IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches

Standard Level
Paper 2

Predicted Paper
Prepared by RevisionDojo

1 hour 30 minutes

Instructions to candidates
• Write your session number in the boxes above.
• Do not open this examination paper until instructed to do so.
• A graphic display calculator is required for this paper.
• Section A: answer all questions. Answers must be written within the answer boxes
provided.
• Section B: answer all questions in the answer booklet provided. Fill in your session
number on the front of the answer booklet, and attach it to this examination paper and
your cover sheet using the tag provided.
• Unless otherwise stated in the question, all numerical answers should be given exactly
or correct to three significant figures.
• A clean copy of the mathematics: analysis and approaches SL formula booklet is
required for this paper.
• The maximum mark for this examination paper is [80 marks].

Prediction Methodology
The following questions were produced after analyzing the past papers from years 2025,
2024, 2023, 2022, and 2021 May sessions, cross-referenced with IB base-rate topic
frequencies across the full current syllabus (2021)

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Full marks are not necessarily awarded for a correct answer with no working. Answers must be
supported by working and/or explanations. Solutions found from a graphic display calculator
should be supported by suitable working. For example, if graphs are used to find a solution,
you should sketch these as part of your answer. Where an answer is incorrect, some marks
may be given for a correct method, provided this is shown by written working. You are
therefore advised to show all working.

Section A
Answer all questions. Answers must be written within the answer boxes provided. Working
may be continued below the lines, if necessary.

1. [Maximum mark: 4]
A marine biologist records the depth, 𝑑 metres, and the water temperature, 𝑇 °𝐶, at six
different points in a lake. The results are shown in the following table.
Depth (𝑑) 2 5 8 12 15 20
Temperature (𝑇) 21.4 18.7 16.3 13.1 10.8 7.2
The regression line of 𝑇 on 𝑑 for this data can be written in the form 𝑇 = 𝑎𝑑 + 𝑏.
(a) Find the value of 𝑎 and the value of 𝑏. [2]
At a seventh point in the lake, the depth is 10 meters.
(b) Use the regression line to estimate the temperature at this depth. [2]

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2. [Maximum mark: 5]
An arithmetic sequence has first term 84 and common difference −3.5.
(a) Find the value of the 20th term. [2]
Let 𝑆ₙ denote the sum of the first 𝑛 terms of the sequence.
(b) Find the maximum value of 𝑆ₙ. [3]

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3. [Maximum mark: 6]
The population of bacteria, 𝑃, in a laboratory sample can be modelled by 𝑃(𝑡) = 800𝑒ᵏᵗ,
where 𝑘 is a positive constant and 𝑡 is the time in hours after the experiment begins.
(a) Write down the initial population of bacteria. [1]
After 4 hours, the population has increased to 2150.
(b) Find the value of 𝑘. [3]
(c) Find the number of hours for the population to reach 5000. [2]

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4. [Maximum mark: 7]
In a group of 200 university students, 120 study economics, 85 study law and 30 study
neither economics nor law.
A student is selected at random.
(a) Find the probability that the student studies both economics and law. [2]
(b) Find the probability that the student studies economics but not law. [2]
Let 𝐸 be the event “studies economics” and 𝐿 the event “studies law”.
(c) Determine whether the events 𝐸 and 𝐿 are independent. Justify your answer. [3]

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5. [Maximum mark: 5]
Consider the expansion of (3𝑥 + 𝑘)⁷, where 𝑘 ∈ ℝ.
Given that the coefficient of 𝑥⁵ is 20 412, find the possible values of 𝑘. [5]

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6. [Maximum mark: 7]
A particle moves in a straight line such that its velocity, 𝑣 𝑚𝑠⁻¹, at time 𝑡 seconds is
given by 𝑣(𝑡) = 2𝑡𝑐𝑜𝑠(𝑡²), for 0 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 3.
(a) Find the maximum speed of the particle. [2]
(b) Find the acceleration of the particle when it first changes direction. [3]
(c) Find the total distance travelled by the particle. [2]

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7. [Maximum mark: 6]
The following diagram shows a circle with center 𝑂 and radius 10𝑐𝑚. Points 𝐴 and 𝐵 lie on
the circle and 𝐴Ô𝐵 = 1.4 radians.

(a) Find the length of the minor arc 𝐴𝐵. [2]

(b) Find the area of the shaded segment. [4]

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Do not write solutions on this page.

SECTION B
Answer all questions in the answer booklet provided. Please start each question on a new page.

8. [Maximum mark: 13]

The depth of water, 𝐷 meters, in a harbor can be modelled by the function
𝐷(𝑡) = 𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑛(𝑏𝑡) + 𝑑, for 𝑡 ≥ 0, where 𝑡 is the number of hours after midnight and 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑑 ∈ ℝ.
The depth of water is at a minimum of 3.2 meters at 03:00 and at a maximum of 8.4
meters at 09:00.
(a) Find the value of 𝑎, the value of 𝑏 and the value of 𝑑. [3]
(b) Sketch the graph of 𝐷 for 0 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 24, showing clearly any maximum and minimum
points. [3]
A small fishing boat can only enter the harbor when the depth of water is at least 5
meters.
(c) Find the first time after low tide that the boat can enter the harbor. [3]
(d) Find the total number of hours in a 24-hour period during which the boat can be in the
harbor. [4]

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Do not write solutions on this page.

9. [Maximum mark: 15]

The time, 𝑇 minutes, taken by students to complete a test is normally distributed with
mean 52 minutes and standard deviation 𝜎 minutes.
(a) Given that 10% of students take longer than 68 minutes, find the value of 𝜎. [3]
(b) Find the probability that a randomly selected student takes less than 45 minutes. [2]
(c) Given that a student takes less than 68 minutes, find the probability that the student
takes less than 45 minutes. [3]
On a particular day, 80 students sit the test.
(d) Find the expected number of students who take less than 45 minutes. [3]
(e) Find the probability that at most 10 students take less than 45 minutes. [4]

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Do not write solutions on this page.

10. [Maximum mark: 12]

A rectangular piece of cardboard has dimensions 24 𝑐𝑚 by 16 𝑐𝑚. Equal squares of side
length 𝑥 cm is cut from each corner. The remaining cardboard is folded to make an open-
topped box.

(a) Show that the volume, 𝑉 𝑐𝑚³, of the box is given by 𝑉 = 4𝑥³ − 80𝑥² + 384𝑥. [2]
𝑑𝑉
(b) Find 𝑑𝑥
. [2]
(c) Find the value of 𝑥 that maximizes the volume of the box. Justify that this value gives
a maximum. [5]
(d) Find the maximum volume of the box. [3]

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