

Sample statistics

Unbiased estimate of n 2
population variance sn2−1
sn2−1 = sn
n −1

AHL Poisson distribution

4.17 X ~ Po (m)

Mean E(X ) = m

Variance Var ( X ) = m

AHL Transition matrices T n s0 = sn , where s0 is the initial state

4.19

Mathematics: applications and interpretation formula booklet 10

Topic 5: Calculus – SL and HL

SL Derivative of x n x n ⇒ f ′( x) =
f ( x) = nx n −1
5.3

SL
5.5 x n +1
Integral of x n
∫x=
n
dx + C , n ≠ −1
n +1

Area of region enclosed by

b
a curve y = f ( x) and the A = ∫ y dx
a
x-axis, where f ( x) > 0

SL
5.8
b 1
The trapezoidal rule
∫y dx ≈ h ( ( y0 + yn ) + 2( y1 + y2 + ... + yn −1 ) ) ,
a 2
b−a
where h =
n

Topic 5: Calculus – HL only

AHL Derivative of sin x f ( x) =sin x ⇒ f ′( x) =cos x

5.9

Derivative of cos x f ( x) =⇒
cos x f ′( x) =
− sin x

1
Derivative of tan x f ( x) =tan x ⇒ f ′( x) =
cos 2 x

Derivative of e x e x ⇒ f ′( x) =
f ( x) = ex

1
Derivative of ln x f ( x) =ln x ⇒ f ′( x) =
x

dy dy du
Chain rule y = g (u ) , where u = f ( x) ⇒ = ×
dx du dx

dy dv du
Product rule y =uv ⇒ =u + v
dx dx dx

du dv
v −u
Quotient rule u dy d x d x
y= ⇒ = 2
v dx v

Mathematics: applications and interpretation formula booklet 11

 AHL Standard integrals 1
5.11 ∫ x=
dx ln x + C

∫ sin x dx =
− cos x + C

∫ cos x=
dx sin x + C

1
∫ cos=x 2
tan x + C

∫e
x
x ex + C
d=

AHL b b

5.12 Area of region enclosed A = ∫ y dx or A = ∫ x dy

a a
by a curve and x or y-axes

Volume of revolution b b
V = ∫ πy 2 dx or V = ∫ πx 2 dy
about x or y-axes a a

AHL dv d 2 s dv
5.13 Acceleration a
= = = 2
v
dt dt ds

Distance travelled from t2

t1 to t2
distance = ∫
t1
v(t ) dt

Displacement from t2

t1 to t2
displacement = ∫t1
v(t ) dt

AHL Euler’s method yn +=

1 yn + h × f ( xn , yn ) ; xn +=
1 xn + h , where h is a constant
5.16 (step length)

Euler’s method for xn +1 = xn + h × f1 ( xn , yn , tn )

coupled systems
yn +1 = yn + h × f 2 ( xn , yn , tn )
tn +1= tn + h

where h is a constant (step length)

AHL Exact solution for coupled = x Aeλ1t p1 + Beλ2t p2

5.17 linear differential equations

Mathematics: applications and interpretation formula booklet 12