IB · Mathematics: Applications & Interpretation SL & HL · N2S

IB Mathematics: Applications & Interpretation Paper 2 · SL (long questions) · 2029 syllabus practice papers

2029 syllabus · SL · 75 marks · 1h 30m · calculator. Each generated paper follows the SL & HL Paper 2 · SL (long questions) · 2029 syllabus format, with the same number and style of questions as the real exam, and comes with an IB-style mark scheme.

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Sample Paper 2 · SL (long questions) · 2029 syllabus questions

Question 1Structured · 13 marks

The table shows the average temperature x °C and the number of ice creams sold y at a kiosk on 8 days.

x1217242530323040
y26336735788780100
Table 1.1
(a)

Find Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficient, r, and describe the correlation.

[3]
(b)

Find the equation of the regression line of y on x.

[2]
(c)

Use the regression line to estimate the number of ice creams sold when the temperature is 26 °C, and comment on the reliability of your estimate.

[3]
(d)

Interpret the gradient of the regression line in this context.

[1]
(e)

Find Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient rs, and explain why it may be a more suitable measure if the relationship is not linear.

[4]
Show answers and mark scheme
PartAnswer and marking pointsMarks
(a)r = 0.920
GDC (M1)
r = 0.920 A1
strong positive linear correlation A1
3
(b)y = 2.93x − 13.6
GDC (M1)
y = 2.93x − 13.6 A1
2
(c)62.5
2.93 × 26 − 13.6 (M1)
62.5 A1
reliable: interpolation and strong correlation R1
3
(d)increase per degree
about 2.93 more ice creams are sold for each 1 °C increase R1
1
(e)0.970
ranking the data (M1)
rs = 0.970 A2
Spearman measures a monotonic (not necessarily linear) relationship R1
4
Question 2Structured · 14 marks

An aircraft’s position is (x, y, z) km, where x and y are displacements east and north of an airport and z is the height. At 13:00 it is at (50, 20, 5) and moves with constant velocity −250−100−20 km h−1. Let t be the time in hours after 13:00.

(a)

Write down a vector equation for the position r of the aircraft.

[2]
(b)

Verify that the aircraft would pass directly over the airport, and find its height at that time.

[4]
(c)

Find the time when the aircraft is 4 km above the ground, and its distance from the airport then.

[4]
(d)

The aircraft now adjusts its descent so that it lands at (0, 0, 0), keeping the same horizontal velocity −250−100. Find the new vertical component of velocity.

[4]
Show answers and mark scheme
PartAnswer and marking pointsMarks
(a)r = 50205 + t−250−100−20
position + t × velocity (M1)
r = 50205 + t−250−100−20 A1
2
(b)t = 0.200; 1.00 km
x = 0 ⇒ t = 0.200 A1
y = 0 at the same t R1
substituting into z (M1)
1.00 km A1
4
(c)t = 0.0500 h; 40.6 km
5 − 20t = 4 (M1)
t = 0.0500 A1
position and distance (M1)
40.6 km A1
4
(d)−26.7 km h−1
time to reach the airport horizontally (M1)
0.150 h (A1)
−4 ÷ time (M1)
−26.7 km h−1 A1
4
Question 3Structured · 12 marks

A sweet company makes star-shaped and moon-shaped sweets. 75% are stars and the rest are moons. 10% of stars and 40% of moons are yellow.

(a)

A sweet is chosen at random.
(i) Find the probability that it is yellow.
(ii) Given that it is yellow, find the probability that it is a star.

[4]

The company claims the colours in each bag follow the distribution below. A bag of 120 sweets is tested with a χ2 goodness of fit test at the 5% level.

ColourBrownRedGreenOrangeYellowPurple
Claimed %152520201010
Observed14322822915
Table 3.1
(b)

Write down the null hypothesis.

[1]
(c)

Find the expected frequencies.

[2]
(d)

Write down the number of degrees of freedom.

[1]
(e)

Find the p-value.

[2]
(f)

State the conclusion of the test, giving a reason.

[2]
Show answers and mark scheme
PartAnswer and marking pointsMarks
(a)0.175; 0.429
0.75 × 0.1 + 0.25 × 0.4 (M1)
0.175 A1
0.07500.175 (M1)
0.429 A1
4
(b)colours follow the claimed distribution
the colours are distributed as the company claims A1
1
(c)18.0, 30.0, 24.0, 24.0, 12.0, 12.0
percentage × 120 (M1)
18.0, 30.0, 24.0, 24.0, 12.0, 12.0 A1
2
(d)5
6 − 1 = 5 A1
1
(e)0.645
χ2 = 3.36 (A1)
0.645 A1
2
(f)do not reject H0
0.645 > 0.05 R1
do not reject H0: the data are consistent with the claim A1
2
Question 4Structured · 14 marks

A tent is a triangular prism. Its front is an isosceles triangle with base 2.4 m and sloping sides 2 m, and the tent is 3 m long. The floor is not made of fabric.

(a)

Find the height of the tent.

[2]
(b)

Find the angle between a sloping side and the floor.

[2]
(c)

Find the volume of the tent.

[2]
(d)

Find the area of fabric needed.

[3]
(e)

A pole runs from a bottom front corner of the tent to the top back corner of the ridge. Find its length and the angle it makes with the floor.

[5]
Show answers and mark scheme
PartAnswer and marking pointsMarks
(a)1.60 m
Pythagoras (M1)
1.60 m A1
2
(b)53.1°
cos θ = 1.22 (M1)
53.1° A1
2
(c)5.76 m3
area of triangle × length (M1)
5.76 m3 A1
2
(d)15.8 m2
two rectangles and two triangles (M1)
correct expression (A1)
15.8 m2 A1
3
(e)3.61 m; 26.3°
horizontal distance √(w/2)2 + l2 (M1)
3.23 (A1)
3.61 m A1
tan θ = height ÷ horizontal distance (M1)
26.3° A1
5
Question 5Structured · 13 marks

The volume of drink in bottles has mean 1000 ml and standard deviation 15 ml. The distribution of the volumes is not known.

(a)

A sample of 40 bottles is taken. State the approximate distribution of the sample mean X̄, giving a reason.

[3]
(b)

Find the probability that the sample mean is less than 999 ml.

[2]
(c)

A different sample of 40 bottles has mean 997 ml. Find a 95% confidence interval for the population mean, assuming σ = 15.

[3]
(d)

Hence comment on the claim that the mean volume is 1000 ml.

[2]
(e)

Find the least sample size needed for the width of a 95% confidence interval to be at most 4 ml.

[3]
Show answers and mark scheme
PartAnswer and marking pointsMarks
(a)X̄ ~ N(1000, 5.63)
central limit theorem, n large R1
mean 1000 A1
variance 15240 = 5.63 A1
3
(b)0.337
normal CDF with standard error (M1)
0.337 A1
2
(c)992.4 < μ < 1002
z-interval (M1)
997 ± 1.96 × 15√40 (A1)
992.4 < μ < 1002 A1
3
(d)supported
1000 is in the interval R1
the claim is supported A1
2
(e)217
2 × 1.96 × 15√n ≤ 4 (M1)
solving for n (M1)
217 A1
3
Question 6Structured · 14 marks

An engineer records the time y seconds for a component to fail under a load of x tonnes.

x24681012
y3.484.736.046.657.878.21
Table 6.1
(a)

Find the equation of the least squares regression line of y on x.

[2]
(b)

Find the sum of the squares of the residuals, SSres, for this linear model.

[2]
(c)

The engineer believes a model of the form y = axb is more appropriate. Using a log-log transformation, find a and b.

[5]
(d)

Find SSres for the model in (c), and hence state which model fits the data better.

[3]
(e)

Use the power model to estimate y when x = 7.

[2]
Show answers and mark scheme
PartAnswer and marking pointsMarks
(a)y = 0.481x + 2.80
GDC (M1)
y = 0.481x + 2.80 A1
2
(b)0.403
Σ(y − ŷ)2 (M1)
0.403 A1
2
(c)a = 2.45, b = 0.492
ln y = ln a + b ln x (M1)
regression of ln y on ln x (M1)
ln y = 0.492ln x + 0.896 A1
b = 0.492 A1
a = 2.45 A1
5
(d)0.139
predicted values from y = axb (M1)
0.139 A1
the power model has the smaller SSres, so fits better R1
3
(e)6.38
2.45 × 70.492 (M1)
6.38 A1
2

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Original IB-style practice questions written for mentorriyaz.in. These are not IB past paper questions, and this site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the International Baccalaureate Organization. Updated 2026-11-04. Paper generator · mentorriyaz.in