Good visuals can boost your IB Math IA score for Criterion E (Use of Mathematics). There are three main types of visuals you can use, depending on what you want to show:
Main Types of Visuals
When You Want to Explore How Equations or Functions Behave:
- Diagrams showing how differential equations change over time.
- 3D pictures of functions with multiple variables.
- Charts showing eigenvalues in linear transformations.
When You Want to Summarize Data:
- Box plots to show data ranges (like interquartile ranges).
- Heatmaps to show how data points connect.
- Animated steps of Markov chain changes.
When You Want to Explain Ideas Clearly:
- Flowcharts to explain step-by-step processes.
- Venn diagrams to compare sets.
- Drawings of geometric proofs.
IAs with these three types of visuals scored higher in Criterion E than those with just text.
How to Link Visuals to Your Work
Explain what each visual means in your writing.
- Before: “Figure 1 shows the population growth model.”
- After: “Figure 1’s logistic growth curve shows how population stops growing at a limit (carrying capacity, K), and the point where growth peaks (at 500 months) matches the maximum rate from my calculations.”