HL Paper 3 (AA and AI)
One book and 18 chapters on the HL Paper 3 investigation for AA and AI, with eight full practice papers.
Photon Guidebook · 2026 Edition
Photon Guidebook for IB Maths AA HL
Two volumes that start from the exam paper and work backwards: which questions come up, how examiners award the marks, and how to practise until you can do it in the time allowed.
- 2 volumes
- 19 chapters
- 972 pages
- Browser e-book
- Print: coming soon
Free sample: Chapter 1, Sequences and series. Full title: Photon Guidebook: Mathematics Analysis and Approaches HL for the IB Diploma, by Ejaz Ahmad with the Photon Academy team.
Who it's for
Written for students who
- Students in either year of AA HL who follow lessons but lose marks once a question is phrased in an unfamiliar way.
- Students aiming for a 6 or 7 who want every question type covered, including the long investigation on Paper 3.
- Students studying online or on their own, with nobody to mark their working line by line.
Also inside
Beyond the topics
Volume 2 ends with two chapters that are about the exam rather than a topic: a Paper 3 chapter built around four full investigations, and an exam technique chapter that finishes with a paper to sit against the clock.
Worked solutions to the practice questions are free on the publisher's site: IB Maths AA HL worked solutions.
How each chapter is built
The same four-part pattern runs through the book, so you always know where you are.
- Start from the examEach chapter opens with How IB asks this: a count of how the topic has appeared on the papers since 2021 and which question types carry the marks, so you know where the time should go.
- One question type at a timeEvery type gets its own section: the signal in the wording that tells you which type it is, the method, a worked example and the slip that costs most students the mark.
- Marked the way examiners markWorked solutions show M1, A1 and R1 against the lines that earn them, with margin notes where marks are usually lost. You see exactly what a full-mark answer has to contain.
- Practice in three roundsBasics to build the skill, Tutorial to apply it, then Mastery at full exam standard. Worked solutions to every practice question are free online.
Contents
19 chapters, 972 pages, in two volumes.
Volume 1
Units 1 to 3, Chapters 1 to 11 · 582 pages- 1Sequences and series
- 2Exponentials and logarithms
- 3Binomial theorem
- 4Counting principles
- 5Proof
- 6Complex numbers
- 7Systems of equations
- 8Functions
- 9Polynomials
- 10Trigonometry
- 11Vectors
Volume 2
Units 4 and 5, Paper 3 and exam strategy, Chapters 12 to 19 · 390 pages- 12Statistics
- 13Probability
- 14Differentiation
- 15Integration
- 16Differential equations
- 17Maclaurin series
- 18Paper 3
- 19Exam strategy
Look inside
Eight real pages, shown exactly as the e-book displays them. Tap any page to open it at full size, or read the whole sample.
Buy the IB Maths AA HL e-book
Payments are handled by Photon Academy (Singapore), the publisher.
Volume 1
S$100SGD, one-time
- Covers
- Units 1 to 3, Chapters 1 to 11
- Length
- 582 pages
- Access
- 2 years, personal licence
- ISBN
- 978-981-94-8213-9 (e-book)
- 978-981-94-8212-2 (coming soon)
Volume 2
S$100SGD, one-time
- Covers
- Units 4 and 5, Paper 3 and exam strategy, Chapters 12 to 19
- Length
- 390 pages
- Access
- 2 years, personal licence
- ISBN
- 978-981-94-8215-3 (e-book)
- 978-981-94-8214-6 (coming soon)
How buying works
The Buy button opens the publisher's checkout on ibtuition.sg. You sign in with Google first, so the book is linked to your account, then pay by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or PayNow through HitPay.
The book opens in your browser as soon as payment clears.
The author
Ejaz Ahmad
Ejaz Ahmad has taught IB Diploma maths and physics since 2015 and is IB-certified for Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches HL and Physics HL. He holds a mechanical engineering degree from the National University of Singapore and has taught more than 1,000 IB students. He writes the guidebooks with the Photon Academy team.
Questions
How do I read the e-book?
In the page-turn reader in any up-to-date browser on a phone, tablet or laptop. It has a contents navigator and search, and there is nothing to install.
How long do I keep access?
Two years from purchase, for each volume you buy. Your access is tied to the Google account you sign in with when you pay.
Do I need both volumes?
No. Each can be bought on its own: the first takes you through units 1 to 3, the second through units 4 and 5, paper 3 and exam strategy.
Can I download or print it?
No. It is a personal licence read online, and each page is watermarked with the buyer's account. A printed edition is in preparation.
Are these real IB past paper questions?
No. Every question and worked solution is original, written by Photon Academy in the style of the exam. The book does not reproduce IB papers, markschemes or booklets.
Who handles the payment?
Photon Academy in Singapore, the publisher. Checkout runs on ibtuition.sg through HitPay, which accepts cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayNow. Prices are in Singapore dollars and your card provider converts them.
Free IB Maths AA HL resources
Use these alongside the book. All free to read, no sign-in.
Course hubIB Maths AA HLEvery topic cheatsheet, the exam papers and IA help.FreeIB Maths AA HL paper analysisWhich topics have carried the marks since 2021.FreeAll topic cheatsheetsFormulas, methods and common traps, topic by topic.IA helpMaths IA guideThe criteria in plain words, with ideas and outlines.
Related guidebooks
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IB Maths AI HL
Two volumes and 24 chapters for the full Higher Level course, with Paper 3 modelling and exam technique.