Free IB Maths AA HL lesson: Derivatives of trig, inverse trig, exponential & log functions
A ready-to-teach IB Maths AA HL lesson on Derivatives of trig, inverse trig, exponential & log functions (Unit 5 · Calculus): editable slides and teacher notes, free; a printable worksheet in 3 levels with answers for school plans. About 55 minutes.
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What's inside
- Slides (PowerPoint, editable) · freeabout 12 slides: do now, objectives, key ideas, a worked example step by step, “your turn”, practice QR code, exit ticket
- Teacher notes (PDF) · freelesson plan with timings, common mistakes, homework links
- Worksheet (PDF) · school plans6 questions, 31 marks: Fluency, Reasoning, Exam-style. Included with school plans and the teacher trial.
- Answers (PDF) · school plansthe answer to every worksheet question, from its mark scheme. Included with school plans and the teacher trial.
Learning objectives
- Derivatives of Trig, Exponential & Log Functions
- Inverse Trig & Exponential Derivatives in Context
- Completing the Square for Inverse Trig Integrals
Key vocabulary
- natural logarithm: ln x, the inverse of eˣ.
- radian: The angle unit that the trigonometric derivatives require.
- exponential function: eˣ, its own derivative.
- inverse trigonometric function: The inverse of sin, cos or tan on a restricted domain.
- principal value: The single value an inverse trig function returns, within its range.
Common mistakes this lesson tackles
- GDC in degree mode for calculus. Radians for anything involving calculus, trig models or arc/sector formulas. Check the mode at the start of every Paper 2 question with trig in it.
- (d/dx)cos x = sin x (the sign is negative).
- Differentiating in degree mode or with angles in degrees.
Lesson plan
| 0–5 min | Do now: students write down what they remember about Volumes of revolution and L'Hôpital's rule |
| 5–8 min | Share the learning objective and success criteria |
| 8–20 min | Teach: the worked example, step by step; students copy the method |
| 20–25 min | Your turn: 1 mini-whiteboard question; check every board before moving on |
| 25–42 min | Practise: the worksheet (6 questions in 3 levels, with school plans and the teacher trial) or the topic's practice questions online; move up a level after two right in a row |
| 42–47 min | Plenary: 1-question exit ticket; collect it to plan the next lesson |
For students: practise this topic
The worksheet's QR code opens the IB Maths AA HL Unit 5: Advanced Differentiation practice questions.
What schools get
- Set this lesson as homework, marked by AI against the mark scheme, with every result in your markbook (school Pro plan).
- This lesson's worksheet in three levels, with its answers, ready to print.
- Support, Core and Stretch versions and A/B copies of the worksheet from the full question bank, in the worksheet builder.
- Create lesson: this lesson rebuilt for your class's next scheme-of-work lesson, from the full bank.
School licences from €490 a year. Try everything free for 30 days as a teacher: no card.
Questions teachers ask
Is this lesson free?
The slides and the teacher notes are free to download with a free IB Math Revision teacher account (sign in with Google, Microsoft or email); no card. The printable worksheet in three levels and its answers are included with school plans and the free 30-day teacher trial.
Can I edit the slides?
Yes. The slides are an ordinary PowerPoint file: change, add or delete anything. They also open in Google Slides and Keynote. The logo and web address sit on the slide master, so your edits do not move them.
What do students use for homework?
The practice slide's QR code and web address take students to the IB Maths AA HL Unit 5: Advanced Differentiation practice questions on ibmathrevision.com, where the free questions are open and the full bank comes with a plan.