How Is MYP Maths Graded on the 1–7 Scale?

Your teacher marks four criteria (A, B, C, D), each on a 0-8 scale using task-specific rubrics called descriptors. The four levels are added together for a total out of 32, then converted to a single 1-7 grade using the IB's standard grade boundary table used across all MYP subjects.

There are four: Criterion A (Knowing and Understanding), Criterion B (Investigating Patterns), Criterion C (Communicating), and Criterion D (Applying Mathematics in Real-Life Contexts). Each is scored 0-8 against strand descriptors, and all four must be assessed at least twice across the year to give a reliable final grade.

Add your best-fit level for each of the four criteria (max 8 each, so max 32 total), then match that sum to the IB's standard grade boundary table. A total of 28-32 gives a 7; 24-27 gives a 6; 19-23 gives a 5, and so on down to 1-5 for a grade 1.

The four criteria and the 1-7 conversion process are identical across the whole programme. The real difference is depth: MYP 4-5 tasks demand more sophisticated modelling and justification, and in MYP 5 some schools begin using eAssessment-style questions to prepare students for the optional on-screen MYP assessment.

Criterion A checks whether you can select and apply the right mathematical knowledge to solve problems — arithmetic, algebra, geometry — usually under test-like or short-question conditions. It's the criterion closest to traditional 'show your working' maths, and it's where most students score their most consistent marks.

Criterion B assesses your ability to spot a pattern, describe it mathematically, and then generalise it into a rule — often written as an algebraic expression. This is investigation-style work, not routine practice questions, and it rewards students who can explain why a pattern works, not just state it.

Criterion C looks at how clearly you set out mathematical work — correct notation, labelled diagrams, logical sequencing, and a clear line of reasoning from question to conclusion. A mathematically correct answer can still lose marks here if it's disorganised or uses inconsistent symbols.

Criterion D measures whether you can take a real-world situation — budgeting, sports statistics, design problems — and turn it into a solvable maths problem, then check whether your answer actually makes sense in context. It's the criterion most tied to open-ended projects rather than textbook exercises.

A 5 or 6 is a solid, on-track grade for most MYP 1-3 students; a 7 means consistently excellent work across all four criteria, not just strong test scores. Because Criterion B and D reward investigation and real-world application, a student who's only strong at routine calculations often caps out around a 5.

The fastest gains usually come from Criterion C and D, not from doing more textbook questions. Focus on clear working, correct notation, and practising real-life application problems where your child explains their reasoning in full sentences, not just numbers.

Because MYP Maths grades aren't based on correct final answers alone. A student can get every calculation right and still score poorly on Criterion C (unclear working) or Criterion D (no real-world reasoning check), which pulls the combined total — and the final 1-7 grade — down.

Yes, indirectly. Strong, consistent grades in Criterion A and B (knowing content and generalising patterns) are the best early signal for Analysis and Approaches; students who consistently do better on Criterion D's applied, real-world problems often settle more comfortably into Applications and Interpretation at DP level.

A normal report often averages test percentages into a letter grade. MYP grading uses four fixed criteria, each assessed against IB-published descriptors, added together and converted via a boundary table — so the number your child brings home reflects specific skills, not just an average test score.