MATHEMATICS · LEGACY EE EXEMPLAR BREAKDOWN

Predicting patterns from a step-and-turn drawing rule

A student-created drawing system becomes a mathematical investigation through conjecture, modular angles, classification and proof.

Source collection: 50 More Excellent Extended Essays (2011)Presented by the IB as A-grade material under the syllabus used at publication
Independent teaching guide. Archived source material may reflect an older syllabus; use this breakdown with the current EE guide for your examination session.

What the investigation does

A student-created drawing system becomes a mathematical investigation through conjecture, modular angles, classification and proof.

What the examiner response highlights

01

The investigation develops from computer-generated observations into defined variables, general rules and a usable prediction procedure.

02

Diagrams and notation make an unfamiliar system intelligible before the argument becomes more formal.

03

The conclusion synthesizes results and identifies unresolved cases rather than merely repeating earlier sections.

What to examine critically

Some proposed applications remain undeveloped, and the original paper uses the term mathematical induction inaccurately.

A current Mathematics EE should connect the invented system to established mathematical literature and distinguish computational evidence from proof.

How to use this example

Study the decisions behind the work: how the question is narrowed, what counts as evidence in this subject, how the line of argument develops, and where the evaluation becomes specific. Do not copy its wording, structure or method as a template.

Assessment changes for first examination in May 2027 redesign the criteria around the essay framework, knowledge and understanding, analysis and argument, discussion and evaluation, and reflection. Always check the requirements for your own session.

SOURCE PACK

Read the evidence behind this breakdown

Open the available archived material, then return to the guide to compare the examiner's comments with the choices made in the essay.

Find the official source

The underlying essay belongs to an IB-published legacy collection. Access it through the IB Store or the Programme Resource Centre if your school provides access.

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