This page contains the latest updates on the Diploma Programme (DP) mathematics: analysis and approaches course.
The new DP mathematics: analysis and approaches course will be launched in February 2027 for first teaching in August 2027. First assessment will take place in May 2029.
Below you will find an overview of the course updates. For a technical breakdown of the DP curriculum and assessment methods for this course, read the DP mathematics: analysis and approaches subject brief.
You also can view information on the current DP mathematics: analysis and approaches course.
To view all subject briefs, visit the DP curriculum page.
Overview of the new course
The updated DP mathematics: analysis and approaches course builds on the existing strengths of the current syllabus, ensuring a smooth transition for teachers, examiners and students without the need for major upskilling or significant changes to current practice. The redevelopment focuses on refinement rather than reinvention, resulting in limited disruption to teachers and students..
The course requires an understanding of the core principles of mathematical reasoning and the capacity to rigorously analyze, construct and communicate mathematical arguments through the understanding of the key concepts in mathematics. Mathematics: analysis and approaches encourages students to develop skills in problem-solving, inquiry in mathematics, abstract thinking and the application of mathematical techniques in context; as well as the dispositions of a successful learner of mathematics. The course allows students to analyze mathematical ideas and solve problems both with and without technology. To this end, students will develop strong algebraic skills and procedural fluency, as well as strong conceptual understanding. The course has a specific focus on analysis using functions and calculus.
DP mathematics framework
The course includes a subject framework that defines both a mathematical problem solving and inquiry process and the key attributes of a learner of mathematics.
The mathematical inquiry process involves the ability to:
- specify problems by posing and framing mathematical questions
- choose appropriate methods, tools or data to abstract problems to a mathematical form, and form plans to solve problems
- carry out computations, either by hand or with technology
- evaluate results through critical thinking for accuracy and relevance to interpret the outcomes of computations.
During the course students will develop the understanding and skills to solve problems. This includes the ability to select appropriate mathematical tools and methods, apply these correctly and interpret the results in terms of the original problem to be solved. In addition, students will develop the key attributes of successful problem solvers and engage in mathematical inquiry.
The key attributes of a mathematics learner include:
- Reasoning inductively, deductively, abductively and analogically
- Communicating mathematical thinking and ideas coherently and clearly, and observing shared conventions
- Linking different elements of mathematics by underlying concepts
- A disposition that includes the identity, agency, purpose, creativity and resilience of a successful mathematics learner.
Course content changes
Course content has been reduced, and no content has been added to the course. Any reductions are targeted, limited and designed to make the course more coherent. The key changes are the removal of:
Standard level
- Financial applications
- Bivariate data
Higher level
- Financial applications
- Proof by counter example
- Bivariate data
- Euler’s method
Changes to the assessment model
The external assessment model is unchanged except for the following:
Standard level
- Paper 1 and Paper 2 have a reduced number of items so that the total marks are 75 (previously 80 marks).
Higher level
- Paper 1 and Paper 2 have a reduced number of items so that the total marks are 100 (previously 110 marks).
- Paper 3 has a reduced number of items so that the total marks are 50 (previously 55 marks).
- The time of Paper 3 is one hour (previously one hour and 15 mins)
Internal assessment
Internal assessment remains mostly the same task: The mathematical exploration. Standard level and higher level now have the same internal assessment criteria. The criteria have been changed to reflect the DP mathematics inquiry process.
|
Criterion |
Marks |
Strands |
|
A: Problem specification |
4 |
|
|
B: Abstraction |
6 |
|
|
C: Computation |
4 |
|
|
D: Interpretation |
6 |
|
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