510 topic ideas for the Mathematics IA and Extended Essay – page 15.

The investigation explores how “Surface heating of smartphone batteries during gaming, streaming and standby” can be described and compared quantitatively using original measurements or suitable open data. Statistics and probability can test relationships, variation and uncertainty, while differential calculus and integral calculus can extend trend models through rates of change or cumulative effects.

The investigation explores how “Density and air fraction in different chocolate bars measured by water displacement” can be described and compared quantitatively using original measurements or suitable open data. Statistics and probability can test relationships, variation and uncertainty, while differential calculus and integral calculus can extend trend models through rates of change or cumulative effects.

The investigation explores how “Piezoelectric voltage under different applied forces” can be described and compared quantitatively using original measurements or suitable open data. Statistics and probability can test relationships, variation and uncertainty, while differential calculus and integral calculus can extend trend models through rates of change or cumulative effects.

The investigation examines how “Plant growth: biomass versus leaf-surface temperature” develops over time or in response to a changing variable and which model best represents the pattern. Differential calculus can determine rates of change and integral calculus can capture total effects, while statistics and probability help assess measurement error, variation and model fit.

The focus is on the discrete patterns and rules behind “Repeating patterns in decimal expansions”, investigated systematically with original examples, algorithms or simulations. Combinatorics, statistics and probability are often central, while differential calculus and integral calculus become useful only when a continuous comparison model or limiting process is added.

The focus is on the mathematical structures and reasoning behind “Taylor series and their convergence”, developed through original examples, derivations or simulations. Depending on the focus, differential calculus or integral calculus can reveal the analytical structure, while statistics and probability are useful when simulations or datasets are also analysed.

The investigation explores how “The normal distribution of student heights in a class” can be described and compared quantitatively using original measurements or suitable open data. Statistics and probability can test relationships, variation and uncertainty, while differential calculus and integral calculus can extend trend models through rates of change or cumulative effects.

The investigation explores how “Light propagation in optical fibres” can be described and compared quantitatively using original measurements or suitable open data. Statistics and probability can test relationships, variation and uncertainty, while differential calculus and integral calculus can extend trend models through rates of change or cumulative effects.

The focus is on describing “Penrose tilings” through geometric quantities, proportions and a testable model. Geometry and trigonometry form the core, while differential calculus and integral calculus can investigate curvature, area or volume and statistics and probability can evaluate measurement variation.

The investigation explores how “Heat output of LED, halogen and incandescent lamps at comparable brightness” can be described and compared quantitatively using original measurements or suitable open data. Statistics and probability can test relationships, variation and uncertainty, while differential calculus and integral calculus can extend trend models through rates of change or cumulative effects.

The investigation examines how “Sugar solubility in water from 20°C to 80°C” develops over time or in response to a changing variable and which model best represents the pattern. Differential calculus can determine rates of change and integral calculus can capture total effects, while statistics and probability help assess measurement error, variation and model fit.

The investigation explores how “Thermocouple voltage for different metal pairs and junction temperatures” can be described and compared quantitatively using original measurements or suitable open data. Statistics and probability can test relationships, variation and uncertainty, while differential calculus and integral calculus can extend trend models through rates of change or cumulative effects.

The focus is on describing “Comparing coffee cups using mass, surface temperature and core temperature” through geometric quantities, proportions and a testable model. Geometry and trigonometry form the core, while differential calculus and integral calculus can investigate curvature, area or volume and statistics and probability can evaluate measurement variation.

The focus is on the discrete patterns and rules behind “The mathematics of barcodes and QR codes”, investigated systematically with original examples, algorithms or simulations. Combinatorics, statistics and probability are often central, while differential calculus and integral calculus become useful only when a continuous comparison model or limiting process is added.

The focus is on the mathematical structures and reasoning behind “Modelling plant growth rates”, developed through original examples, derivations or simulations. Depending on the focus, differential calculus or integral calculus can reveal the analytical structure, while statistics and probability are useful when simulations or datasets are also analysed.

The investigation explores how “Comparing box plots across different school grading systems” can be described and compared quantitatively using original measurements or suitable open data. Statistics and probability can test relationships, variation and uncertainty, while differential calculus and integral calculus can extend trend models through rates of change or cumulative effects.

The investigation asks which conditions produce the best outcome for “Modelling the efficiency of solar-energy systems” and how sensitive that optimum is to changed assumptions. Differential calculus and integral calculus support optimisation and total-effect calculations, while statistics and probability show whether the result remains stable with variable or uncertain data.

The investigation examines how “A temperature map of a hotplate: centre-to-edge variation” develops over time or in response to a changing variable and which model best represents the pattern. Differential calculus can determine rates of change and integral calculus can capture total effects, while statistics and probability help assess measurement error, variation and model fit.

The investigation examines how “Drying rates of cotton, polyester, wool and microfibre textiles” develops over time or in response to a changing variable and which model best represents the pattern. Differential calculus can determine rates of change and integral calculus can capture total effects, while statistics and probability help assess measurement error, variation and model fit.

The investigation examines how “Battery discharge at different ambient temperatures” develops over time or in response to a changing variable and which model best represents the pattern. Differential calculus can determine rates of change and integral calculus can capture total effects, while statistics and probability help assess measurement error, variation and model fit.

The focus is on describing “Ice formation: frost mass gain and surface temperature over time” through geometric quantities, proportions and a testable model. Geometry and trigonometry form the core, while differential calculus and integral calculus can investigate curvature, area or volume and statistics and probability can evaluate measurement variation.

The focus is on the mathematical structures and reasoning behind “Analysing speed distributions in traffic flow”, developed through original examples, derivations or simulations. Depending on the focus, differential calculus or integral calculus can reveal the analytical structure, while statistics and probability are useful when simulations or datasets are also analysed.

The investigation explores how “The probability of twin births” can be described and compared quantitatively using original measurements or suitable open data. Statistics and probability can test relationships, variation and uncertainty, while differential calculus and integral calculus can extend trend models through rates of change or cumulative effects.

The investigation examines how “Butter proportion and its effect on muffin baking time, height and surface” develops over time or in response to a changing variable and which model best represents the pattern. Differential calculus can determine rates of change and integral calculus can capture total effects, while statistics and probability help assess measurement error, variation and model fit.

The investigation examines how “Sugar proportion and its effect on cookie browning, diameter and crispness” develops over time or in response to a changing variable and which model best represents the pattern. Differential calculus can determine rates of change and integral calculus can capture total effects, while statistics and probability help assess measurement error, variation and model fit.