Diploma Programme

Mathematics: analysis and approaches

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

Version 1.0

HIGHER LEVEL

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2023

Contents

Topic 1: Number and algebra – HL 2

Topic 2: Functions – HL 3

Topic 3: Geometry and trigonometry – HL 4

Topic 4: Statistics and probability – HL 7

Topic 5: Calculus – HL 9
 1.10 nC = n!
Combinations
r r !(n − r )!

n P = n!
Permutations
r (n − r )!

  b  n ( n − 1)  b  
2

( )
n
Extension of binomial a + b = a n
 1 + n   +   + ... 
 a 2!  a  
theorem, n ∈ 

1.12 Complex numbers z = a + bi

1.13 Modulus-argument (polar) z = r (cos θ + isin θ ) = reiθ = r cis θ

and exponential (Euler)
form

1.14
[ r (cosθ + isin θ )]
n
De Moivre’s theorem = r n (cos nθ + isin nθ ) = r n einθ = r n cis nθ

Topic 2: Functions – HL

2.1 Equations of a straight line y = mx + c ; ax + by + d = 0 ; y − y1 = m ( x − x1 )

y2 − y1
Gradient formula m=
x2 − x1

2.6 Axis of symmetry of the b

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

2.7
Solutions of a quadratic −b ± b 2 − 4ac
equation ax 2 + bx + c = 0 ⇒ x= , a≠0
2a
Discriminant ∆ = b 2 − 4ac

2.12
( −1) a0
n
Sum and product of the − an −1
roots of polynomial Sum is ; product is
equations of the form an an
n

∑a x
r =0
r
r
=0

Mathematics: analysis and approaches HL formula booklet 3

Topic 3: Geometry and trigonometry – HL

Prior learning – 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 a 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 

3.1 Distance between two

d = ( x1 − x2 ) 2 + ( y1 − y2 ) 2 + ( z1 − z2 ) 2
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

Mathematics: analysis and approaches HL formula booklet 4

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

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

3.2 a b c
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

3.4
Length of an arc l = rθ , where r is the radius, θ is the angle measured in radians

1
Area of a sector A = r 2θ , where r is the radius, θ is the angle measured in
2
radians

3.5 sin θ
Identity for tan θ tan θ =
cos θ

3.6 Pythagorean identity cos 2 θ + sin 2 θ = 1

Double angle identities sin 2θ = 2sin θ cos θ

cos 2θ = cos 2 θ − sin 2 θ = 2cos 2 θ − 1 = 1 − 2sin 2 θ

3.9 1
Reciprocal trigonometric secθ =
identities cos θ

1
cosecθ =
sin θ

Pythagorean identities 1 + tan 2 θ = sec 2 θ

1 + cot 2 θ = cosec 2θ

Mathematics: analysis and approaches HL formula booklet 5

 3.10 Compound angle identities sin ( A ± B ) = sin A cos B ± cos A sin B

cos ( A ± B ) = cos A cos B  sin A sin B

tan A ± tan B
tan ( A ± B) =
1  tan A tan B

Double angle identity 2 tan θ

tan 2θ =
for tan 1 − tan 2 θ

3.12  v1 
 
Magnitude of a vector v = v + v2 + v3 , where v =  v2 
1
2 2 2

v 
 3

3.13  v1   w1 
   
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

3.14 Vector equation of a line r = a + λb

Parametric form of the x = x0 + λ l , y = y0 + λ m, z = z0 + λ n

equation of a line

Cartesian equations of a x − x0 y − y0 z − z0
= =
line l m n

3.16  v2 w3 − v3 w2   v1   w1 
     
Vector product v × w =  v3 w1 − v1w3  , where v =  v2  , w =  w2 
v w −v w  v  w 
 1 2 2 1  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

3.17 Vector equation of a plane r = a + λb + µ c

Equation of a plane r ⋅n = a⋅n

(using the normal vector)

Cartesian equation of a ax + by + cz = d
plane

Mathematics: analysis and approaches HL formula booklet 6

Topic 4: Statistics and probability – HL

4.2 Interquartile range IQR = Q3 − Q1

4.3 k

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

n
, where n = ∑f
i =1
i

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

Complementary events P ( A) + P ( A′) = 1

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

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)

4.7 Expected value of a k

discrete random variable X E ( X ) = ∑ xi P ( X = xi )

i =1

4.8 Binomial distribution

X ~ B (n , p)

Mean E ( X ) = np

Variance Var ( X ) = np (1 − p )

4.12 Standardized normal x−µ

variable z=
σ

4.13 P ( B) P ( A | B)
Bayes’ theorem P ( B | A) =
P ( B ) P ( A | B) + P ( B′) P ( A | B′)

P( Bi ) P( A | Bi )
P ( Bi | A) =
P( B1 ) P( A | B1 ) + P( B2 ) P( A | B2 ) + P( B3 ) P( A | B3 )

Mathematics: analysis and approaches HL formula booklet 7

 4.14 k k

∑ f (x − µ) ∑fx
2 2
i i i i
Variance σ 2 σ2 = i =1
= i =1
− µ2
n n

∑ f (x − µ)
2
i i
Standard deviation σ σ= i =1

Linear transformation of a E ( aX + b ) = aE ( X ) + b
single random variable
Var ( aX + b ) = a 2 Var ( X )

Expected value of a ∞

continuous random E ( X ) = µ = ∫ x f ( x) dx
−∞
variable X

Var ( X ) = E ( X − µ ) 2  = E ( X 2 ) − [ E (X ) ]
2
Variance

Variance of a discrete Var ( X ) = ∑ ( x − µ ) 2 P ( X = x) = ∑ x 2 P ( X = x) − µ 2

random variable X

Variance of a continuous ∞ ∞
Var ( X ) = ∫ ( x − µ ) 2 f ( x) dx = ∫ x 2 f ( x) dx − µ 2
random variable X −∞ −∞

Mathematics: analysis and approaches HL formula booklet 8

Topic 5: Calculus – HL

5.12 Derivative of f ( x) from dy  f ( x + h) − f ( x ) 

first principles
y = f ( x) ⇒ = f ′( x) = lim  
dx h →0
 h 

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

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

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

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

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
u dy d x dx
Quotient rule y= ⇒ = 2
v dx v
5.15 Standard derivatives
tan x f ( x) = tan x ⇒ f ′( x) = sec 2 x

sec x f ( x) = sec x ⇒ f ′( x) = sec x tan x

cosec x f ( x) = cosec x ⇒ f ′( x) = −cosec x cot x

cot x f ( x) = cot x ⇒ f ′( x) = −cosec 2 x

ax f ( x) = a x ⇒ f ′( x) = a x (ln a )

1
log a x f ( x) = log a x ⇒ f ′( x) =
x ln a
1
arcsin x f ( x) = arcsin x ⇒ f ′( x) =
1 − x2

1
arccos x f ( x) = arccos x ⇒ f ′( x) = −
1 − x2

1
arctan x f ( x) = arctan x ⇒ f ′( x) =
1 + x2

Mathematics: analysis and approaches HL formula booklet 9

 5.9 dv d 2 s
Acceleration a= =
dt dt 2

t2
Distance travelled from distance = ∫
t1
v(t ) dt
t1 to t 2

t2
Displacement from displacement = ∫t1
v (t )dt
t1 to t 2

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

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

5.10 Standard integrals 1

∫ x dx = ln x +C

∫ sin x dx = − cos x + C

∫ cos x dx = sin x + C

∫e dx = e x + C
x

5.15 Standard integrals 1 x

∫a dx = a +C
x

ln a
1 1  x
∫a 2
+x 2
dx = arctan   + C
a a

1  x
∫ a −x
2
dx = arcsin   + C ,
2
a
x <a

5.16 dv du
Integration by parts ∫ u dx dx = uv − ∫ v dx dx or ∫ u dv = uv − ∫ v du

Mathematics: analysis and approaches HL formula booklet 10

 5.11 b
Area of region enclosed A = ∫ y dx
a
by a curve and x-axis

5.17 b
Area of region enclosed A = ∫ x dy
a
by a curve and y-axis

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

5.18 Euler’s method yn +1 = yn + h × f ( xn , yn ) ; xn +1 = xn + h , where h is a constant

(step length)

Integrating factor for

e∫
P ( x )dx

y ′ + P ( x) y = Q ( x)

5.19 x2
Maclaurin series f ( x) = f (0) + x f ′(0) + f ′′(0) + 
2!

Maclaurin series for x2

special functions ex = 1 + x + + ...
2!

x 2 x3
ln (1 + x) = x − + − ...
2 3

x3 x5
sin x = x − + − ...
3! 5!

x2 x4
cos x = 1 − + − ...
2! 4!

x3 x5
arctan x = x − + − ...
3 5

Mathematics: analysis and approaches HL formula booklet 11