IB Math AI HL · 2021 to 2025

3.16 Route algorithms (HL only)

78 past paper questions from 15 papers across 10 exam sessions. See what repeats, then practise the same skills with AI marking.

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HL archive · 2021 to 2026

3.16 Route algorithms (HL only)

Latest exam session: May 2026

questions
78
questions
papers
15
papers
exam sessions
10
exam sessions
micro-topics
2

Micro-topics in 3.16 Route algorithms (HL only)

In syllabus order. The ring is the share of papers each appears in.

  • 2

    3.16.1

    Spanning trees & shortest path

    2 questions · in 2% of papersAppears in 1 of the 54 Math AI HL papers analysed (2%), at least once each.

    Less common

    last May 26 P3 TZB

  • 28

    3.16.2

    Route inspection & travelling salesman

    76 questions · in 28% of papersAppears in 15 of the 54 Math AI HL papers analysed (28%), at least once each.

    Frequently tested

    last May 26 P3 TZB

Exam pattern

How often each micro-topic has been examined, year by year. Each label is explained under the grid.

Does it repeat?

Questions per year for each micro-topic.

fewermore

Micro-topic202120222023202420252026
3.16.2Route inspection & travelling salesmanFrequently tested
17Route inspection & travelling salesman, 2021: 17 questions14Route inspection & travelling salesman, 2022: 14 questions27Route inspection & travelling salesman, 2023: 27 questions5Route inspection & travelling salesman, 2024: 5 questions9Route inspection & travelling salesman, 2025: 9 questions4Route inspection & travelling salesman, 2026: 4 questions
3.16.1Spanning trees & shortest pathLess common
·Spanning trees & shortest path, 2021: 0 questions·Spanning trees & shortest path, 2022: 0 questions·Spanning trees & shortest path, 2023: 0 questions·Spanning trees & shortest path, 2024: 0 questions·Spanning trees & shortest path, 2025: 0 questions2Spanning trees & shortest path, 2026: 2 questions
  • Frequently testedin at least a quarter of all papers, and still appearing in the last two years
  • Less commonin fewer than one paper in fifteen

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Questions on 3.16 Route algorithms (HL only), by exam session

Which papers asked about 3.16 Route algorithms (HL only), and which question numbers. Open a paper to see them highlighted.

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Frequently asked questions

Short answers about this page.

Which Math AI HL exam sessions are covered for 3.16 Route algorithms (HL only)?

11 exam sessions from 2021 to 2026, the latest May 2026. Every Paper 1, 2 and 3 in every timezone is read and classified in full, which gives 15 papers in this archive.

Which 3.16 Route algorithms (HL only) topic comes up most?

Route inspection & travelling salesman (3.16.2): in 28% of papers, last seen May 26 P3 TZB. Usually "find / solve", worth about 14.9 marks in a paper that includes it.

Can I see the original question and mark scheme?

No. The wording belongs to the IB. You get the citation, the marks, the command term and the skill tested, plus our own matched practice questions with worked answers and AI marking.

What do "banker", "due" and "rising" mean?

Banker: examined in at least one sitting in four and still appearing. Due: regular before, but absent for the last two exam sessions. Rising: clearly more common in the last two years. Our classification of real papers, not an IB statistic.

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Reading this page and the exam pattern is free. A free account generates three sets of ten questions and launches one practice set. Pro opens every question in any scope, sets of twenty or all, and unlimited practice.

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